1865-1867. Man’s vest of black silk satin.
The vest is made with three pieces: two front panels of silk satin, and one back panel of brown polished cotton. At the hem the front curves slightly across at the waist, and in back the panel curves up toward the center to a 1.9 cm / 0.75 in. high peak. The vest is double-breasted with a 7.6 cm / 3 in. overlap and front openings measuring 19.1 cm / 7.5 in. high. There are four black thread-covered buttons and four buttonholes at the opening of both right and left front panels, with all eight buttons visible when worn. The vest has a deep V in front measuring 40.6 cm / 16 in. from the shoulder seam to the top of the front opening, finished with a shawl collar 6.4 cm / 2.5 in. at widest. There are two welt pockets on the left side and one on the right. The vest can be adjusted with a belt sewn in at the side seams in back. The entire vest is lined with white polished cotton, with padding between the satin and the lining at the chest. The front panel lining has an additional facing at the hem of brown kidskin, 3.2 cm / 1.25 in. wide at the front and narrowing to 1.3 cm / 0.5 in. at the side seam. Machine-sewn and hand-sewn.
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