UNUSUAL “DECORATED” CIVIL WAR TO NATIONAL GUARD PERIOD UNION LINE OFFICER’S UNIFORM FROCK COAT.

UNUSUAL “DECORATED” CIVIL WAR TO NATIONAL GUARD PERIOD UNION LINE OFFICER’S UNIFORM FROCK COAT. This dark blue Civil War period Union officer’s frock coat conforms to the U.S. Army pattern regulations for this period. Its materials; buttons and construction all conform to other known frock coats from the period 1860-1865 except for the addition of gilt wire and braid decorations at the collar and on each cuff. The coat is faded therefore it is easy to discern that the braid has been on the coat most of its life if not from the beginning. I can only speculate on these non-regulation additions to this uniform coat. There are three distinct possibilities (a) this coat was custom made and decorated for a Civil War period militia musician, (b) this Civil War period frock coat was later decorated with braid and worn during the veteran period, (c) it dates to the immediate post-Civil War period (perhaps even a recycled Civil War uniform) to the earliest state “National Guard” period (1866-1868). The coat is made of finely woven worsted dark blue wool, three quarter frock coat length with a stand-up collar measuring 2 ½” high and sleeves measuring nearly 9” wide at the elbow. The nine-button front has 8 eagle “I” buttons back marked “*D. Evans & Co.*/Attleboro Mass” (these buttons date from their period 1860-1880, generally considered post-war) which may or may not be orig to the coat. The button back marks do not match those on the cuff and have been added or moved from a former location on the front of the coat. Two cuff buttons are on each sleeve and two remain at the waist in the rear. The interior of the coat is lined in dark green polished cotton with a heavily quilted breast. The skirts are lined with the same material and the sleeves lined in a white osnaburg material. Added or orig to this frock coat is extensive braid decoration on the collar (lined with gold braid containing a looped border) and on each sleeve (trefoils and quatrefoils of narrow braid and wide rope-like braid). A very unusual and interesting coat well worth additional research. CONDTION: Fair. Coat is quite faded with old repairs to the shoulders and some heavy moth holes where the front buttons were once located (this is, generally covered up when the coat is buttoned). Interior is good with some fraying and minor losses to the lining. Some of the braid has come loose. 4-30366 CW11 (2,500-4,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2007

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
	413	$0.00	UNUSUAL “DECORATED” CIVIL WAR TO NATIONAL GUARD PERIOD UNION LINE OFFICER’S UNIFORM FROCK COAT. This dark blue Civil War period Union officer’s frock coat conforms to the U.S. Army pattern regulations for this period. Its materials; buttons and construction all conform to other known frock coats from the period 1860-1865 except for the addition of gilt wire and braid decorations at the collar and on each cuff. The coat is faded therefore it is easy to discern that the braid has been on the coat most of its life if not from the beginning. I can only speculate on these non-regulation additions to this uniform coat. There are three distinct possibilities (a) this coat was custom made and decorated for a Civil War period militia musician, (b) this Civil War period frock coat was later decorated with braid and worn during the veteran period, (c) it dates to the immediate post-Civil War period (perhaps even a recycled Civil War uniform) to the earliest state “National Guard” period (1866-1868). The coat is made of finely woven worsted dark blue wool, three quarter frock coat length with a stand-up collar measuring 2 ½” high and sleeves measuring nearly 9” wide at the elbow. The nine-button front has 8 eagle “I” buttons back marked “D. Evans & Co./Attleboro Mass” (these buttons date from their period 1860-1880, generally considered post-war) which may or may not be orig to the coat. The button back marks do not match those on the cuff and have been added or moved from a former location on the front of the coat. Two cuff buttons are on each sleeve and two remain at the waist in the rear. The interior of the coat is lined in dark green polished cotton with a heavily quilted breast. The skirts are lined with the same material and the sleeves lined in a white osnaburg material. Added or orig to this frock coat is extensive braid decoration on the collar (lined with gold braid containing a looped border) and on each sleeve (trefoils and quatrefoils of narrow braid and wide rope-like braid). A very unusual and interesting coat well worth additional research. CONDTION: Fair. Coat is quite faded with old repairs to the shoulders and some heavy moth holes where the front buttons were once located (this is, generally covered up when the coat is buttoned). Interior is good with some fraying and minor losses to the lining. Some of the braid has come loose. 4-30366 CW11 (2,500-4,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2007 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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