An Exceptional Victorian Embroidered Velvet Mantle Cloak
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Origin: English
Period: Victorian
Provenance: Unknown
Date: c.1860
Hanging Length: 51 inches rear or 44 inches front
A three-quarter length mantle, or cloak, of plum velvet and line in mauve satin. The cloak is very finely and profusely embroidered in gold thread all around the stand-up collar, down the front opening, and all around the lower edge, with particular flourishes around the lower corners. The cloak is fastened with an original gold thread ball and loop, and is almost full-circle, as it dips slightly at the centre back.
This mantle is in good condition, of exceptional quality and detail, and would have been painstakingly embroidered by hand. It would have been used for ceremonial purposes, perhaps by a local dignitary, or worn by a wealthy individual at formal occasions such as the opera. In any event, it is a piece of antique costume of the highest order, unparalleled by the costume makers of today.
One can not help adopting a distinctly regal air when donning it!