Victorian Highland Light Infantry Officer's Patrol Frock

An extremely fine Late Victorian Highland Light Infantry Officer's scarlet Patrol Frock. The frock is in amazing condition for it's age, being well over 100 years old. The frock sports a total of 19 regimental HLI buttons (5 down the front, 3 per pocket, 3 per cuff, 1 per shoulder), all with Victorian Crowns. The frock sports beautiful Officer's gold lacing throughout the tunic and really makes this piece a true beauty and one of the nicest of these highland frocks that I've personally seen. To each shoulder is a Victorian rank crown, meaning this belonged to a Major of the HLI. Beautiful buff collar facings (as used by the Seaforths and Highland Light Infantry). There are holes where the Officer's HLI collar badges once were, and I have yet to find a period replacement. The tunic does have a very small repair to the back right side close to the pocket, other than that amazing condition. The hook to the left breast was used to secure dark green cap lines/cords (for the shako as used by the HLI) in a suspended loop, as was the regimental fashion. The tunic is a bit too small for my normal display but is for now displaying on a coat hanger on a wall.

Not named or dated, unlined interior also in splendid condition as it is a lightweight frock. Though not dated, this piece is Victorian and dates from 1899-1901, a very late Victorian piece. The Highland Light Infantry switched from Highland (yellow) facings to Buff (white) in 1899 and giving the tunic has Victorian crowns it is within that time frame as Queen Victoria died in 1901, and afterwards would have had King's Crowns.

The frock conveys the overall appearance of the highland other rank's undress frock, but with Officer's features such as the beautiful gold lace, rear vents, regimental buttons, rank pips, and higher quality material.

This is the first Officer's version I've come across of this type of frock (though it is my second Officer's Patrol frock from this time period, the other being my different pattern Scottish Rifle Officer's frock from the Boer War), quite a rare and beautiful piece.

Overall fantastic condition for being well over 100 years old and a really nice looking uniform in my opinion.