Coat

Plain pewter buttons with a simple, machine-engraved design adorn this modest 1750s coat made of fustian (a fabric composed of a linen warp and cotton weft). The engraving process used on the button was known as engine turning, by which the motif was incised with a pattern disc, called a rosette, attached to a lathe. Repeating the engraving in concentric circles on these buttons gave depth and texture to the trefoil pattern. Engine turning was used for ivory and boxwood in the 17th century, and by the 18th century it was a popular method of decoration for metals, including buttons and silver boxes.

This humble coat is thought to have been made for a bridegroom. It is well worn and was clearly a much-used garment for years after the event, illustrating the restrained tastes and economical habits of the English middle class in the 18th century.