This is a beautiful quality sweater that was hand knit in Austria.  The sweater is made in a traditional “trachten” style, and really quite unusual as I couldn’t really find a similar one anywhere online.  The knit has a diamond pattern formed by intersecting open stitch lines with raised ribbing on the sleeves and finer ribbing on the lapels and down the centre front.  The edge along the opening and bottom is finished in red. The sweater has padded shoulders and long sleeves that are gathered at the shoulder and tighter at the cuff, almost like leg o’ mutton sleeves.  It has three rows of horn buttons, the centre row acting as the closure.  The lapels are also decorated with elongated horn pieces. The buttons are all affixed with red coloured thread.

Age: probably 1980s, given the shoulder pads

Label: Made in Austria

Material label:  50% baumwolle (cotton) / 25% leinen (linen) / 25% wolle (wool)

Sizing: The sweater label reads European size 44, and although this should  fit a large size, please note the following measurements, taking the style of the sweater into account as well as the stretch of the knit:

Shoulders:  18” across from one shoulder/sleeve seam to the other shoulder/sleeve seam

Sleeves:  25 1/2” long from the shoulder/sleeve seam

Sleeve inseam:  20 1/2”

Bust:  44” around, unstretched, taken under the armpits

Bottom:  37” around, unstretched

Overall length: 22”, measured flat

Condition:  It is in excellent condition with no wear, tear, staining or other defect - this sweater looks to have seen little use and was well stored over the years.   

 This is a beautiful quality sweater - wonderful traditional style!