A Dutch coatmaking book

[Henry Hall]

Of a fashion... I was given an old book by someone I made an overcoat for (another story, it was hard work!) which he'd found among books in his attic. One of those old Dutch canal-side houses. He says he has no idea where it came from and was probably there when he moved in.

Anyway it's A4-ish sized and titled De Jonge Kleermaker (the young tailor) and is interesting because it is a construction book, whereas many old texts always seem to be drafting texts. It is the third edition from 1944 (so before liberation from the Nazis). It is also from before the spelling reform, so lots of double vowels!

I thought it would cover several garments, but all 222 pages are entirely devoted to coatmaking; the first half a regular coat with some variations for sports coats, then morning coat, evening coat, frock coat. I don't think I've ever seen a full treatment of the latter three in any of the older texts. The last 25 or so pages has a draft for the 'modern' jacket of the time and notes for making it up.

There are some interesting variations from, e.g. the text by Dellafera. There is a very detailed description for creating the canvases. The author also notes that in 'cheaper tailoring' there are (even then) machines that can pad-stitch the chest and lapels!

Anyway, I'll set up the scanner at some point and take some things out of it. I'll take the pictures and translate the text, otherwise it's not going to be useful for most people.

[Schneiderfrei]

Wow, Henry Hall, That does sound wonderful.

[pfaff260]

It's a wonderfull book. I got my copy just recently. It's missing the first 15 pages, but i guess that's not to bad. The 3e edition is the best. They have added and modernised it every new edition. It's sort of rare.
It would be marvelous if you would scan and translate it!! It's nowhere to be found on the internet, so please do.

[TTailor]

That book sounds very interesting!

[Hendrick]

Hi Henry,

Congrats on the book!
Misset editors had fantastic books on tailoring, but also a weekly called "Vakblad voor de kleermakerij". Their first tailoring related publications appeared in the 1890's. The drafting methods are nice and proportioned... I once posessed a few bound years' worth of them. I don't know where they are now. I discoverd that they are rockhard to find these days!

Cheers, Hendrick

[Henry Hall]

I found some copies of Vakblad voor de kleermakerij (for some reason I thought it was called Tijdschrift voor de Kleermakerij) on a market stall in Nijmegen, but they were falling to pieces so I left them. I wish I'd bought them now.

As to the book, I tried opening it to put it on the scanner and the binding started to make a cracking sound. I'll have to think of something.

[Hendrick]

Hi Henry,
Paper quality in that era of scarcety was apalling. If not kept under the right humidity and acid free, it simply pulverises...
I'll tune my radar towards the Misset books, will keep you posted,

Cheers, Hendrick

[Greger]

Maybe, if it is in danger of falling apart, it's time to scan, PDF, print and take to a book  binder.
That way the book is preserved and useful.

[Kiem]

Did you even get around to scanning that book?
I'd be very interested to read about tailoring in my mother language.

[Schneiderfrei]

I second Kiem's question Henry Hall

[Greger]

Me to.

[KTuakli]

Hi Henry Hall,

I hope you are well. I was wondering, did you ever get round to this? It sounds like quite an undertaking.

All the best