December 10-13, 2024 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/10/2024
The body of deep indigo blue superfine cloth, with facings and skirt turnbacks of buff kerseymere. The facings and pockets edged or framed with 1/4-inch-wide, gold vellum lace, and buttonholes on cuffs, lapels and collar trimmed with the same. Buttons are flat, gilded-brass "coin" buttons throughout, back-marked with a crown/ "TREBLE GILT." Standing collar 3 7/8 inches high, trimmed on each side with two false buttonholes of lace 4 1/2 inches long; Squared breast closed with 8 hooks & eyes, with functional lapels 6 in. broad at top angle and 4 in. at waist, with 8 buttons with laced holes on each lapel. The sleeves are "slashed" with a centered, 7 1/2 inch slit up the lower sleeve, framed with lace, with two buttonholes set on 3 1/4 in. deep cuffs, and two above--all set crosswise with four buttons set at their junction of the slash. Three, joined diamonds of lace, the outermost framing the hip buttons and the inner one centered over the back vent. Four buttons below each scalloped pocket flap and two set on each plait. Skirts approximately 21 in. L, with false turnbacks of buff with laced diamonds at each tip. Unlined upper body, with the exception of a broad breast innerfacing approximately 7 inches wide at mid-breast, with one horizontal pocket set at that point on the left side; glazed linen sleeve linings. This coat is nearly identical to one in the Peabody-Essex Museum worn by John W. Fenno while serving as an aide-de-camp to General Hovey and quite close (less the form of cuffs) to one worn by Brigadier Peter Gansevoort of the US Army. CONDITION: Overall good to very good. When acquired, all of the lapel buttons were missing and have been replaced with reproductions (all other buttons are original). There had been scattered areas of insect browse, primarily in the back and under sleeves--all of which have been carefully and meticulously restored using matching cloth by Dr. Karin Bohleke, Director of Costume and Textiles Study at Shippensburg State U.; light soiling in a few areas, principally the edges of collar and cuffs and in the skirt linings, with a few small stains (one on lower right lapel of 1/4-inch diameter.