Antique Victorian Cape 1830-50

  An extremely rare opportunity to grab this amazing garment!

 I bought it to take a pattern off it for the Victorian Dressmaker 2,  but since I don't do a lot of 40s and have other earlier and later capes, it is just being redundant. 

 It is in a good shape, and with some repairs more than wearable (but the museums I contacted were only accepting undamaged items, so it was not wanted).

 Features

* amazing silk satin on the outside, richly decorarted with  intricate  silk embroidery at the corners, slits etc.

* lined with silk taffeta, quilted throughout with light wool wadding - 

 * a gathered neckline and a hood, hood also embroidered and with tasels. one tassel is missing

* a collar lined with light canvas, with tassels

* a silk cord to tie

* double piped with silk pipimg all around and around the arm slits.

 Issues ( shown in photos):

 *some gentle fading on ths satin, plus some rusty  marks on one side ( someone must have stored it close to a rusty iron, sadly). these arenot very prominent - nobody noticed them whan i was wearing it!. 

* along the hem and corners the lining and wadding is shattering - could do with patching over with matching fabric and reiinforcing. The piping still good. also shatering in a few more areas, sith some rapairs in evidence.  ideally a n entirely new lining would serve it better, but smaller repairs will also work.

* the collar linerlining is fraying, could do wuth a replacement and maybe a lining ( not applied originally but would prolong the life of the cape if made now.

 In short - widh some repairs and careful wear, this stunnig cape would make a showstopping item and have a happy and long life still! the  embroidery itself is invaluable really, so it would be good to showcase it!

 Size - would look best on a sizr 8-14, but  being a cape, it is a pretty generous. considering the position of the arm slits, i would say it would be a better fit  for a shorter person ( i am 5ft11" - 170 cm and it was just about fine for me)