Original British Pre-WWII Royal Court Uniform Tailcoat Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a lovely example of a rather hard to find British Royal Court Uniform Tailcoat, dating somewhere between 1910 and 1920. It is in wonderful condition with minor mothing and stitching loss, though one of the buttons is held on solely by a safety pin.

Court uniform and dress were required to be worn by those in attendance at the royal court in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Specifically, court uniform was worn by those holding particular offices associated with the government, the Civil Service, the Royal Household, or similar national institutions. A range of office-holders were entitled to wear it, with different grades of uniform specified for different grades of official. It is still worn today on state occasions by certain dignitaries both in the UK and abroad.

Court dress (as distinguished from court uniform) was worn by all men not entitled to court uniform or military uniform on occasions of state where such were customarily worn. Such occasions are now rare, but formerly they included state balls, evening state parties, courts and levées. (Courts were evening occasions at which women were formally presented to the monarch; levées were morning gatherings at which men were presented). It is still worn today, to a very limited extent, in courts of law and by certain parliamentary and other office-holders; the last time it was worn by people in significant numbers was at the Coronation in 1953. It consists of a tail-coat with matching waistcoat and breeches, lace cuffs and jabot, silk stockings, buckled shoes, cocked hat, white gloves and a sword. At one time suits of various colours were to be seen, often with gold or silver embroidery; but (as is generally the case with men’s formal dress) black is now the predominant colour, and has been since the nineteenth century.

A lovely example ready for further research and display.

Approximate Measurements:

Collar to shoulder: 9″
Shoulder to sleeve: 27”
Shoulder to shoulder: 16”
Chest width: 18″
Waist width: 16.5″
Hip width: 14.5”
Front length: 21.5″