A common frock coat

[jruley]

Here's another original frock seen at Harrisburg that shows styling more typical for the times.

Front overview showing plain double-breasted style devoid of trim. Wrinkle at the skirt bottom is where the lining is tacked to the raw bottom edge. I don't recall if the line on the cuff is a separately cut piece or merely topstitching.



Closeup of the collar showing separately cut lapels and keyhole buttonholes. Note there is no topstitching. Moire pattern is due to the photo and is not actually seen.



Underside of collar and lapel showing evidence of padding stitching. The collar and lapel are finished by wrapping the face side of the material around the canvas, then felling the back side on top. The felled raw edge is still intact after all this time.



Upper body lining showing the extent of quilting, which is typical for these coats.



Closeup of pocket in lining, showing a fancy S-shaped curve.



Tail vent area showing the typical pleat pocket in typical brown material.



Splitting seams can give valuable information about details of internal construction. Here it's obvious that some kind of upholstery material found its way into this coat as interfacing .



Enjoy,

Jim R.

[MTM]

Beautiful!
I love the quilting. Would that have been machine-stitched?
There is a small round, stitched hole to the right of the lapel in the second picture. Was this for some type of pin, or for attaching a cape, as you said about buttons in another post?
What would the pockets in the rear have been for?

Thank you!
Mark

[jruley]

I love the quilting. Would that have been machine-stitched?

It appears so and generally is in this era.

There is a small round, stitched hole to the right of the lapel in the second picture. Was this for some type of pin, or for attaching a cape, as you said about buttons in another post?

On closer inspection it is undoubtedly a moth hole

What would the pockets in the rear have been for?

These are almost universal on frocks of this period, but hip pockets on trousers were rare. Gloves come to mind, but wallets may also have been carried here, though they are an easy mark for pickpockets.

Regards,

Jim R.

[/quote]

[The Doctor]

What would the pockets in the rear have been for?

Silk Gloves!

YOU GOTTA PICK A POCKET OR TOO BOYS, YOU GOTTA PICK A POCKET OR TOO!

[HappyStroller]

MTM, thanks for drawing attention to the tailcoat pocket; thank you, Doctor, for your confirmation. And, of course, many thanks, once again, to Jim Ruley, for the valuable photo.

I suppose there is only a single pocket for the gloves, even though there are two in a pair?

I had always wondered where in the tails the pocket/s for the glove/s should be. Now we know. And what a strange place to locate that glove pocket. I can't image the contortion required for the drawer to pull out or slip in his gloves!

[HappyStroller]

Well, gentlemen, I posted the above comments while seated.

Immediately after that, I stood up and decided to try out the contortion required. To my amazement, access with my right hand to the position directly behind my waist proved very easy for slipping in and pulling out gloves. I'd say the folks who chose that spot to place the glove pocket really knew how to design coats!

[jruley]

Immediately after that, I stood up and decided to try out the contortion required. To my amazement, access with my right hand to the position directly behind my waist proved very easy for slipping in and pulling out gloves. I'd say the folks who chose that spot to place the glove pocket really knew how to design coats!

HS is quite right; these pockets are intuitively placed once one learns "the reach".

These however are a bit more challenging:



If you look closely, this pocket is in the same place but on the INSIDE of the (different) coat. More secure from pickpockets but rather difficult to access gracefully!

Enjoy,

Jim R.

[HappyStroller]

I say, Jim, the concealed behind the tail gloves pocket is yet another great location. Now my evening tails can have an outer pocket for my gloves and an inner one for the gloves of my better half or my social companion, whoever. And, maybe one higher and one lower, if both are accompanying me?

Once again, thanks for your great photo contributions, Jim R.