red yellow white

ΜΓ 306

Waistcoat preserved in very good condition, made of the same type of alatzia as the previous waistcoat and of thick cotton dimity lining.

The back consists of a single fabric panel that extends to the two front pieces (height: 59 cm on the front and at the back [overall 118 cm], width at the waist: 41.5 cm). Two triangular gores have been added at the front opening (bottom side: 16.5 cm, inner long side: 50 cm, outer long side: 48 cm). A low upright collar, 2 cm in height, consists of double alatzia. The small triangular side openings at the lower end of the waistcoat, measure 3 cm in height.

On the right side of the breast, a rectangular pocket (maximum height: 19.5 cm, width: 14 cm) terminates at a pointed bottom end. The pocket is formed with added lining. An oblong piece of the alatzia fabric (length: 7.5 cm) covers the inside of the horizontal pocket opening, to hide the lining.

The long sleeves of the garment consist in the upper part of an oblong rectangular piece of fabric (width: 6.5 cm) which extends to the front and the back. Its bottom sides are sewn to two small triangular segments (gussets), joined lengthwise at the armpits. The remaining part of the sleeves is formed by a single piece of fabric with an inseam. At the lower inner end of the sleeves there is a diagonal slit, 6 cm high. Lining at the bottom edge of the sleeves, 5 cm high, consists of the same alatzia, with the stripes in the same direction. When the waistcoat was worn, the stripes of the alatzia on the sleeves appeared horizontal.

Six ready-made cords terminating at metal tips like shoelaces are affixed at the same height: two of them inside, two on the edges of the opening and two externally, on the inner sides of the triangular segments that cross over. An internal cord is tied to one cord on the edge, and an external cord to the other cord on the edge.

All seams are machine-made.

Height: 59 cm.

Width: 40.5 cm on the shoulders, 41.5 cm at the waist.

Length of sleeves: 48.5 cm.

Width of sleeves: 19.5 cm at the armpit, 14 cm at the bottom.

Date of entry to the Collection: 13.9.1980

Provenance: Polemi, Pafos – Purchased from Ioannis Theodosiou.

ΜΓ 304

Vest of thick woven cotton alatzia fabric with alternating stripes of white, blue, red, orange and yellow.

A low upright collar of a height of 2 cm is formed around the circular neckline from a double fabric of the same alatzia. Its outer edge is decorated with black braid which extends to the entire vertical opening on the front of the vest. The vest is made of a single piece of fabric on the back, extending to both front panels (height: 50 cm, width: 21-22 cm in the lower part), to which it is also joined with side seams beneath the armpits. In the lower part of the vest, side slits are formed, of a height of 3-3.5 cm.

A reinforcing band, 2 cm wide, from the same alatzia extends to both sides of the vertical opening, reaching a height of 33 cm from the neck base. In this section, the opening closes with metallic elements, four hooks-and-eyes. On the inside, the vest has an off-white cotton lining. An added rectangular piece of thick off-white cotton fabric forms a lateral inside pocket with an opening of 8 cm at the middle of the vertical opening on the left side (height: 19.5 cm, width: 13 cm), allowing the hand to fit horizontally.

The vest is entirely hand-sewn. It has the same design and a common provenance with vest number ΜΓ 303, although its making is more thorough. In this case, the material sufficed for the entire garment and did not require added fabrics.

Height: 51 cm.

Width: 38 cm on the shoulders, 44 cm on the armpits and the waist.

Date of entry/registration in the MFAY: 13.9.1980

Provenance: Polemi, Pafos – Purchase from Ι. Theodosiou.

ΜΓ 89

A man’s double-breasted vest of cotton alatzia with stripes of different thickness in burgundy, blue, yellow and white. The lining that covers the entire vest on the inside is made of beige cotton fabric.

Each of the two front parts of the garment consists of two fabric panels: the outer panel, that crosses when the vest is closed, is triangular (height: 45-47.5 cm, hypotenuse: 44 cm, base: 17 cm); the inner panel is rectangular, with the curved cut of the armhole in its upper part. The rectangular side panels of the front continue as a single panel at the back, forming the upper part of the back at a height of 27 cm. Lower down, the back is completed with a densely-woven cotton fabric (height: 26.5 cm, width: 42 cm). On either side of the vest, there is a 7 cm long opening. 

An upright reinforced collar, 1.5 cm in height, is decorated with machine stitching of white thread forming consecutive lozenges. The collar is trimmed externally by black cord that reaches a little above the lower edge of the opening (9 cm above the edge). At the triangular opening of the breast, it is externally reinforced by a cord with tiny button-shaped elements. Decorative bands of machine-made stitches, with a zig-zag line between two parallels, extend along the outer end of the rectangular panels and the diagonal side of the triangular panels, at the opening of the vest.

A pocket on the right side is lined internally in the section of the horizontal opening, with a piece of alatzia fabric at a height of 4 cm (pocket height: 16 cm, pocket width: 13 cm, length of external opening: 6 cm). The horizontal opening is decorated with blue-red braid and trimmed with a band featuring a zig-zag line between parallel lines, all made of off-white machine stitches. At the centre of the upper side of the opening, a tri-branched schematized vegetal ornament is also formed with machine stitches.

Red and blue braid also surrounds the armholes. The centre of the back of each opening is decorated with a tassel of frayed braid.

On the bottom edge of the vest, the hem is handmade with blue and white thread, whereas along the armholes and around the opening of the neck, machine stitches may be discerned.

Height: 56 cm.

Width: 31.5 cm on the shoulders, 47 cm at the waist (folded).

Date of entry to the Collection: 1978

Provenance: Theletra, Pafos – Purchase.