Men's Frock Coat

 

From the seller:

This rare antique 18th century silk embroidered wool French suit court coat jacket dates from 1790. It is made of a dark brown wool fabric, with colorful muted pastel silk thread hand embroidery work done in raised padded satin stitch and french knot needlework designs. There are intricately embroidered flowers and grasses embellishing the coat. This regal rococo style gentlemen's French suit jacket court coat is a long mid length, with a high broad standing collar, cutaway front opening, decorative pinwheel embroidered buttons down the front, on the back above the pleated kick pleat skirt slit opening and underneath the pocket flaps. The pocket flaps give the appearance of pockets, but none are present and there is no closure along the front opening. There is a buttonhole lapel boutonniere on the left side. This tailored men's frock style coat has long full sleeves, with rolled embroidered wide cuffs, a fitted back and was relined in a white cotton fabric during the 19th century, with remnants of the original homespun linen underneath the lining (see close-up). It is a museum deaccession. The coat measures 39 inches long, with a 36 inch chest, 24 inch long sleeves, a 3 inch high collar, 13 inches across the top shoulder seams and 10 inches between the center back seams. These elaborately embroidered suits were worn by wealthy men on formal occasions, particularly in attendance to court. Professional needle workers in France produced astonishing designs by hand with silk threads and the fabric was then cut, custom made and sewn to fit. There is some missing silk thread embroidery stitching and several moth hole damaged areas on the front, along the side which have been repaired and patched with a brown wool fabric filler (see close-up). This is truly a superb rare and wonderful piece of wearable early needlework textile art!

From Me:

This is so stunning!   I love objects like this.