{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O78882"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O78882/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM6149/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM6149/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AM6149","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM6177","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM6148","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011FD3050","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011FD3061","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011FD3065","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2022NG0804","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O78882/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O78882","accessionNumber":"T.54-1959","objectType":"Vest","titles":[{"title":"THE SOTTANELLO","type":""}],"summaryDescription":"<b>Object Type</b><br>This long sleeved man's vest produced by the company Capper and Waters, was one of the machine-knitted submissions in the Great Exhibition. Hand-knitted vests date back to the 17th century and frame-knitted versions became available in the late 18th century.  Power operated knitting machines greatly increased production, allowing for a wider variety of garments at cheaper prices.<br><br><b>Design & Designing</b><br>The advancement in knitting design modelled by this knitwear manufacturer is the narrowing of the sleeve from elbow to wrist.  Normally sleeves were worked as tubes of the same diameter from shoulder to wrist. The innovation offered here would prevent the bunching of the vest under the sleeve.<br><br><b>Historical Associations</b><br>Knitwear was a booming British industry and an important representation at the Great Exhibition in 1851. In all media, one of the great strengths of the Exhibition was its liberal attitude to both machine and hand-made objects. Each method had its advantages and beauties. The Juries reporting on the Exhibition considered machine knitting particularly significant. They were aware of its economic importance and very concerned that Britain keep pace with technological advancement.","physicalDescription":"Vest for a man of cream machine-knitted cotton. Hip length, waisted, and with a high neck and long sleeves. The fastening is double-breasted and reinforced on the right side with a hand-stitched woven wool band. With a cotton placket and small mother of pearl buttons. The wrap-over is held in place on the left side with a similar button at neck and hem. The sleeves are slightly open at the wrists and also fasten with a button.","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Capper & Waters","id":"A9057"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Machine-knitted cotton, woven wool, mother of pearl, hand-stitched","categories":[{"text":"Men's clothes","id":"THES49043"},{"text":"Textiles","id":"THES48885"},{"text":"Underwear","id":"THES48880"},{"text":"Europeana Fashion Project","id":"THES265804"},{"text":"Great Exhibition","id":"THES48945"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2006AM6149","2006AM6177","2006AM6148","2011FD3050","2011FD3061","2011FD3065","2022NG0804"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES305876"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Undershirt","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1851","earliest":"1851-01-01","latest":"1851-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"72","unit":"cm","qualifier":"maximum","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"130","unit":"cm","qualifier":"maximum","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"with sleeves stretched out","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"25","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"waist","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions checked: Measured; 19/01/1999 by sf","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'L'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Trade-mark knitted into the right hip"},{"content":"AP 1292","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inscribed on a parchment label"},{"content":"'THE SOTTANELLO, / registered by Capper & Waters, / 26 Regent Street, LONDON. / An improvement in under-garments (woven in Stocking / looms) suited to the personal form, and especially to / the action of the elbow.'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Label attached to the sleeve"}],"objectHistory":"Made by Cappers & Waters, London.\r\nTransferred from the Bethnal Green Museum (now Museum of Childhood) to the V&A.\r\nRF FILE 58/162.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Vest 'THE SOTTANELLO' of knitted cotton, made by Capper & Waters, London, 1851","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"This long-sleeved man's vest was one of the submissions in London's Great Exhibition of 1851. It demonstrated the new technology of machine-knitting, which greatly increased production and allowed for a wider variety of garments at cheaper prices. The Juries reporting on the Exhibition considered machine knitting particularly significant. They were aware of its economic importance and were concerned that Britain keep pace with technological advancement.  ","date":{"text":"2013-2015","earliest":"2013-01-01","latest":"2015-12-31"}},{"text":"Machine-knitted to shape\r\n\r\nCapper and Waters were shirt makers in London's Regent Street. They submitted this machine-knitted man's undershirt, or vest, for display at the Great Exhibition in 1851.\r\n\r\nThe sleeves, which are a key feature of the undershirt, taper from elbow to the cuff following the natural shape of the arm. They demonstrate new machine knitting technologies which created more form-fitting garments.\r\n\r\nUndershirt, 'Sottanello'\r\nCapper & Waters\r\nBritain, London, about 1851\r\nMachine-knitted wool\r\nV&A: T.54-1959 ","date":{"text":"16/04/2016-12/03/2017","earliest":"2016-04-16","latest":"2017-03-12"}},{"text":"British Galleries:\nKNITTED UNDERWEAR<br>\nSeven knitwear manufacturers displayed underwear at the Exhibition. Such undergarments replaced traditional woven linen and cotton. These examples show advances in design such as the shaping of women's underwear to fit the female figure or the narrowing of sleeves to prevent gathering underneath clothes.","date":{"text":"27/03/2003","earliest":"2003-03-27","latest":"2003-03-27"}}],"partNumbers":["T.54-1959"],"accessionNumberNum":"54","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":1959,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Previous number","id":"THES51695"},"number":"AP.129:2"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LP9460","2019LU1445"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-13","recordCreationDate":"2003-03-27","availableToBook":true}}