US Mid 19th Century, Enlisted, Foot Troops Overcoat, Melton Wool, Likely State Issue
This item is listed for historical interest only. It was listed on our site previously but has been sold and is no longer available for purchase.
Sold for: $495.00

Original period manufacture. Sky blue Infantry, or Foot pattern overcoat, woven of a fine quality melton wool material. The coat is missing all of its buttons, and lining material, however in spite of these flaws, the coat remains quite sound, display as-is, or serving as a great base for restoration. The fabric is nearly moth free, showing a mix of hand and machine sewing throughout. The white linen pocket linings are intact, and the color remains strong. There is a moth nibble on the rear edge of the cape, and a repairable L-shaped tear on the bottom hem, with some of the collar attachment seam coming loose. Scattered areas of discoloration to the fabric surface, but overall, to my eyes, it remains very presentable as is. This old coat has captured a fair amount of interest while on our site, with the opinions mixed as to it's precise age. A knowledgeable fellow collector had a hands-on inspection and declared it to be of Civil War era, another knowledgeable fellow collector, also had a hands-on look and declared it to be post Civil War, perhaps up into the Spanish-American War. So here we are, all of us looking into the past through a glass darkly. At the last, the coat displays features of Civil War coats, yet more likely that it was produced at a later date. For display, it remains first rate, and price-wise a bargain in the world of today.