60s thayer hand-beaded wool knit cardigan jacket - hong kong

the look

a 1960s hand-beaded wool knit cardigan jacket, made in the british crown colony of hong kong for thayer sophisticates. it's cut like a jacket, cropped and boxy with raglan 3/4 sleeves and a wide notched collar. iridescent aurora borealis bugle and seed beads scatter across the collar, the pocket flaps and the cuffs, and the four front buttons are beaded to match. hand-beaded knitwear was one of hong kong's signature exports in the 1950s and 60s, when workshops there supplied american stores with beaded and sequined sweaters by the thousands. this one plays it more tailored than most, navy wool with the sparkle kept to the edges, so it wears like a little evening jacket over a slip dress or with jeans.

details

• era: 1960s
• designer: thayer
• origin: hong kong
• design: cropped cardigan jacket in fine-gauge navy wool knit with a wide notched collar, raglan 3/4 sleeves, a four-button front with beaded buttons, and two flap pockets. iridescent aurora borealis bugle and seed bead work along the collar, pocket flaps and cuffs, with a scattered seed-bead fade into the knit. labeled thayer sophisticates, made in british crown colony of hong kong. materials and percentages - 100% zephyr wool
• condition: excellent: beadwork intact with no visible gaps, knit clean with no visible holes or pilling
• size & fit: no size tag. best modern fit estimate is women's small to medium, approximately us 4-8 depending on desired ease. the cut is boxy and cropped, hitting at the high hip, with easy room through the body for a thin layer underneath. shown on a dress form measuring 17 in shoulders, 35 in bust, 30.5 in underbust, 25 in waist and 35 in hips.
• flat measurements: bust 19 in flat, waist 18.5 in flat, hem 18.5 in flat, sleeve 22 in from collar seam, length 21.5 in