Unidentified Coats


Figure 1.--This garments looks rather like a dress. We believe, however, that it may have been a jacket or coat for a small boy in the early 19th century.

Most coats neatly fit into some of the basic categories detailes on the HBC suit insex page. We have, however, noted a number of garmenrts that we are less sure about. Many of these garments date from the early 19th century on which HBC has developed less information. This is in part because this is a period for which we have few images because photography had not been develooped. We have some painted portraits from this periodm but few shed much light on grments like these coats. We would be very interested in reader insights into these garments.

Long Velvet Jacket

HBC is unsure about this garment. It looks like a dress, but HBC believes it may well have been a boys early 19th century jacket. As we know relatibvely little about this period, we are not yet sure. We are mich more familiar with the late 19th century when there are more photographic images available. The brilliant blue of this high quality velvet coat is simply stunning! Seen from the rear, this garment looks like a dress with the ample central panel folded into a double pleat, but from the front it is obvious that it is a coat with deep revers and a fly front with four silk buttons and a hook and eye fastening at the waist. There is a yoke with two buttons which fastens to one side. The sleeves are balloon shaped folded into the armpit. There is a small pocket worked into a side seam.There is a label attached to the silk lining which reads: "Marindaz" 3 rue de la Paix embroidered in yellow and a wide corded silk ribbon acts as a sash. Condition: wear to the silk lining. Measurements: (cape to hem: 63cms : around the (very loose) waist with buttons closed: 72cms).

Short Blue Jacket

This garment is clearly a boys jacket. We would date kit to the early 19th century, perhaps about the 1830s. This is only a rough estimate give our still limited information on the early 19th century. The cloth of this little jacket is extremely fine and of a particularly pleasant hue of blue The collar and cuffs are of diagonally woven cotton and the frilling is by hand. The brass buttons are either replaced or still missing. It is lined with flnnelette. Measurements (neck to waist): 32 cm. We are not positive just what it was worn with. We note in particular the ruffled collar. This suggests to HBC that it was not worn with a blouse as there would be no need for a fancy blouse collar with the ruffled collar in the jacket.





Christopher Wagner






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Created: June 27, 2002
Last updated: June 27, 2002