SARAH ELIZABETH GALLERY - ANTIQUE TEXTILE

Men's Black Wool Frock Coat from 1860-1880

Just imported from France an early men's black wool frock coat 1860 - 1880.  Buttons covered in silk satin.  Full skirted with darts at the waist for fitting.  One button on each cuff.  One interior breast pocket and two tail pockets.  Fully lined in black wool.  Sleeves lined in brown and white striped cotton.  Machine stitched, three lines of under stitching on the collar.  Padding in the shoulders.  

The Frock Coat occupies a fairly straightforward position in the annals of fashion history.  A double-breasted version such as this, favored by Prince Albert (husband of Queen Victoria) bore his name, and was considered to be more elegant than its single-breasted cousin. Etiquette manuals of the 19th century are filled with advice for when and where to wear each variant, and even with what color waistcoat it should be paired for different events (general consensus held that, when visiting, a dark colored waistcoat was most correct, whereas for a "kettle-drum," an informal afternoon event along the lines of a social tea, white was expected). Often associated with professional men, such as doctors and lawyers, it was also appropriate wear for a variety of morning occasions, including weddings and funerals. Nearly always black, and always wool, its blocky, skirted cut and construction changed very little from the 1850s through the 1920s, when it was replaced for every occasion save Court by the less formal "morning coat," favored by George V of England. 

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