Item 2018.251 - Brown Silk Check Double Breasted Waistcoat

Brown silk double breasted waistcoat with a roll collar. The silk has been woven to create a large check pattern with satin stripes, the squares of the checks are grosgrain with small blue dots. The fronts have been cut on the bias so that the checks are diagonal. The silk is in poor condition and has worn through in areas of rubbing leaving the cotton or linen warp threads.

It fastens at the front with four self-covered buttons (show eight) and with one metal button on the inside. There are two welted pockets lined in cotton twill. The back and under collar is made of tan cotton twill. There are two tabs for waist adjustment folded in half in a horizontal V shape and with three pairs of small metal eyelets. They lace with a length of cotton tape.

It is lined in plain white cotton with narrow dark brown leather strips at the hem of the fore parts and two small panels of grey silk under the arms. It has been altered to make it larger with panels inserted under the arms and the waist tabs moved. It has extensive staining under the arms, across the lower back and the front inside chest. The stains appear to be from sweat. All hand sewn.