Sky’s the limit for hot-air balloon waistcoat

An unusual 18th century waistcoat depicting exquisitely hand-embroidered hot-air balloons is included in Tennants‘ Vintage Costume, Textiles, Dolls & Teddy Bears Auction on April 29th.

18th century costumesHot-air balloon detail on 18th century waistcoatThe gentleman’s waistcoat is finely worked with silver threads and woven with small yet magnificently detailed, pink silk hot-air balloons, with a green example placed under each pocket.

Textiles specialist Sarah White, said, “It is a certainty that anyone involved in the backing of these early days of aviation must have been extremely wealthy, and likewise whoever had a waistcoat commissioned of this quality must have been a rather dapper gentleman.

“As the waistcoat is contemporary to the time of the first hot-air balloon flights, an assumption can be made that the original owner must have either been involved in, or incredibly enthusiastic about hot-air balloons. Sadly we have no provenance to make any direct links.”

The waistcoat has an estimate of £800-1,200.

Also included in the sale is mid-18th century Lady’s cream silk sack-back open robe.  The dress is hand painted with tied bouquets of pink peonies and cascading purple flowers, despite the age the condition of the majority of the dress is exceptional, and a wonderful example of painted fabrics from this period.

Silks of this type were either decorated in China to be exported, or Europe. Both incorporated differing styles of application, and produced these outstanding lengths of silks in contrasting sized widths, dependant on their loom size. Estimate £1,200-1,800

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