Collections Database

Description:
Man's waistcoat or vest decorated with an embroidered design of meandering carnations and other stylized flowers. The embroidery, which decorates the front edges of the garment, pocket flaps and their surroundings, and the neckline, is done in a tambour or chain stitch. The white linen was embroidered to the shape of the waistcoat pattern pieces when new; a tailor would have cut out these pre-embroidered shapes and fit them to the wearer. At some point after its initial creation the waistcoat was shortened. This may have been done to update the original garment to a more fashionable, shorter length. Later, perhaps in the late 19th century, the waistcoat's width was expanded, possibly for fancy dress by a larger, subsequent wearer.

Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+F.511

Research on objects in the collections, including provenance, is ongoing and may be incomplete. If you have additional information or would like to learn more about a particular object, please email fc-museums-web@fivecolleges.edu.