1850's Men's Waistcoat

From the seller:

DATING TO THE CIVIL WAR ERA

FASHIONED OF A FLORAL FIGURAL IVORY SILK

SILK COVERED BONE BUTTONS CLOSE THE FRONT

POCKETS ON EACH SIDE WITH HIGH CHEST POCKET ON LEFT

GLAZED COTTON LINED AND BACKED WITH REAR BELTING AND BUCKLE

THE BACKING AND INTERIOR ARE SPATTERED WITH LIGHT BROWN SPOTS OF AGE COLOR..SEVERAL ERASER SIZED DARKER STAINS ON REAR

THE FRONT BOTTOM HAS SOME YELLOWED SOILED AGE COLOR WITH THE INNER NECKLINE EDGE HAVING THE SMALL EDGE FRAY PICTURED.

STRONG AND OTHERWISE WEARABLE

MEASUREMENTS IN INCHES

CHEST: 38
WAIST: 32
LENGTH: 19

From Me:


You can read all about the sewing machine here. Yes, this looks to be machine sewn but the sewing machine was being advertised pretty heavily in the 1850's.  It was just expensive.  The extant waistcoat is very similar to the one the gentleman on the left is wearing in the fashion plate below.  The fashion plate is from 1856.

1856