Woman's Surcoat

Qing dynasty (1644–1911), 1860/90

Body: silk, warp-float faced 7:1 satin weave; embroidered with silk and gold-leaf-over-lacquered-paper-strip-wrapped wild silk in laid work and couching; neck, front, hem, sides and sleeves: silk, warp-float faced 7:1 satin weave; embroidered with silk and gold-leaf-over-lacquered-paper-strip-wrapped silk wrapped cotton in knot, satin and stem stitches; laid work and couching; edged with silk, warp-float faced 7:1 satin weave; sleeve bands: silk, warp-float faced 7:1 satin weave; embroidered with silk and gold-leaf-over-lacquered-paper-strip-wrapped silk in knot, satin and stem stitches; laid work and couching; three ribbons: silk and gold-leaf-over-lacquered-paper-strip-wrapped cotton, plain weave self-patterned by main warp floats (narrowest has gold-leaf-over-lacquered-strip-wrapped silk); lined with silk, plain weave

97.5 × 130.2 cm (38.4 × 51.3 in)