Description:
Man's suit consisting of a coat, waistcoat, and breeches, all in matching droguet. Droguet was an elaborate silk fabric characterized by small patterns woven with one or more warps and/or wefts; the extra threads in weaving served to enhance the details of a given design. The extensive use of gilded silver thread in the weaving of this example, bound in a few different manners that serve to highlight or downplay the reflection of light, suggests a high cost of this fabric when it was new. The coat is made of four panels of fabric. It has full skirts with three open vents. There is a rounded neckline with no collar, pieced with a matching stip of droguet (original to construction), probably to prevent stretching at the neckline where fabric is not on the straight of grain. The buttons, which are small and rounded, are located in the following areas: twenty down the front closure; five under each pocket; four on each cuff; as well as on the back skirts. One hip level pocket flap,4 1/2", on each side of the coat. Lined in a silk twill. The waistcoat is droguet silk on the front and has long skirts. There are seventeen buttons down the front closure as well as under each hip level pocket flap. The back is a yellow silk or silk blend faille. The waistcoat is lined in linen. The breeches are fitted with a full seat. There is a five button, center front vertical closure. There are flap pockets that are likewise fastened with the self fabric buttons. The center back of the waistband is open, and here there are six worked holes to lace the band for fit. The legs of the breeches each end just below the knee and close with five self fabric buttons and a band. According to the object's history, the suit descended in the family of Samuel Dexter (1725-1810) of Dedham, Massachusetts. If so, it could have been worn by the wealthy merchant, who retired in 1761 at the age of 36.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+F.801 |
