MUSKETEER'S GRAY SURCOAT (1st company) OF THE KING'S MILITARY HOUSEHOLD, model 1814, RESTORATION.
In dark blue wool, trimmed with a double gold braid woven in the style of the uniform braids of the corps: an outer braid measuring 1.3 cm wide and an inner braid wider, measuring 2.5 cm wide.
The sleeve openings and the bottom of the surcoat are adorned with a dark blue wool ruff bordered with a folded gold braid sewn along the outer edge. The ruff's width is 4.5 cm, with an apparent braid width of 0.5 cm.
At the center of the front and back sections, a large gold embroidery is sewn representing the cross of the Musketeers of the First Company, consisting of a cross ending with a fleur-de-lis at each corner, each angle embellished with three scarlet wool flames bordered by a gold embroidered rod. The embroidered cross height is 26.2 cm, width 26.2 cm.
Inner lining in gray silk.
This surcoat fastens on the right side with 12 black lacquered steel hooks attached to the front part of the surcoat, and the same number of rings of the same metal fixed on the back part. It also fastens on the right shoulder with 7 identical hooks as on the side.
In very good condition, with some moth holes and tears restored. The gold braids have retained their original gilding with some oxidation traces in places, mainly on the braid bordering the ruff. There is a missing portion of the rear braids at the lower part, with a width of 2 cm. The gray silk lining is stained and worn.
France.
Restoration period.
NOTE:
Musketeer surcoats are extremely rare, with only two known examples existing in the collections of the Museum of the Army (one at the Hôtel des Invalides in Paris from the former DENIS collection, and one at the Château de l'Emperi from the Raoul and Jean BRUNON collections).
Reference :
14371