Waistcoat
Object name
Worn by
Date made
Late 18th century
1809
1809
Place made
Description
Embroidered waistcoat worn by Sir John Osborn, 5th Baronet, at his wedding to Miss Frederica Louisa Valentina Davies on 14 September 1809.
Content description
An 18th-century waistcoat featuring blue roses and cornflowers, altered in the early 19th century. The waistcoat's front is made of silk satin and its back of linen. The patchworked nature of the waistcoat, especially along its collar, indicates that this was an earlier, longer waistcoat that was remade to fit the prevailing style of early 19th-century waistcoats, which were shorter and straight along the bottom.
The waistcoat is embroidered in blue, green, brown, and black silk threads in satin, trellis, straight, stem, and slanted satin stitches. The blue roses and cornflowers run up the centre of the waistcoat and along its collar. A pattern of white diamonds embroidered over paper and edges of brown slanted satin stitches adorn the pockets and the front edges of the waistcoat. The buttons are embellished with blue flowers with brown centres. The remaining satin on the waistcoat's fronts is embroidered with twigs and small blue rosebuds.
Family provenance indicates that this waistcoat, as well as a set of waistcoat fronts, a boy's waistcoat, and men's cuffs (RSN 2683a-b, RSN.2684, and RSN 2685a-b) also in the RSN collection, are all tied to the Osborn(e) family. This particular item dates to about sixty years after the other items, and is thought to have been worn by Sir John Osborn, 5th Baronet, at his wedding to Miss Frederica Louisa Valentina Davies on 14 September 1809. Sir John was the grandson of Sir Danvers Osborn, the owner of the other waistcoat and cuffs in this set.
Sir John Osborn (1772-1848) was a politician. He was an MP for Bedfordshire in 1794-1807 and 1818-1820, for Cockermouth in 1807-1808, for Queenborough in 1812-1818, and for the Wigtown Burghs in 1821-1824. He served as a Lord of the Admiralty from 1812 to 1824 and as one of the Commissioners of Audit from 1824 until his death in 1848. He was also in the army, serving as a Captain in the Bedfordshire Yeomanry in 1797 and in the Bedford Volunteers in 1803-1805. He became Colonel of the Bedfordshire Militia on 12 January 1805 and he retained command of the regiment for the rest of his life. He and Frederica, who was the illegitimate daughter of Sir Charles Davers, 6th Baronet, had five sons and three daughters.
The waistcoat is embroidered in blue, green, brown, and black silk threads in satin, trellis, straight, stem, and slanted satin stitches. The blue roses and cornflowers run up the centre of the waistcoat and along its collar. A pattern of white diamonds embroidered over paper and edges of brown slanted satin stitches adorn the pockets and the front edges of the waistcoat. The buttons are embellished with blue flowers with brown centres. The remaining satin on the waistcoat's fronts is embroidered with twigs and small blue rosebuds.
Family provenance indicates that this waistcoat, as well as a set of waistcoat fronts, a boy's waistcoat, and men's cuffs (RSN 2683a-b, RSN.2684, and RSN 2685a-b) also in the RSN collection, are all tied to the Osborn(e) family. This particular item dates to about sixty years after the other items, and is thought to have been worn by Sir John Osborn, 5th Baronet, at his wedding to Miss Frederica Louisa Valentina Davies on 14 September 1809. Sir John was the grandson of Sir Danvers Osborn, the owner of the other waistcoat and cuffs in this set.
Sir John Osborn (1772-1848) was a politician. He was an MP for Bedfordshire in 1794-1807 and 1818-1820, for Cockermouth in 1807-1808, for Queenborough in 1812-1818, and for the Wigtown Burghs in 1821-1824. He served as a Lord of the Admiralty from 1812 to 1824 and as one of the Commissioners of Audit from 1824 until his death in 1848. He was also in the army, serving as a Captain in the Bedfordshire Yeomanry in 1797 and in the Bedford Volunteers in 1803-1805. He became Colonel of the Bedfordshire Militia on 12 January 1805 and he retained command of the regiment for the rest of his life. He and Frederica, who was the illegitimate daughter of Sir Charles Davers, 6th Baronet, had five sons and three daughters.
Materials
Stitches
Motifs
Credit line
Gift of Sarah Saunders-Davies, 2022.
Catalogue number
RSN.2682
© Royal School of Needlework