Help dating Victorian jacket and identifying fabric?

zannew

zannew

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Hello,

I was fortunate to find this wonderful jacket at a thrift shop this week. It was mistakenly identified as a 1980s jacket. Could you give me a date range for it? I am thinking 1890s?

Also, is there a term for this type of fabric? It is not quilted but has an intricate textured weave.

Thank you!

DSC_0672.JPGDSC_0673.JPGDSC_0674.JPGDSC_0675.JPGDSC_0676.JPG black Victorian jacket.jpg
 
The fabric looks like it might be a matelase'; however, 19th c. is not my era so there could be similar fabrics during that period.
It's interesting that the bindings are white or light colored Hopefully, the Victorian experts will provide a reason.
 
Fabulous! I don't think it is a jacket, but the top of a dress ensemble. I looks 1880s...1885 -1890 from the photos, I am not sure. I cannot see the fabric very well, but it looks like a brocatelle, a brocade with extra "goodies" woven in. The inside white bindings (?) may be the selvages from one of the fabrics used to make the inner portions. Best I can determine from the small photo. Are those the boning cases? I have seen black fabrics with light colored selvages from the Victorian eras, oddly enough.
 
Yes, they are the casings for the boning. The actual casing is black but the selvages have been covered in a light gray satin. I have included a close-up. I agree that the fabric looks like matelase' in the pictures but I believe it's as Barbara suggests, a brocade. It's only one layer of fabric and it's not very thick. I had never heard the term brocatelle, Barbara. That's something I look forward to learning more about. You mention that you think it is the top of a dress ensemble. Would it originally have been attached to a skirt or is it a separate item that was part of a larger, matching set?

boning casing.jpg
 
I agree it's most likely a bodice that would have had a matching skirt. Sometimes these sets hooked together at the center back waist, although not always. I am think it's a bit later - 1896-97 due to the size of the leg-o-mutton sleeves, the shortness of the waist length and the flat waist front. I bet it has a separate collar that sat over and hid the silk binding at the neckline. Something black and beaded,perhaps? I have also seem seam binding in high contrast colors in this period. I think they just liked the detail inside the bodice, and it really highlighted the hand finishing.

Hollis
 
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