Original Pre-Civil War to Early Civil War U.S. Navy Seaman’s Round Jacket and Flat Hat

SOLD

Original Pre-Civil War to Early Civil War U.S. Navy Seaman’s Round Jacket and Flat Hat – This rare jacket, referred to, during the period, as a “round jacket” or “monkey jacket” is fitted with six Goodyear Patent, Novelty Rubber Company coat size buttons, affixed in two vertical columns of three on the front of the jacket and one remaining Goodyear, USN cuff button. The jacket, constructed of a heavy grade of deep blue, kersey wool, is lined with a brocade cotton fabric. The entire jacket is completely hand sewn. Inked inside the jacket is the following: “S. James U.S.N.” (We are working on researching the name). The equally rare, Civil War or late pre-war, period flat hat, constructed of a finer grade of deep blue, low nap, English broadcloth wool, is, like the jacket, also completely hand sewn; it conforms correctly to period U.S. Navy regulations; lined in a thin, cotton check, it retains its original black silk, circumferential ribbon with its cut tails projecting from the bow and its original, three mother of pearl buttons. Affixed to the top of the cap is the original, serrated edge, wool, circular patch, hand sewn to the cap. These patches, often seen in a decoratively embroidered motif, were placed on the top of the caps, so that fellow shipmates, in the rigging above, could distinguish their own crew members from any enemy combatants who had boarded their ship. Accompanying this fine group is the period trunk in which we found the cap and jacket; the trunk, covered in a painted sheet metal, is lined with a Baltimore, Maryland newspaper, dating to the 1840s. The jacket, cap and trunk all remain in very good condition; the cap has some minor stress tears in the top of the hat.