Left image from contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/2010/08/, the center-left image from mississippisisters.blogspot.com/2010/06/french-casaquin, the center right image from polarbearstale.blogspot.com/2010/05, and the right image from mississippisisters.blogspot.com/2010/06/french-casaquin. All refer to notes from Meg Andrews.
This is a casaquin as defined by americanduchess. The back is gathered à la robe à l'anglaise. This also shows pre-Revolutionary style persisting, albeit briefly, across the 1789 change.
Meg Andrews has this in her notes for this item, now sold: "French Casaquin c 1790 The pleated and frilled back is very attractive as is the fabric. Afraid I can't read the stamp
Description
? or Jacket of earlier brocaded silk with sprays of flowers in corals, peach, green, ivory silks on a silvery/ivory ground woven with small repeat spot motif, the front with large square neck, front opening, the linen lining with eyelet holes to both sides, the bottom squared and with a pleated frill edged with pale pink silk, three quarter shaped sleeves, the back with wide gussets narrowing to the waist and splaying out to the skirt, edged with horizontally pleated frill, edged with pale pink silk, lined with coarse linen with an oval blue printed stamp, from shoulder to hem 20 in or 50 cm, the back 25 in or 64 cm.
Condition
One sleeve is split at the back 3 in or 8 cm and needs conserving. Underarm stains. This bodice was probably a skirt in a former life because the sleeves have old fold marks as if they were the pleats from a skirt. All adds to its fascinating history. The front bodice opening has been pieced so there are horizontal joins, another indication that this piece had a previous history."
Keywords: 1790, French, casaquin, square neckline, three quarter length tight sleeves, egageantes, lace, natural waistline, peplum