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Waistcoat

1790-1799 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Man’s court waistcoat with a 2-inch (5 cm) standing collar, straight fronts and skirts reaching to the hip. Each front has a pocket and pointed pocket flap. The fronts, back skirts and pocket flaps are made of cream silk satin, the back of bleached linen. The waistcoat and pockets are lined with fustian; the front skirt linings, pocket linings and front facings are white silk twill. The waistcoat is embroidered-to-shape with silk floss in brown, yellow and shades of green, pink and blue in a pattern of flowers and leaves against a speckled ground, on the pocket flaps, collar and along the front edges and hems. There are 9 worked buttonholes along the left front, the top 2 uncut, with 9 embroidered buttons on the right front.

The waistcoat was altered in the 19th century, probably as a studio prop. A triangle of fustian has been inserted into the centre-back seam.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silk, cotton, linen; hand-woven, hand-embroidered, hand-sewn
Brief description
Man's court waistcoat, 1790s, English; Cream silk satin, embroidered, floral motifs, altered 1870-1910
Physical description
Man’s court waistcoat with a 2-inch (5 cm) standing collar, straight fronts and skirts reaching to the hip. Each front has a pocket and pointed pocket flap. The fronts, back skirts and pocket flaps are made of cream silk satin, the back of bleached linen. The waistcoat and pockets are lined with fustian; the front skirt linings, pocket linings and front facings are white silk twill. The waistcoat is embroidered-to-shape with silk floss in brown, yellow and shades of green, pink and blue in a pattern of flowers and leaves against a speckled ground, on the pocket flaps, collar and along the front edges and hems. There are 9 worked buttonholes along the left front, the top 2 uncut, with 9 embroidered buttons on the right front.

The waistcoat was altered in the 19th century, probably as a studio prop. A triangle of fustian has been inserted into the centre-back seam.
Dimensions
  • Top of right collar to hem length: 62.0cm (approx)
  • Chest under armholes circumference: 121.0cm (approx)
Credit line
Given by Messrs Harrods Ltd.
Collection
Accession number
T.1061-1913

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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