Man's waistcoat, 1795-1800, French; pale green silk taffeta, embroidered coloured silks, flowers, altered 1870-1910Man's waistcoat with a 1¾-inch (4.2 cm) standing collar, revers, welted pockets, straight fronts and hems, reaching to the top of the hip. The fronts, collar, pocket welts and revers are made of pale green silk taffeta. The waistcoat fronts are lined with linen. The waistcoat is embroidered-to-shape with silk floss in blue and shades of green and pink, in a pattern of flowers and leaves, on the revers, collar and pocket welts, along the front edges and hems. There are 9 worked buttonholes on the left front and 9 embroidered buttons on the right front edge.
The waistcoat was altered in the 19th century, either for fancy dress or theatre costume. The silk covering the shoulders and around the armholes was cut away and stitched to the lining; the back was replaced.