During The Napoleonic Wars an obsession arose in military
style and particularly uniforms amongst the warring nations of Europe, a legacy
that is reflected in all aspects of men’s attire today from the three-piece
suit to the double-breasted jacket to the lace up shoe. With the defeat of
Napoleon English tailors surpassed their continental colleagues, in part
assisted by earlier pioneers in men’s style such as George ‘Beau’ Brummel, late
of the Royal Hussars, who created the regency silhouette in collaboration with
the tailor Jonathan Meyer.

In the latter part of the 19th century
William Jones & Co were the leading suppliers of military uniforms,
accoutrements, cap badges and swords. In 1896 Jones joined with Arthur Chalk
and Joseph Dawson, formerly of Gieves & Hawkes, to form Jones, Chalk &
Dawson, which continues to operate from premises shared with the tailors Meyer
and Mortimer on Sackville Street, London.

This unusual folio issued around 1886 exemplifies the
very best of bespoke military tailoring whilst capturing the depth of colour
and intricacy in design that fine chromolithography could achieve at the end of
the 19th century.