Late 19th Century Coats and Outerwear

A beautiful late 19th Century silk woman's robe from the Fergana Valley region of Uzbekistan, Central Asia. The robe is in a traditional silk Ikat pattern displaying shades of green...

A beautiful late 19th Century silk robe from Central Asia (likely Uzbekistan region) in a traditional Ikat pattern displaying shades of purple, aubergine, red and green. It is lined in a red and white cotton floral with banding in blue, red and purple with an unexpected 'splash' of chartreuse. This special piece is from the estate and private collection of Peggy Slappey, a well traveled lady who passionately collected textile art from Central Asia. Part of Ms. Slappey's extensive collection was exhibited in 2016 at the Birmingham Museum of Art. Ms. Slappey once expressed her fascination with the Ikat robes...

Winter 1874 (written in black ink on the lining) China Qing Dynasty Amazing ceremonial dress for Taoist Dignitary (Fa Yi) dated in black ink on the lining "Winter 1874". Purple silk...

Circa 1890 - 1905 France Large evening Cape in chestnut silk ottoman embroidered with trimmings dating from the late nineteenth century in the style of the french designer Emile Pingat...

Antique Victorian velvet fully lined in cotton with gold embroidery and brass sequins.

Circa 1860/1900 Ottoman Empire Ottoman or Persian man suit or coat in the european fashion style and dating back from the second half of the nineteenth c...

Exquisite Victorian cape in a lovely paisley fabric that has been heavily embroidered in bronze and gold tones to give a rich textured, heavy and luxur...

Persian Inspired Victorian Opera Costume Tunic Vest with Gold Metal Trim.

Victorian Cape Stunningly preserved Victorian Cape with soutache detailing, velvet inserts and appliquéd hem. L 22 W 50

This is a stunning paisley scarf covered in intricate embroidery. The crewelwork is done in strands of wool floss worked over a red twill base, and a pumpkin silk lining hides the ba...

This is a "cocoon" coat from the early 1920s, encrusted with absolutely incredible hand embroidery. It is made of a black twill ground, with polychrome silk embroidery worked in beautiful paisley patterns. In many places, a red silk ground has been laid over top of the black, and the embroidery has been worked over top of the red for an added pop of colour. The placement of the embroidery, especially on the back of the collar, suggests that this coat may have been re-cut from an earlier garment or textile, most likley imported from India. Already by the turn of the 18th century the Western market had been importing and re-using woven, printed, and embroidered textiles of Asian design, and this practice only gained in popularity throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. By the turn of the 20th century, the Western market was saturated with original Chinese, Indian, and Turkish textiles, as well as with Western-made knock-offs. The skillful craftsmanship and beauty of real Asian embroidery, enhanced by the Orientalist style so popular during the 1910s, made imported pieces highly desirable, and older textiles - for instance, embroidered robes, large blankets, silk sarees...

This is an incredible coat or "wrapper" from approximately 1897-1903, the final years of the Victorian era. Wrappers were popular from the 1850s on as a gown which might be worn while working at home or receiving friends for tea. Wrappers were often made in soft, warm materials such as wool and cashmere, and paisley patterns such as this one were popular because they referenced the exotic and cozy Kashmir shawls which had been imported from India since the late 18th century, and which would have evoked to the 19th century mind the vast and exciting world of exploration, international trade, and opportunity. This particular wrapper can be dated to the turn of the century through its sleeves, collar, and torso shaping. The sleeves retain the puffed shoulderhead of the 1890s, but have come down from their earlier "leg-o-mutton" volume to a more manageable and flattering size. The collar, which was more commonly a jewel or mandarin collar in the late 1880s and early 1890s, has on this garment been given the smart, tailored shaping of early 20th century walking suits...