1790s Waistcoat
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1790-1800 A silk waistcoat
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The back of the waistcoat
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Detail of the foreparts showing part of a pocket
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Detail of the lower edge showing the woven pattern turning a corner
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Detail of the back of the collar showing the piecing
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Detail showing the inside of the collar and facing of the left forepart, and the outside at the top of the right forepart.
Description
The ivory silk of the foreparts has a woven pattern of dark green and white wavy lines forming horizontal stripes; the border, about ⅝" wide, is woven to shape and consists of curves and spots in white silk, and leaves and sprays in two shades of dark green and black, with a line of dark green along the outside edge. The stand collar, 2¼" high, has the border going round the inside, joining the facings at the top of the foreparts which also show the border for 7¼" down the inside front edge. The outside of the collar is cut from the striped part of the fabric. The welted pockets on each forepart have 6⅜" long strips of the border along their tops.
There are 12 buttons and worked buttonholes down the front; the buttons are covered with pieces from the border part of the fabric.
The waistcoat is lined with white fustian, which also forms the back where there are no tapes for adjusting the size. The foreparts have 1¼" wide strips of the fabric added at the shoulders which makes them longer; maybe the size of the woven shape was not long enough for a taller wearer.
Contemporary illustrations
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James Bisset by an unknown artist, 1793. Leamington Spa Art Gallery and Museum (Warwick District Council)
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Richard Arkwright Junior by Joseph Wright of Derby, 1790.
History
The Victoria and Albert Museum in London has a pattern book from the Spitalfields silk weavers Maze and Steer covering the years 1786 to 1789, which has many samples of woven to shape designs for the foreparts of waistcoats. An example can be seen in Waistcoats from the Hopkins Collection, page 72.
Contemporary items
1795 Black & polychrome striped silk satin dress
More waistcoats from the Hopkins Collection can be seen in Waistcoats, published by The School of Historical Dress and available from the Hopkins Costume Trust bookshop.