Unidentified Coats: Velvet Early 19th Century Coat


Figure 1.--This garments looks rather like a dress. We believe, however, that it may havde been a jacket or coat for a small boy in the early 19th century. Click on the image for a full fontal view.

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 relatively little about this period, we are notvyet sure. We are much 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. This means that it was made in France, but apparently purchased by an English mother. As can ber seen in the sleave openings, it is lined in white silk. Measurements: (cape to hem: 63 cm : around the (very loose) waist with buttons closed: 72 cm). While this is clearly a coat or jacket rather than a dress, we are not positive about who woyld have worn it. We suspect that it may have been a boys garment, but we do not yet have enough information about the early 19th century garments to be sure. We note especially the lapels and think this is a important indicator that this coat may have been worn by a boy. We are also unsure just what garnment this jacket would have been worn with. We think it inlikely that the child would have worn a long-sleeved skeleton suit woth this garment, given the short puffed sleeves. We wonder if this might have been worn by a child wearing a dress that has not yet been breached. We hope to develop more information on the early 19th century as HBC expands.

Assessment

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 relatively little about this period, we are notvyet sure.

Chronology

We are much more familiar with the late 19th century when there are more photographic images available. We would tentaively date this to the 1830s, but that is just a prelimary assessment at this time.

Color and Material

The brilliant blue of this high quality velvet coat is simply stunning!

Garment

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.

Construction

The most destinctive aspect of this garment are the large puffed sleeves. 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. As can be seen in the sleave openings, some of the garment is lined in white silk.


Figure 2.--Here we see a back view of the garment. Note the wide belt loops. While we are not sure that this ribbon went with this coat, clearly there was some kind of belt.

Accessories

A wide corded silk ribbon acts as a sash. I am not positive that the ribbon sash goes with the coat, but as their are beltloops, clearly there was some kind of ribbon or belt.

Label

There is a label attached to the silk lining which reads: "Marindaz" 3 rue de la Paix embroidered in yellow. This means that it was made in France, but apparently purchased by an English mother. The address "rue de la Paix" is one of the most prestigous street of Paris ... and the most expensive one.

Size

The measurements are: (cape to hem: 63 cm : around the (very loose) waist with buttons closed: 72 cm).

Gender

While this is clearly a coat or jacket rather than a dress, we are not positive about who woyld have worn it. We suspect that it may have been a boys garment, but we do not yet have enough information about the early 19th century garments to be sure. We note especially the lapels and think this is a important indicator that this coat may have been worn by a boy.

Accompanying Garments

We are also unsure just what garnment this jacket would have been worn with. We think it inlikely that the child would have worn a long-sleeved skeleton suit woth this garment, given the short puffed sleeves. We wonder if this might have been worn by a child wearing a dress that has not yet been breached. We hope to develop more information on the early 19th century as HBC expands.

Discussion

Not all are readers agree with the HBC assessment. One French reader writes, "Concerning the blue garment, it is of course a dress from the early 19th century. Boys and girls at the time wore idenrically styled dresses with pantalettes. English styles were very popular in France at the time. Both boys and girls also often wore similar hair styles so it is often difficult to dertermine gender." HBC also thought at first that this was a dress. Several aspects of the garment suggest to us that it is a boy's coat. First notice the very boyish lapels just like ones worn on a man's coat. Second and more importantly, notice that the garment is completely open at the front and buttons just like a coat. I have nevver seen a dress which buttoned in this manner, certainly not in the ealy 19th century.





Christopher Wagner






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