EXTREMELY RARE FABULOUS CIVIL WAR SILK EMBROIDERED SAILOR’S JUMPER AND STRAW HAT.

This mid 19th Century sailor’s blouse no doubt dates to the Civil War. This regulation Navy Summer weight jumper is totally hand stitched. The blue trimmed panels have fabulous silk designs applied most likely by a Union sailor at sea and falls into the category of “sailor art”. Sailors had so much time on their hands that they produced wonderful pieces of folk art, including scrimshaw, carvings and rare surviving embroidery work such as this. It is not uncommon to see similar “folk art” designs on tops of Civil War Navy enlisted “Donald Duck” style flat hats or straw hat here. In our research we can find only one similarly adorned jumper and that one is identified as circa 1862 along with pants and decorated sea bag in the collection of the Winterthur Museum near Wilmington, Delaware. There are few other such elaborate surviving Civil War era embroidered Naval pieces to be found in other institutional collections we can find outside Winterthur and the “Old Army and Navy” section of the Smithsonian. As can be seen in photos, the workmanship is meticulous and detailed. Each cuff, which has 7-1/2″ x 5″ blue panels, is embroidered with a 10-pointed star above a fluted anchor with rope and two 5-pointed stars on either side. The blue panel is trimmed with floral edged borders, as are all the other trimmed panels. The front “bib” is about 8″ across and 9″ tall with a 4-1/4″ spread winged eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and an American flag on staff in his beak. There are three 10-pointed stars and two 5-pointed stars also in this panel. Panels on shoulder trim are about 3″ wide and 8″ long with central devise of fluted anchor and rope over a flagstaff with Liberty cap holding a furled American flag. Also in each of these panels on shoulders are three 5-pointed stars. The back “fall”, which is a 7″ x 17″ panel, has a central devise over; wide and 5″ tall that incorporates the patriotic shield with red and white stripes with two flags on poles on either side and a large spread winged eagle flying above and seven 5-pointed stars in arch above eagle. Each corner of this “fall” has a 10-pointed star above a fluted anchor bordered, as is all the trim, by the repeated floral rope seen throughout the design. Accompanying this jumper is a wonderful sailors straw hat with sailor silk embroidered multi-pointed starburst medallion done in similar silk thread and same style as found on cuffs, shoulder and bib of the jumper. These are truly marvelous pieces of Civil War American folk art that would grace the finest museum displays anywhere. LITERATURE: Ron Field, Bluejackets Uniforms in the United States Navy in the Civil War Period. Frederick Todd, American Military Equipage Vol. II. Norm Flayderman, Scrimshaw and Scrimshanders. PROVENANCE: From the personal estate collection of John W. Armiger Jr. CONDITION: Very good to fine overall. There are scattered stains and several small holes in cotton blouse. The blue cotton panels still retain good strong color, as can be seen in photos. Blouse retains orig Mother of Pearl buttons on cuffs and five small orig Mother of Pearl buttons are found on “bib” (number of buttons on Naval jumpers often denote sailor’s rating or station). Silk embroidery was once brightly multi-colored. When studied under blacklight the red stripes on the flag and shield and blue of the cantons can be determined much easier. Still much detail is visible in the faded colors, as can be seen in photos. Embroidery is mostly intact, however there are reductions, especially in the simulated rope borders that contain the repeating floral vine design, with most reductions seen on cuffs and on left border design of rear “fall”. Other areas of missing embroidery are seen, including a 1/2″ x 1/4″ reduction in the right wing of eagle on “fall”. Straw hat is sound, solid though missing sweatband and portions of silk embroidery are now gone. Velvet-base that medallion is embroidered upon has lost most of its nap. Silk ribbon is broken and pinned in back but still displays nicely. 49055-41 (6,000-9,000) – Lot 2175

