Overcoat (mente) - from the wardrobe of Count Pál Esterházy

The mente ends above the knees, is straight cut and flared below the waist. It has an upright collar, with straight cut shoulders. The sleeves longer than the arms stress its oriental character — they reach almost to the bottom of the dress. On both sides are slit pockets. The material is greenish-yellow silk lanciered with gold thread. On the surface of the textile the gold thread is dominant, while the silk threads give the inner pattern and contours. On a diagonal net base is a symmetrical pattern: a palmette growing out of foliage on the perpendicular stem are leaves bending in two directions. The stem bending downwards has two smaller and in the middle, a larger palmette, surrounded by foliage. An analogous textile is to be found in the Kunstgewerbemuseum in Cologne. The collar is decorated with pillow lace of a ground net with rosettes, and there is the same decoration on the front, bottom, side-slit and pocket. On the breast are five pairs of pomegranates with raised work, standing horizontally, with silver leaves. The embroidery is laid flatstitch, in geometrical pattern. The spine of pomegranates and leaves and their border are decorated with rows of corals. At the endings of the stems of the pomegranates are black enamelled buttons, on the other side golden trimming loop. The slit of the sleeve fastens with three trimming buttons made of gold thread and loops. The lining is brocaded with metal wire, and is of light-brown silk cloth. Four longitudinal stripes with different patterns are repeated on it. The description of the 1725 inventory of the Esterhazy family in Frakno is: "Yellow mente with gold and silver lace, five golden buttons and red enamelled rosettes with rubies." (Inventarium Thesauri Fraknensis Anno 1725. Almarium Sub Nris. 79 et 80. Nro. 7. — Inventory of the museum of Applied Arts 236 / 1957.). According to tradition it was the bridal mente of Pal Esterhazy.