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Blue Man's Wool Coat & Waistcoat
1820s

Court dress in the style of the late 18th century for a slim young man.  Conservative 18th century shape and embroidery continued into the 19th century. The coat is padded to give the wearer a fashionable chest.* The coat edges have been turned under the silk lining. Sometimes they have been just cut. A particularly nice and rare feature is the black silk wig bag and rosette attached to the back neck of the coat. Family provenance available.

Cataloguing

Dark blue braodcloth with slightly curved high collar, six cut steel buttons to the  curving front, faux black corded strips to resemble buttonholes, the shaped faux pockets with three similar buttons, the shaped sleeves with deep cuffs with similar buttons, lined in twill weave silk, the bodice and neck with quilting and lambsdown filling.

Cut steel buttons 1 in; 2.5 cm diametrer.

Back top collar to hem 41 in; 1.05 m

Underarm from front edge to front edge 36 in; 92 cm.

The Waistcoat - of ivory twill weave silk with upstanding neck, four silk covered buttons, cut away pointed skirt, the edges embroidered with deep and pale pink flowers and trailing leafy stems with other small flowers, in blue, brown, greens, the very edge embroidered in brown silks, the shaped faux pockets with similar work, the main field scattered with small simple stylised flowers.

Condition

Very good. One moth hole to behind and slightly under right hand sleeve. The silk lining round the neck area needs conserving, otherwise very good. The neck bag is fraying and needs a little conservation.

Comments

The waistcoat. For similar Waistcoats From the Hopkins Collection. c 1720-1950 p 100.

* What Clothes Reveal by Linda Baumgarten p 32/3.