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Waistcoat

Waistcoat
ca. 1870 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Sight and touch are the senses most associated with dress - we are beguiled by the colours, shapes, textures and movement of what is worn. We seldom need our sense of hearing to observe dress, except perhaps to catch the creak of leather or the rustle of silk. But the purely decorative buttons on this sombre waistcoat are truly musical. Individually they are silent, but placed together they jostle with their neighbour and tinkle and clang like alpine cowbells. Silent, stealthy movement is impossible. Each button’s smooth, rounded underside contrasts sharply with the dull coils and chains of wire that cover its top and that encase small shiny beads. The light that glints from the beads appears to be absorbed by the fine black felt from which the waistcoat is made.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleWaistcoat
Materials and techniques
Felt, embroidered with silk cord and trimmed with metal buttons
Brief description
Women's waistcoat, felt, wool, Germany, 1800s
Physical description
Waistcoat, possibly for a child, felt embroidered with silk cord and trimmed with metal buttons. German, 19th century.
Summary
Sight and touch are the senses most associated with dress - we are beguiled by the colours, shapes, textures and movement of what is worn. We seldom need our sense of hearing to observe dress, except perhaps to catch the creak of leather or the rustle of silk. But the purely decorative buttons on this sombre waistcoat are truly musical. Individually they are silent, but placed together they jostle with their neighbour and tinkle and clang like alpine cowbells. Silent, stealthy movement is impossible. Each button’s smooth, rounded underside contrasts sharply with the dull coils and chains of wire that cover its top and that encase small shiny beads. The light that glints from the beads appears to be absorbed by the fine black felt from which the waistcoat is made.
Bibliographic reference
Crill, Rosemary, Jennifer Wearden and Verity Wilson. Dress in Detail from Around the World. London: V&A Publications, 2002. 224 p., ill. ISBN 09781851773787. p. 210
Collection
Accession number
971-1872

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Record createdFebruary 10, 2004
Record URL
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