The waistcoat, likely for a child, is lined with a gold sateen fabric with couching, also known as laid work, of a stylised floral pattern with one large symbolic motif on the back. This pattern seems to be a combination of a carnation design, symbolising birth, life and renewal merged with a hyacinth design. The combination is likely a result of Turkish and Ottoman cultural influences alongside individual artistic preferences demonstrated in similar examples, see EU1998.02.1, British Museum and nn5252, Horniman Museum. Moreover, the edges of the waistcoat are lined with gold coloured metallic thread, making the waistcoat relatively heavy. Unfortunately, due to its condition, the blue and gold colours have faded and various stitches have become undone causing some buttons to fall off and separation of the fabrics near the collar.
This object was audited and researched as part of the NLHF Data Hunters and Story Gatherers project.
