Caraco
Category
Costume
Date
1780 - 1790
Materials
Brocade, Glazed wool, Metal, Silk, Wool
Order this imageCollection
Snowshill Wade Costume Collection, Gloucestershire
NT 1348748
Summary
Jacket; Caraco - Silk and wool brocade, with large ribbon shaped patterned meanders, branching flowers and leaves and a background trellis pattern. Grey on a dark blue ground. Lined throughout with dark yellow glazed wool. Knee-length without waist seam. Fitted bodice with very low neckline and edge to edge front opening with lappets. Skirt full, falred with inverted pleats at side and centre back seams. Sleeves set in, elbow length, with shaping at elbow. Trimmed with pleated pale-blue silk ribbon round neck edge and at elbow. Long tape loops inside at top of side pleats, short ones on front lappets. Tape ties side front. Twelve original hooks and eyes centre front. Hand worked bars on left front later additions. Fabric earlier than garment. Dr Mary C de Jong curator of Nederlands Kostuummuseum thinks Dutch fabric. Natalie Rothstein thinks fabric French although lining could be English possibly Norwich. It is known as Tobine i.e. a warp pattern with two warp threads together. late 1750's circa 1760. Cf Janet Arnold 'Patterns of Fashion 1660-1860' p.24,25. Line drawing with inventory card (female)