Collection of Five Framed Tailor's Illustrations, C. 1917

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Created around 1917 for a men’s tailoring book, these five illustrations weren’t simply showing fabric—they were selling the life that … Read more Created around 1917 for a men’s tailoring book, these five illustrations weren’t simply showing fabric—they were selling the life that might come with it. A perfectly cut suit appears at the seaside, another beside a tennis court; elsewhere, two impeccably dressed gentlemen pause on a dock to converse with the local rowing crew. Leisure, sport, society—and not a wrinkle in sight.

Originally accompanied by swatches from which a customer might order his suit, the illustrations survive as wonderfully specific documents of an era when dressing well was considered part of the occasion.

We’ve newly framed the five in highly lacquered mahogany, finished with the slimmest line of gold leaf along the face. The effect is deliberate: deep, glossy wood with the gleam of a beautifully varnished boat.

A century later, the fabric samples are gone. The promise of looking impossibly good wherever you happen to be remains.

Dimensions listed are the largest piece. See less