Pocket Research

In preparing to construct my pocket, I've been researching past pockets. Here are some highlights...

Fashion Museum, Bath
Accession Number BATMC 2004-468
c.1720-1750

Victoria & Albert Museum
Accession Number T.697B-1913
1700-1725 linen twill hand sewn with linen thread and embroidered with wool, wool tape and linen tape

And a peek at the back of the pair featured above. (Thank you V&A for including this detail!) 

Victoria & Albert Museum
Accession Number T.730B-1913
1700-1725 linen handsewn with linen thread, embroidered with wool and bound  with linen tape.

And another peek at the back!

LACMA 
Accession Number M.67.8.90a-b Wool, cotton, silk, linen, 13 3/4 x 8 1/4 in.

A little closer to home, there's this Colonial Williamsburg pocket.
Accession Number 1958-180
1740-1760 cotton and linen embroidered with wool crewels, front lined with checked linen; backed and bound with linen.

And even closer to home there's this Colonial Williamsburg pocket.
Accession Number 1963-111740-1770 Origin: New England, cotton-linen tabby, linen warp, cotton weft; crewel wool embroidery,  linen lining. Best part: it's bound with linen calico. (This pocket is featured in Costume Close-up.)

Though they're slightly out of my era, there's this set that's dated 1801 from the MFA.
Accession Number 45.657
Linen, wool, cotton, embroidered with the initials LB.

Moving away from the floral motifs, I found this interesting MFA pocket.
Accession Number 53.521
English, early 18th century, quilted on white linen ground with green silk thread backstitch vermiform design and embroidered with polychrome silks in chain stitch design of shepherdesses with two sheep, butterflies, pineapple plant and a variety of blossoms in background; pocket backed with fustian (stained with brown spots), front of pocket lined with linen, edges bound with green silk tape. 

And this might be my favorite!
From the MFA, Accession Number  40.80
English, dated 1787. White cotton, backed with coarse linen, worked with crewels, in dark blue and several shades of pink, yellow and brown. Stitches: mostly chain stitch. Design: the balloon ascent of Vincent Lunardi with dog and cat from the Artillery Ground, London, September 15, 1784. Source of design, "Patern for Lady's Pocket. Published by Alexr Hegg at the Kings Arms, No.16 Paternoster Row Nov. 1 1786." The needlewoman's name Mary Hebbert and the date 1787 worked in fine black thread across the top of the pocket has almost entirely rotted away. 

All descriptions taken from museum websites.