Edwardian Silk Beaded Jacket Brown Purple
Exquisitely detailed and very rare example of a ladies, opulent, evening jacket c.1900, it is two toned in a rich brown silk and lavender purple. Where does one begin to describe this with words?
The body is a fitted piece in a brown silk with a waistband defined in brown velvet. The puffed shoulders and long sleeves are accented by brown trim (in contrasting satin at the cuffs). On either side of the hook-closed opening is brown looped trim. The same brown trim appears on the "open leaves" panel in purple, resting on the chest. There is a purple silk interior that creates the high collar and central chest area, which is also overlayed in black mesh and bedazzled in silver toned beads in the form of stars and rosettes. This purple panel closes with hooks on the interior of the left chest. Underneath the purple panel is another layer in beige silk that creates the "liner", holds the boning that is necessary to create the silhouette, and also closes with numerous, hidden hooks. All of this is best viewed in the video that accompanies this listing.
No tags. Custom made as were most clothes for the well-to-do of this era.
Shoulders 13"
Sleeves 24"
Chest 32"
Waist 24"
Length 16"
Condition: very good considering its age, delicacy, and detail, but with issues.
There are stains around the underarms (dark and blending in with the brown fabric -- seen only when pointed out in direct light). There is also some discoloration around the interior of the collar.
The beige silk liner has tearing around the hooks at bottom left side of waist. There are so many hooks and eyes to this jacket that it does have a few missing, but 90% of them seem to still be there.