Auction: Fine Art, Asian & Antiques - August 2015

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	2175	$8,295.00	EXTREMELY RARE FABULOUS CIVIL WAR SILK EMBROIDERED SAILOR’S JUMPER AND STRAW HAT. This mid 19th Century sailor’s blouse no doubt dates to the Civil War. This regulation Navy Summer weight jumper is totally hand stitched. The blue trimmed panels have fabulous silk designs applied most likely by a Union sailor at sea and falls into the category of “sailor art”. Sailors had so much time on their hands that they produced wonderful pieces of folk art, including scrimshaw, carvings and rare surviving embroidery work such as this. It is not uncommon to see similar “folk art” designs on tops of Civil War Navy enlisted “Donald Duck” style flat hats or straw hat here. In our research we can find only one similarly adorned jumper and that one is identified as circa 1862 along with pants and decorated sea bag in the collection of the Winterthur Museum near Wilmington, Delaware. There are few other such elaborate surviving Civil War era embroidered Naval pieces to be found in other institutional collections we can find outside Winterthur and the “Old Army and Navy” section of the Smithsonian. As can be seen in photos, the workmanship is meticulous and detailed. Each cuff, which has 7-1/2″ x 5″ blue panels, is embroidered with a 10-pointed star above a fluted anchor with rope and two 5-pointed stars on either side. The blue panel is trimmed with floral edged borders, as are all the other trimmed panels. The front “bib” is about 8″ across and 9″ tall with a 4-1/4″ spread winged eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and an American flag on staff in his beak. There are three 10-pointed stars and two 5-pointed stars also in this panel. Panels on shoulder trim are about 3″ wide and 8″ long with central devise of fluted anchor and rope over a flagstaff with Liberty cap holding a furled American flag. Also in each of these panels on shoulders are three 5-pointed stars. The back “fall”, which is a 7″ x 17″ panel, has a central devise over; wide and 5″ tall that incorporates the patriotic shield with red and white stripes with two flags on poles on either side and a large spread winged eagle flying above and seven 5-pointed stars in arch above eagle. Each corner of this “fall” has a 10-pointed star above a fluted anchor bordered, as is all the trim, by the repeated floral rope seen throughout the design. Accompanying this jumper is a wonderful sailors straw hat with sailor silk embroidered multi-pointed starburst medallion done in similar silk thread and same style as found on cuffs, shoulder and bib of the jumper. These are truly marvelous pieces of Civil War American folk art that would grace the finest museum displays anywhere. LITERATURE: Ron Field, Bluejackets Uniforms in the United States Navy in the Civil War Period. Frederick Todd, American Military Equipage Vol. II. Norm Flayderman, Scrimshaw and Scrimshanders. PROVENANCE: From the personal estate collection of John W. Armiger Jr. CONDITION: Very good to fine overall. There are scattered stains and several small holes in cotton blouse. The blue cotton panels still retain good strong color, as can be seen in photos. Blouse retains orig Mother of Pearl buttons on cuffs and five small orig Mother of Pearl buttons are found on “bib” (number of buttons on Naval jumpers often denote sailor’s rating or station). Silk embroidery was once brightly multi-colored. When studied under blacklight the red stripes on the flag and shield and blue of the cantons can be determined much easier. Still much detail is visible in the faded colors, as can be seen in photos. Embroidery is mostly intact, however there are reductions, especially in the simulated rope borders that contain the repeating floral vine design, with most reductions seen on cuffs and on left border design of rear “fall”. Other areas of missing embroidery are seen, including a 1/2″ x 1/4″ reduction in the right wing of eagle on “fall”. Straw hat is sound, solid though missing sweatband and portions of silk embroidery are now gone. Velvet-base that medallion is embroidered upon has lost most of its nap. Silk ribbon is broken and pinned in back but still displays nicely. 49055-41 (6,000-9,000) – Lot 2175 Auction: Fine Art, Asian & Antiques - August 2015 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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EXTREMELY RARE FABULOUS CIVIL WAR SILK EMBROIDERED SAILOR’S JUMPER AND STRAW HAT.