Before treatment
Waistcoat
China for English export
ca. 1760
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Silk with wool and linen lining
This is a blue silk satin single-breasted waistcoat without lapels. It has a rounded neckline and closes down the center front with 13 silk-covered buttons. It has two internal front pockets with pointed flaps and v-shaped openings. It is constructed of eight silk panels. The upper back is lined with undyed plain weave linen. All other lining is glazed blue plain weave wool.
The vest is embellished with slightly darker blue silk embroidery in a lace-like pattern.
There is evidence of alteration of this piece. The embroidery on the front does not line up across the seam between the skirt and body panels, and it appears that embroidery has been cut off along back of the skirt where it was hemmed. The front and back are also not hemmed to the same length.
Condition Before Treatment
The waistcoat was in good structural and aesthetic condition, with small losses in the lining, a detached button, and underarm staining. A large loss in the shell was present along the left armscye. There was also a crease along the proper left vent.
Dyed and Painted Fills
To compensate for the loss in the left armsyce of the shell, silk habotai was custom-dyed using Irgalan dyes. A color that matched the surrounding stain was achieved.
The surface was further dappled using PROfab fabric paint. The paint also successfully dulled the surface of the silk habotai, making it more similar to the sheen of the aged textile.
The fill was stitched in place using Stabiltex threads.
Loss along the proper left armsyce before (L) and after (R) treatment
After treatment
Condition After Treatment
The waistcoat is in improved physical and aesthetic condition. The large loss in the silk shell was stabilized and compensated using a silk habotai underlay.
Losses in the lining were stabilized with bobbinet overlays to prevent snagging and worsening of the loss.
The detached button was resewn, and creases were reduced using local contact humidification.
Images courtesy and copyright of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation