1840 / 1860, United Kingdom

Black silk satin stock. Black silk satin stock, made by Jephcoat, Great Britain, 1840-1860 In the 19th century, the shirt was finished at the neck by the addition of a stock or cravat. The black stock was made popular in Britain by King George IV, which eclipsed the white stock except for evening and Court dress. Black neckwear formed part of military dress, and the monarch’s fondness for the black stock can probably be attributed to his fascination for military uniform. By the 1830s stocks could be hand-tied from a length of satin or ready made with a stiffened piece of satin to which a bow was attached.