December 10-13, 2024 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/10/2024
An archive relating to the contracting of uniforms for the Pennsylvania regiments being raised for Federal service during the opening days of the Civil War, consisting of In-letters to Reuben C. Hale, newly-appointed Quartermaster General for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, from various tailoring firms, clothiers and textile mills. The firms are responding to Hale's advertisements requesting proposals for such contracts, with pricing and samples of cloth to be used in making up the various uniform components. In all, there are 10 different contract proposals for uniform frock coats with pantaloons, blouses, and even one for haversacks. All of the proposals have various types of cloth samples attached, including broadcloth, kersey, wool flannel, satinet in a variety of colors, primarily deep blue, sky blue, gray, and cadet gray. There is also a proposal for haversacks, with large piece of cotton drilling attached. Each proposal, with its respective cloth sample(s), is housed in a separate, clear archival sleeve within the collection binder. One letter is extracted below: [Philadelphia clothiers Rockhill and Wilson, dated 6 May 1861, with swatch of gray satinet attached]: "We propose to furnish 800 Over Coats or 2500 prs of Pants of the army (pattern made of the goods of which a sample is Enclosed) at $7.45 each to be delivered in Harrisburg or Philada. as you may direct, or $2.50 for trousers...." PROVENANCE: The major part of collection acquired from Hank Truslow in FEB 2004; one document (cited above) acquired from James Arsenault in JUL 2023. CONDITION: Very good; some light toning to certain letters, pin pricks from sample attachments.