Uniforms British
British Victorian Era, Volunteer Royal Artillery 2nd Lt. Mess Jacket, Waistcoat & Forage Cap, Identified
Uniforms British
British Victorian Era, Volunteer Royal Artillery 2nd Lt. Mess Jacket, Waistcoat & Forage Cap, Identified
Item #69007 : Original period manufacture. COAT. Midnight blue wool waist length jacket with red wool collar and cuffs, with ornate silver wire brocade trim and ball buttons. Heavy silver wire shoulder knots, each bearing the rank pip for a 2nd Lieutenant, thick silver wire bursting bomb emblems on each side of the collar. Silver wire tresse gallons on each sleeve, which outline the red wool cuffs. Queens Crown Royal Artillery buttons on each shoulder knot, with two matching buttons on each cuff. The left side edge of the coat opening is fitted with 50, silver color, decorative ball buttons. Quilted red silk lining, with white silk sleeve linings. The lining shows sweat staining to the interior but no real damage, black silk collar lining has loosened in spots at the top front. No moth issues to report, some of the edges of the silver brocade have come loose but not terribly so. The body seams are tight and secure. WAISTCOAT. Red wool body trimmed with silver brocade, with decorative braiding above the waist. Down the front are 50 silver color bullet buttons, with hook and eye attachments on the opposite side. White silk body lining displaying staining from perspiration, but no fraying or deterioration to the fabric. The collar lining is another matter as the red silk lining is pretty much gone. The back of the garment is covered in a thin cotton material with an adjustable half belt. Stitched to the inside of the half belt is a tailors tag displaying the name Wm. Anderson & Sons of Edinburgh, and named to a W.A. Denholm Esq., which provides a good base for additional research. FORAGE CAP. Dark blue wool pill box style hat, having the Wm.Anderson & Sons Edinburgh name in the quilted red silk lining. Two inch wide tan leather sweatband securely sewn to the hat body. Original cloth chinstrap is intact. Exterior has a 2 inch wide band of silver brocade around its circumference. Ornate silver wire embroidery on the top. No moth issues. I did a quick look around Ancestry and found a listing for a William A. Denholm serving as a 2nd Lieutenant with the Volunteer Royal Garrison Artillery in 1899. So there is at least a start. Overall the set is very impressive looking and of very nice quality, no real moth issues, while I was hanging it back up I noticed a pencil point bite on one of the cuffs. Oh well.
Photos of Uniforms British British Victorian Era, Volunteer Royal Artillery 2nd Lt. Mess Jacket, Waistcoat & Forage Cap, Identified
