Antique French Silk Velvet Jacket c.1800s – Hand-Embroidered with Flat Gold Metal Thread – Ceremonial A-Line Robe from Aristide Boyer Archive

This is a hand-stitched probably ceremonial or formal jacket, likely French and dating from the early 19th century. It is made from magenta-pink silk velvet: the colour is deeper and more saturated in person than it may appear in photographs, closer to a rich fuchsia or magenta depending on lighting. It features a cream silk collar and front panel, which is embroidered by hand with flat gold metal strips in a scrolling floral and foliage design. The embroidery is couched directly to the surface and remains bright and largely intact. Inside the collar is a layer of coarse plant-fibre canvas used to give structure—this kind of internal stiffening is a tailoring method seen in garments from this period, especially in more formal or symbolic clothing.

It’s unstructured through the body but shaped across the shoulders with seams hidden beneath the collar. It features short, shaped capped sleeves, lined in matching cream silk, and the body flares out in an A-line silhouette with deep box pleats at the back. This combination of shoulder shaping and a wide, pleated cut suggests that it was not intended to be worn over large-sleeved dresses, but likely over a fitted underlayer. The quality of the materials and embroidery indicates that this was a high-status garment. It does not appear to have been made as theatre costume originally, though it was later acquired by Aristide Boyer—the respected theatrical costumier based in Marseille—and bears his early 20th-century inventory stamp inside.

Measurements: The jacket measures approximately 20 inches (50.8 cm) from underarm to underarm, 18.5 inches (47 cm) across the shoulders, and 33 inches (83.8 cm) in length from the neckline to the hem.

Condition:

The garment has not been laundered but is clean and overall in very good condition. The most notable wear remains around the inside of the collar, where the top layer of the cream silk is torn and fraying, and some of the gold metal embroidery has come undone or lifted in that area. There is light surface wear throughout the collar area, limited to that section. Additionally, a part of the left outer collar seam has come unstitched, along with one other seam on the garment. These areas are not very noticeable and can be easily repaired with simple stitching. The rest of the garment is in excellent condition, with no visible issues to the stitching elsewhere. The embroidery remains vibrant, and the silk velvet is intact throughout.