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CIVIL WAR INFANTRY CAPTAIN’S FROCK
COAT – w/ AMBROTYPE OF OFFICER’S CHILD FOUND IN BREAST
POCKET – VERY NICE SPECIMEN:
The classic uniform coat for all company grade officers,
this frock coat was the style worn during the Civil War
as described in the Regulations for the Uniform and
Dress of the Army of the United States, of 1857
“All officers shall wear a frock-coat of dark blue
cloth, the skirt to extend two-thirds to three-fourths
of the distance from the top of the hip to the bend of
the knee; single-breasted for Captains and Lieutenants,
- double-breasted for all other grades.”
As it presents, the entire coat exhibits
an high level of expertise in tailoring, and the special
features and appointments suggest that this coat was
definitely one of the higher grades of uniforms
available at the time. The inside of the collar is
lined with black velvet and the split coat tails have
very nice detail. The sleeves are made of two pieces
rather than the standard single-seam tube normally
encountered. The outside of the sleeve is made of the
same dark blue wool as the rest of the coat, while the
interior panel of the sleeve – that surface that would
be closest to the body – is made of a polished or
worstered wool, a little lighter in weight for comfort
and the polished surface would not drag against the body
of the coat. While this inner panel is not visible when
the coat is worn, it would be much more comfortable for
the wearer, and certainly added to the expense of the
coat. The body of the coat is fully lined with black
polished cotton cloth which is heavily quilted in the
front and back of the torso area, and the sleeves are
fully lined with pin striped cotton cloth. The lining
in both the body and the sleeves is fully intact with no
tears. There is an interior breast pocket on left side
of the coat and a deep slash pocket in the left rear
tail piece, accessed by a finished vent in edge seam.
The coat measures 38” long from the top of the standing
collar to the bottom hem.
The bullion shoulder insignia straps are
in very good condition with all of the bullion trim
intact and the light blue background of the insignia
field retaining a nice bright light blue color. All of
the standard US Army brass buttons bearing the “I” for
infantry in the center of the shield are present on the
front, on each cuff, and on the tail. All of the
buttons are full form with no depressions and those on
the front and on the tail are attached with split
rings,
When this coat was purchased in 1985 by
the most recent owner, upon examining the coat he found
a quarter plate cased ambrotype of a small boy in the
interior breast pocket. It is assumed the image was
left in the pocket by the captain who owned this coat,
and is probably an image of his son. The ambrotype
measures 3” x 2 ½” and is held in half case, the cover
of the case is missing. Personal affects such as this
image are rarely found in uniforms, having passed
through and been examined by many hands during the
intervening years from the heirs of the original
soldiers to collectors along the way, and finding such a
treasure as this ambrotype is a significant added value
to this coat.
This frock coat is in very good
condition with all of the seams intact and the blue wool
material is very solid with no damage except the minor
points noted as follows. There is a 1” long opening in
the arm pit seam left arm, which is not visible when the
coat is displayed. There is a ¼” moth hole on front
adjacent to the second button from the throat, three
very small moth holes on front, and a 1/8” moth hole at
the top of the back right below the collar.
This is a very attractive Civil War
officer’s frock coat, and with the added value of the
rank insignia present, the fine detail of the tailoring
and the ambrotype of the officer’s son, this coat will
be a very nice addition to your collection. $4,250
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