52/151

This short smock is made of linen, but it is not cut in one of the two usual styles (reversible or coat style); it is therefore either an old smock of an unusual design, or may be a more modern version. The neck is oval in shape with a stand up collar embroidered in feather stitch with scrolls with long trailing ends. The sleeves are slightly smocked at the shoulder and at the cuff. The tubing and box sections are missing. An eight pointed star is embroidered in feather stitch just below the collar. The cuffs are fastened with a bone button. Little is known about the origins of this smock.

1 smock: natural coloured linen, bone

Citation in publication [Oliver, Tina, 'Smocks: A Guide to the Collections' (Reading: The University of Reading, 2000)] – 'From the same donor as 51/150, but its origins are unknown. The garment, of coarsely woven linen, is unusual in that it has no gathering, smocking or embroidery on the front or back and is very short. There are small sections of smocking at the top of the sleeves and at the wrist edges. The 'v' cut neckline has a band collar attached, this is embroidered as are the shoulder straps. A single star motif set below the neckline decorates the front of the garment' p.7, MERL 'Catalogue index' card – ‘… // DATE ACQUIRED: // GROUP: // NEGATIVE: // PERIOD: Unknown // PLACE OF ORIGIN: Mrs Matthews [...]// NUMBER: // DESCRIPTION: Nothing is known about the origins of this smock. // It is made of natural coloured linen but it is not cut in one of the two usual styles ie. reversible or coat style. It, therefore, may be a genuine old smock of unusual design or may be a modern version. It has no smocking on it except on the sleeves, and the box and tubing sections are also missing. The neck is oval in shape, the opening reaching 8 inches below the shoulder line. A collar is sewn round the opening and is embroidered in feather stitch with scrolls with long trailing ends, which may represent whip lashes and short lines. An eight pointed star is embroidered just below the collar. The shoulder straps have a wavy line along the middle. The sleeve is slightly smocked at the shoulder and also just above the cuff. The cuffs are fastened by a bone button on each. // There are slits 3.75 inches long at the base of each side seam and the hem is 53 inches round. It is a very short smock, 28 inches in length from shoulder to hem and would probably reach to the hips of the wearer., MERL ‘Associated information’ form – ‘Name of Object: Smock // Age…: // Name and address of present owner: Mrs Matthews [...] Wolverhampton // Description of use to which it was put…: [pencil sketch]’, MERL Catalogue Form (temporary) – ‘Sheet 1 of 2 // Specimen Location: MERL // Collection: Id. No. 52/151 // further descr. [tick] notes // Description: Materials: natural linen, natural linen thread, bone buttons // Condition: good // date: 24.3.73 // Dimensions: total length: 69cm // collar opening, below shoulder line, length: 20 cm // cuffs depth: 4 cm // Acquisition: Source: Mrs Matthews [...] // Method: gift // date: July 1952 //Notes (continued overleaf): Description: hand sewn, style: not usual patterns, straight fronts, sleeves, shoulders straps (as round frock) but oval neck line (cf. fisherman's slop) side slits at hem with square strengthening patches inside. collar: boat shaped, double thickness sewn down at front, loose at back, cuffs: straight bands, pockets: none, buttons: 1 on each cuff, 4 holes, bone PTO [verso] tubing: outline and points, sleeve tops - 1 row and sleeves above cuff - 3 rows; embroidery: collar edge - feather stitch, scrolls with trailing ends; shoulders - feather stitch, wavy lines; front - feather stitch, eight pointed star. // Cataloguing Cataloguer: LCB // of: MERL // date: 12.3.73 [page break] Sheet 2 of 2 [...] Dimensions tubing, sleeves, top ht x w: 5 x 2.5cm // tubing, sleeves, above cuff, ht x w: 7 x 2cm // hem, circumference: 132.5cm // side slits, length: 9.5cm‘

Fibre, flax, Bone

Stitched, Embroidered, Smocked