Dressing gown, banyan

Banyan of pale brown worseted wool damask with a large-scale pattern of stylised flowers and scrolling acanthus leaves (fashionable in silks up to 1743) . Constructed from two widths of fabric seamed together at centre back, continuing over shoulders with no shoulder seam and falling straight to floor at front. Triangular inserts at side seams, front and back. Fabric shaped underarms to form upper sleeves, with additional length of fabric to create full length sleeves. Small rectangular section of fabric inserted at back of neck to form stand collar. Lined with brown camlet (?).

As this is a slightly cheaper material it could have been woven a year or two later and certainly worn a little later, since it was an informal garment. Selvage invisible as garment lined with plain glazed worsted throughout.