Single-breasted coat with nine gilt brass buttons. Both the yoke and breast of the coat are interlined with extremely heavy-gauge red wool, which is secured by means of several diagonal lines of running stitch. This serves to both secure the interlining and create the fashionable body shape of a very full chest.

This coat also features other fashionable elements, such as the gathered sleeves at the shoulders. The way in which the coat is constructed creates the effect of having broad shoulders, a broad slightly rounded chest and an extremely narrow waist. With such short, slight tails, it also gives the effect of the wearer having very long legs, another fashion of the 1820s.

This coat belonged to Edward Augustus Down (1818–1836) Midshipman, RN. The son of Rear-Admiral Edward Augustus Down, his first ship appears to have been the ‘Ringdove’ and he served in her from 11 December 1833 to 12 May 1836. Shortly afterwards he joined the ‘Vanguard’, which he died in at Malta towards the end of 1836.