SOLD
Rare Georgian Riding Habit
1720-50
This jacket was worn during the reign of King George II. Such an elegant garment following the masculine fashion, with deeply pleated skirts vented for movement, a waist seam to fit over stays and wide petticoat and a typical straight collar . Although most of the buttons are original, some are are later with a EDW Armfield, Birmingham stamp. Bought in the UK. What is curious is how silk was used in the most vulnerable places, collar, cuffs and linings. Clearly worn for displaying yourself on a horse, rather than hard riding. My guess is the jacket was worn for fancy dress, hence the later buttons and damage.
Cataloguing
The jacket of fawn worsted wool with collar and cuffs covered in pale blue silk, the collar wide and flat, the front with gold coloured buttons and partially opened wide slanting wide button holes, two slanting bust seams to the third button, the lower sleeve slit with two gold buttons, the deep silk cuffs with a further two buttons, the side skirts with upward facing pocket flaps with a further three buttons and buttonholes, central back opening to the full skirts, a further button each side, the body lined in deeper blue silk and linen, blue silk skirts.
The integrated waistcoat with revealing panels of pale blue silk with eight gold buttons and elongated silver thread buttonholes, lined with linen.
Nape neck to back hem 26 in; 67 cm
Condition
The jacket: The collar is in very good condition with no silk damage.
The left hand side,as you look at the jacket. Just under the collar thre is the slightest wear. Two missing buttons (one of the later Birmingham buttons is loose in a pocket). There is a little moth damage above and around the lower missing button. The hem of the left side has an area of moth holes. Undearm damage and re sewing. On the back of the left sleeve there are two 1 x .50 cm holes. The silk cuff is badly damaged. Button missing from above the cuff. One of the three pocket buttons is a small anchor button (later). The back left hand flap has one small hole just above the seam.
The right hand side has a little wear to top buttonhole. Some small moth holes. Above the 6th butthole is slightly larger moth hole and below the 8th is the worst 1 cm diameter. The flap with pocket has a few moth holes. The right hand sleeve has a 3 x 1 cm light mark to the front. A few moth holes here and there. The back right hand flap has two moth holes 1 x 2 cm, the worst on the jacket.
The integral waistcoat has a 2 x 3 cm hole to near the third buttonhole from the bottom, where the silk is damaged. There are some light brown stains to the lower left hand side.
One pocket has one wrong button, an anchor and later button.
The waistcoat two anchor (later) buttons.
Comments
Patterns of Fashion 1. Janet Arnold p 15 and 34/5
https://share.google/9dVzJzymBnUw30dHM
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/81754
www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/141410
share.google/NcYkY0cMU66AsFWO6
Costume in Detail Nancy Bradfield, p 11
www.facebook.com/groups/liverybuttons/posts/1137996609948230/