The Baird Jewels and Archive

A coatee in the style of a Georgian Infantry Officer’s uniform circa 1810

A fine scarlet coatee with blue facings and lapels, the collar ornamented with a 4ins. loop of narrow gold “vellum” pattern lace at each end; lapels turned back, with hook and eye fastenings, but capable of being buttoned across, each lapel bearing nine gold-laced loops, evenly spaced, fastened by flat burnished gilt buttons engraved with the Star of the Thistle with “42” in the centre; round cuffs, each bearing four vertical loops; long skirts with horizontal scarlet false pocket-flaps, each with four loops, white cloth lining to collar and skirts, breast lined with white calico, probably replaced; complete with a pair of epaulettes with plain gold lace straps, embroidered crescents and a single row of narrow bullions; together with a high-collared scarlet waistcoat with buttoned loops in same style as those on the coat; and a red hackle feather for a bonnet, 9ins. high, skirt-pockets of coatee probably relined (3) £1200-1800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Baird Jewels and Archive including Tipu Sultan's Sword.

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This coat is stated to have belonged to Lord Blantyre.

In Dress uniform, officers of kilted regiments wore short-skirted jackets, rather than coatees, and several examples of such jackets of the Black Watch are known, including that of Lord Blantyre, now in the regimental museum in Perth. It is however probable that for court and evening occasions they were permitted unofficially to wear a coatee of the same pattern as line infantry regiments, with knee-breeches rather than the kilt. The epaulettes with this coat are of slightly different and later pattern to those on other examples of Black Watch uniform, and the absence of an inner row of bullions is a particularly unusual feature.