A while ago I sold a beaded Mr Blackwell dress and the girl I got that off of rang me up recently to tell me that she had found its matching, unlabeled coat. It is a great stand alone piece and I immediately grabbed it for the shop.

Richard Blackwell launched his label in the late 1950s and even at that time his pieces sold for between $800 and $1000 (or up to $10,000 in the modern terms). He dressed many of the big stars of the day including Jane Russell, Dorothy Lamour and Jayne Mansfield. I love finding his pieces and this little coat is wonderful. The cut of this coat is simple so that the bead work on it can shine. It is cut with a classic double button front, straight sleeves, and is fairly straight cut through the body with just a suggestion of shape through the waist. It skims over the torso and falls in a slim silhouette to about the knee. The detailing that you see is all created by the application of silver tube beads and little faux pearls. These are all hand placed to create the design that you see. They have a slight raised 3D effect and give the otherwise simple coat a shot of glamour but without being too flashy. Excellent condition with a small note below to review. 

Fully lined through the body in an ivory colored silk and closes with the buttons you see at  the front. The embellishments are hand placed and sewn. There are the occasional bead missing here and there. Please see the last four photos provided for examples of that. It is very minor. Some minor damage to the lining. Hand finished throughout

Sleeves: 23"
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 38.5" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# C546

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.