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Not currently on display at the V&A

Coat

1695 - 1705 (made), 1700 - 1725 (altered), 1875 - 1900 (altered)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A man's coat of mauve/grey woollen broadcloth. The neckline is bound with a narrow strip of wool. The sleeves are cut in 2 shaped pieces, loosely fitted and ending above the wrists with deep cuffs extending behind the sleeve, 16 cm deep at the front and 21 cm at the back. The front edges run straight from neck to hem. The coat is fitted to the torso with wide unpleated skirts below the hip. The horizontal pockets are half-way between waist and hem, with rectangular pocket flaps. The cuffs and pocket flaps are lined with two shades of pale blue figured silk, pieced. The pockets are lined with green and white shot silk. The front and back edges, cuffs and pocket flaps are interlined with black buckram and reinforced with narrow linen tape. There are 27 cut buttonholes worked in silver thread, on the left front and 17 silver thread passementerie buttons (10 are replacements for display). The pocket flaps have 7 silver-thread buttonholes and 7 corresponding buttons on the coat. The buttonholes are cut but not through the flap linings. The front of the sleeve cuff has 6 cut silver-thread buttonholes, with corresponding buttons on the sleeves. Twelve uncut buttonholes adorn each side of the back opening. Twelve buttonholes are worked on each side of the front skirts; only the top one is uncut. The corresponding buttons on the back skirts are all replacements.

Traces of silver thread at the left front hem indicate that the coat has been shortened at some point, possibly to update the style or for another wearer. The coat has been relined in the late 19th century.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Wool, silk, linen, linen thread, silver thread; hand-woven broadcloth, silk and buckram, passementerie, hand-sewn
Brief description
Man's coat, 1695-1705, English; Mauve wool, silver passementerie buttons; altered 1700-25, relined in 19th century
Physical description
A man's coat of mauve/grey woollen broadcloth. The neckline is bound with a narrow strip of wool. The sleeves are cut in 2 shaped pieces, loosely fitted and ending above the wrists with deep cuffs extending behind the sleeve, 16 cm deep at the front and 21 cm at the back. The front edges run straight from neck to hem. The coat is fitted to the torso with wide unpleated skirts below the hip. The horizontal pockets are half-way between waist and hem, with rectangular pocket flaps. The cuffs and pocket flaps are lined with two shades of pale blue figured silk, pieced. The pockets are lined with green and white shot silk. The front and back edges, cuffs and pocket flaps are interlined with black buckram and reinforced with narrow linen tape. There are 27 cut buttonholes worked in silver thread, on the left front and 17 silver thread passementerie buttons (10 are replacements for display). The pocket flaps have 7 silver-thread buttonholes and 7 corresponding buttons on the coat. The buttonholes are cut but not through the flap linings. The front of the sleeve cuff has 6 cut silver-thread buttonholes, with corresponding buttons on the sleeves. Twelve uncut buttonholes adorn each side of the back opening. Twelve buttonholes are worked on each side of the front skirts; only the top one is uncut. The corresponding buttons on the back skirts are all replacements.

Traces of silver thread at the left front hem indicate that the coat has been shortened at some point, possibly to update the style or for another wearer. The coat has been relined in the late 19th century.
Dimensions
  • Shoulder to hem at centre back length: 96.0cm (approx)
  • Chest under armholes circumference: 94.0cm (approx)
Production typeUnique
Credit line
Given by Lady Spickernell
Collection
Accession number
T.30-1938

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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