#1364B $3,800
Emile Pingat beaded macramé mantle, c.1870
The 1890 Baedecker Guide to Paris recommended that visitors to Paris go to the three top Parisian haute couture houses: Worth, Pingat, and Laferrière. James McCall's authoritative 1882 book refers to Pingat and Worth as two "of the three greatest artistic dressmakers to the world." While little is known about Émile Pingat, his work paints a picture of a creative genius.
By 1880 Pingat had emerged as a master of both surface decoration and outerwear. "For dressy jackets...Pingat is the great authority on mantles" (The Queen, 11/13/1880). These two skills are brilliantly showcased in our imaginative beaded macramé mantle.
"His clothes, murmuring elegance rather than shouting affluence, demand close inspection inside and out" (Elizabeth Ann Coleman's classic The Opulent Era). In this inspired creation, the couturier employs a play of texture to add lively interest to a monochromatic design.
With great virtuosity, Pingat contrasts the smooth velvet and the silky chenille fringe with the rough macramé. Faceted jet black beads and glittering gold beads sparkle throughout. The ruffled neckline trim adds a dash of color. The yoke of the mantle is lined with gold satin.
Like other great couturiers, Pingat worked hard to achieve his effects both close up and from afar. When the resplendent mantle is seen from a proper distance, it produces the intended effect—opulence, a somber mystery, and a touch of the exotic.
The splendid cape is a special find for the serious collector. Pingat did not have the prodigious output of the House of Worth. Few surviving examples of the Pingat oeuvre in such good condition have come on the market.
The label reads "Emile Pingat/30. Rue Louis le Grand.30"—see picture below.
Provenance. The mantle was purchased from a private collection and has a handwritten note hand sewn to the lining of one shoulder. The note reads "Property of Mrs. Reginald Knight-Smith" with a San Francisco address. I do not know if Mrs. Knight-Smith was the original owner or someone who acquired the mantle at a later date.
The condition is very good. The mantle, which displays beautifully, has only a few minor flaws. I found one split (1" long) in the velvet in back and several missing beads.
The mantle is 31" long from shoulder to front panel hem, excluding the beaded fringe.
