Dressed to Kill, Dressed to Till
Lot 85:
By the late 1830s, a new style of outdoor coat was coming into fashion, the “paletot”, described as a “short Great Coat”, it was made both single- and double-breasted and was often worn in lieu of a frock coat (which it resembled), especially in cooler weather. It typically had waist seam, hip buttons and the side seams were without pleats in the skirts. By the 1840s, it had become more extreme, somewhat unwaisted and with an extremely short back vent (as on this example). A profusion of pockets set on the outside with flaps, was characteristic, both at waist and breast. This fine example made of drab superfine also shares characteristics with another short overcoat then coming into fashion, the pilot coat. Both share features such as oversized buttons and large collars, which could be worn up and secured with a tab. The seams are beautifully top-stitched with a contrasting brown thread to highlight the coat’s cut. A woolen stuff is tacked between the drab cloth of the exterior and the drab silk lining inside for additional warmth and structure, to which the lining is secured by elaborate pad stitches worked in a floral and scroll pattern from collar to bottom of skirts. A superbly tailored garment of the best materials, this paletot or pilot coat must have been extremely costly to the beau or dandy who wore it. There are some scatterings of light insect graze near the skirt bottoms and a few minor stains on the coat, which is otherwise in very good condition, with the silk lining still supple and pliant.
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