Coat, paletot

This finely tailored loose coatin dark olive green wool was made for John Francis Close, a British diplomat based in France from 1830. All the edges, except the hem, are bound in a fine silk binding. This coat may be an early style of paletot.

The front panels are lined in black cotton, the LHS panel of the lining has a deep slit pocket. The flap between the lower back pleats is also lined in black cotton and the sleeves are lined in white cotton. The two front panels have fly-fronted fastenings for five buttons, but only three silk covered metal buttons remain. Below the waistline on the RHS there is a small slit pocket, lined in white cotton and edged in black silk. Each front panel extends from below the waistline at the sides and ends at the lower back pleat on either side of the back panel. The deep turned down collar is edged with black silk and has rounded ends that do not meet at the front. Each sleeve has two panels, is gathered at the shoulder and has small turned back cuffs with shaped ends narrowly bound in black silk. There is a shaped panel at each side of the coat decorated with a black silk covered metal button where the side panel meets the back panel seam and a small pleat is formed. The back panel is diagonally shaped across the shoulders between the neck and the back sleeve seam. The bottom of the back panel has two small pleats of 42.5cm length, both have concealed, deep cotton pockets, the RHS has a vent. The front edges of the coat, the collar and jetted pocket are finished with very fine silk binding in a slightly darker shade than the fabric of the coat giving it subtle definition. The sleeves have narrow turn-back shaped cuffs.