Antique Victorian Mantle Jet Beaded Velvet Short Cape

This is a beautiful quality Victorian mantle, beautifully constructed of velvet that is hand decorated with jet beaded and black rickrack appliqués.  This Victorian Mantle is circle cut, very wide at the bottom and has a collar.  It has a hook and eye closure at the neck and two more at the upper front.  The neck closure is covered with black silk ribbon.  The piece is lined in black cotton - there is a pocket slit on either interior front side but no pouch.

Age:  Late Victorian era, circa 1880 - 1900.   

Color:  Very dark brown or perhaps a brown toned black depending on your perspective

Sizing: This Victorian mantle should fit a range of medium to large sizes.  The piece measures 16” around the neckline, has an estimated shoulder of about 17”, measures 64” around the bust, but this would also accommodate the arms,  and flares out to 128” along the bottom edge full extended (it falls in drapes) and has a length of 24”, measured flat at the back from the neck seam.

Condition: This Victorian mantle has been very well preserved.  Aside from the missing interior pocket pouches, no pronounced wear, tear, staining or other defect. Note that the highlights in the photos are light reflection and the only velvet wear appears to be to the tips of the collar, very minor.  

Gorgeous Victorian mantle - just lovely to look at!