Lady's coat – suknja,  orig. owned by Tona Gorela from St. Peter

In the legacy of Tona (Antonija) Gorela (April 2, 1874 - December 27, 1966), the former owner of Tona's House which now holds an ethnological collection, a brown winter coat - sukna, made of coarse domestic cloth, has been preserved. The owner sold it to the Maritime Museum Piran in 1963. The coat was part of the typical Istrian peasant garb from the 19th and the first half of the 20th centuries. It was used worn¸1 as a festive garment, which could have been afforded only by wealthier villagers. So Tona, who was considered a woman of means in the village, occasionally lent it, according to oral sources, to the girls planning to get married. She was among the last in the village to be dressed in folk costume. Occasionally she wore it on important days or events even in the 1950s and early 1960s.

The coat is pleated at the front and back, very much like the kamijot (long, finely pleated and sleeveless dress cut at the front). The sleeve turn-ups and V-neck are decorated with a trimming of figured brocade and embroidery. The back, too, is decorated with embroidery. The coat has a red trimming on the bottom.

The coat was restored in 2012 within the framework of the European Open Museums project by restorer and conserver Ana Resnik. Prior to the lengthy restoration and conservation work, the coat was evidently damaged on its entire surface due to the insect attack. Even remains of moth cocoons were perceived. The silk fabric on the collar was torn in places, while the gold threads on the brocade fabric along the edges of the sleeves were loose. After inspecting the material, the restorer dry-cleaned the surface dirt and prepared the lining fabric by washing and ironing it. She lined the coat’s woollen part with suitable fabrics and stabilized the damages with very precise hand sewing. 

Bogdana Marinac