A Very Tattered and Patched Cotton Jacket: Well Worn, Well Repaired

early to mid twentieth century
30" x 43", 76 cm x 109 cm

This jacket is tattered and well-worn as is very obvious from just a glance at these photos. It is shown here inside-out in order to highlight the many repairs and patches which make this ragged coat interesting.

There is still evidence of wear to the coat that has not yet been repaired, which might indicate that this garment was discarded before repairs could be made to it. Or, rather, maybe this is the way the owner used it: there is always a hint of mystery when we find such old, hand made clothing. There are always questions.

The surface is roughed-up and there is loss to it. There are many patches and reinforcements and there seems to be no attempt toward visual consistency where the patches are concerned: large areas of striped cloth sit next to plain colored cloth which sit next to a white, commercially produced fragment of cloth. This is the way things were done in an era when resources were scant.

There is a good deal of character in this rough old jacket and there is a lot of visual appeal as well. The tailoring of the sleeves might make it difficult to wear but there is so much to look at that it would be a pleasure to admire on the wall, hanging as a piece of art.

Recommended.