Standard Uniforms & Patterns, circa 1886
During The Napoleonic Wars an obsession arose in military style and particularly uniforms amongst the warring nations of Europe, a legacy that is reflected in all aspects of men's attire today from the three piece suit to the double breasted jacket to the lace up shoe. With the defeat of Napoleon English tailors surpassed their continental colleagues, in part assisted by earlier pioneers in men's style such as George 'Beau' Brummel, late of the Royal Hussars, who created the regency silhouette in collaboration with the tailor Jonathan Meyer.
In the latter part of the 19th century William Jones & Co were the leading suppliers of military uniforms, accoutrements, cap badges and swords. In 1896 Jones joined with Arthur Chalk and Joseph Dawson, formerly of Gieves & Hawkes, to form Jones, Chalk & Dawson, which continues to operate from premises shared with the tailors Meyer and Mortimer on Sackville Street, London.
This unusual folio issued around 1886 exemplifies the very best of bespoke military tailoring whilst capturing the depth of colour and intricacy in design that fine chromolithography could achieve at the end of the 19th century.
