Item 2018.249 - Blue Silk Embroidered Coat

Blue silk cutaway coat worn for formal or court dress. It is heavily hand embroidered and has been extensively altered. The silk is satin with stripe created by raised weft threads which has worn away extensively in places. The coat has a high stand collar which has been altered, curved cutaway fronts, narrow slanted shoulders and tight curved sleeves.

The front right panel has eight large flat buttons - there are no buttonholes on the left side. There are two pockets, below the hips, with scalloped flaps and three buttons below. The sleeves have been altered or remade with panels created from patches of silk. The sleeves have turn back cuffs decorated with three large flat buttons and embroidery, the cuffs have been altered by being narrowed and the embroidery motifs have been cut out and appliqued on.

The back of the coat has narrow skirts with two vertical pleats on each side of the two tails (possibly unpicked) and a long centre back vent. The embroidery is of a design of summer grasses and flower heads in green, cream, pale pink and yellow silk threads worked in satin stitch. Bordering the main design is an embroidered lace net pattern in white silk threads. The flat buttons probably have a wooden core and have been covered in the main blue silk and embroidered with a small floral motif. A linen underlayer can be seen where the blue silk has worn through and there are linen pocket bags. Hand-sewn and hand-woven. It has been completely re-lined in a modern white cotton or polycotton fabric.