"Original Forage Cap" on eBay

[LonestarRifles]

For your perusal:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ORIGINAL-Civil-W...QQcmdZViewItem

Regards,
Patrick

[lambrew]

Re: "Original Forage Cap" on eBay

Nice find. I see the faded spot they describe. It looks more like the crossed cannon of artillery than sabers. Got that Fifth Corp badge confused for a surgeon's insignia. Guess they don't really know what they have.

Respectfully....
Sean Collicott

[Andrew Kasmar]

Re: "Original Forage Cap" on eBay

Hi,

I agree with Mr. Collicott, that faded spot looks more like crossed cannons, rather than crossed sabers.

[rogue]

Re: "Original Forage Cap" on eBay

If this is a "real" cap it seems way underpriced. But then the buyers may be awaiting the end to pounce.
Steve Sullivan

[LonestarRifles]

Re: "Original Forage Cap" on eBay

I have been debating in my mind whether or not this is a truly original piece. We have a forage cap here at home that is of similar construction that my father found in an antique shop, made by Paul Smith. The sweatband in the cap we have is very detiorated and was secured by some stitching and a few staples (not sure if this was done by the owner or maker). The images on eBay of the piece are not quite as helpful as I wish they could be. The seller's statement "right out of the barn" throws a red flag up to me also.

What are other thoughts on this? Is it an underpriced original or overpriced reproduction?

[Andrew Kasmar]

Re: "Original Forage Cap" on eBay

Hi,

I think it might be a underpriced original; the price might be so low because the gentleman does not know how much it is worth. It also may be a reproduction, and like Mr. Smith "right out of the barn" did sound kind of strange to me. Just my 2 cents.

[Secesh]

Re: "Original Forage Cap" on eBay

Caveat Emptor....

[Remember1864]

Re: "Original Forage Cap" on eBay

Isn't that a 6th Corps Insignia? God Bless Horatio Wright!

[Andrew Kasmar]

Re: "Original Forage Cap" on eBay

Hi,

No, it is a 5th Corps 1st Division Corps badge.

[Chihuahua]

Re: "Original Forage Cap" on eBay

Pards,
Many items on eBay are underpriced until the last two seconds.
Watch it to see the final price.
Mark Warren
Hairy Nation

[Bummer]

Re: "Original Forage Cap" on eBay

I don't believe it. I'd love to, but I don't. The material is wrong on both the blue fabric and the lining. The body of the cap should be a much thinner (almost flimsy) fabric, almost always with a plain weave rather than a noticable twill, and the lining should have once been thin polished cotton--this looks too coarse for that.
The sweatband does not exhibit (at least in the photos) the crosshatch embossing. The visor is reminiscent of the so called 'Type I' cap yet the disk top is definitely that of the 'Type II'. Speaking of the top disk, the cardboard looks way too thick the way it is bent and all. originals tend to 'break' if that worn. Also the spots that appear through the rents in the cloth look awfully white to me rather than the 'natural grey/tan' of original cardboard used.
Now I have only owned eleven forage (bummer) caps and of course I have not seen them all. And one thing I have learned is never say always...so maybe the thing is legit...but I sincerely doubt it. In any event I can at least tell it is definitely not a typical regulation contract forage cap. It might be some weird militia thing, but we all know it is unfortunately far more likely something of more recent vintage.
Also the seller's 'ignorance' is a little to contrived for me, most antique dealers (or eBay sellers) are a bit more savvy on things like this to be playing THAT dumb.
I'd love to have a 12th bummer cap, but it definitely would not be that one.

Suit yourself,
Spence Waldron~

[Canebrake Rifle Guards]

Re: "Original Forage Cap" on eBay

Its impossible to tell without having it in your hands.

Sometimes stuff does come out of attics and barns. It wasn't too many years ago I remember a set of CS tarred accouterments that came out of a barn in the Shenandoah Valley, I think there might have been a shell jacket with it. They had been hung up in the barn since some Johnny Reb hung them up during the war.

I was in the attic of an old pre-war public building (belonging to a small Virginia township) and they were casually showing me a couple of "Civil War" items they had found in amongs all the stuff in there. It was an original CS cap box (lead finial, single loop) and an original, marked, Tredegar artillery shell box (wooden).

Amazing to see this stuff in its natural environment, right were it had been left during the war.

Greg Starbuck

[Ken]

Re: "Original Forage Cap" on eBay

I have been debating in my mind whether or not this is a truly original piece. We have a forage cap here at home that is of similar construction that my father found in an antique shop, made by Paul Smith. The sweatband in the cap we have is very detiorated and was secured by some stitching and a few staples (not sure if this was done by the owner or maker). The images on eBay of the piece are not quite as helpful as I wish they could be. The seller's statement "right out of the barn" throws a red flag up to me also.

What are other thoughts on this? Is it an underpriced original or overpriced reproduction?

I would stay away for this one.

[paulcalloway]

Re: "Original Forage Cap" on eBay

The fabric and leather weights look right - Greg is right though, you need to have that in your hands before you pull out your wallet. I wish those photos were a bit more clear, I'd love to look at some of that stitching.

I believe there was also a #3 or something similar brass-piece above those crossed cannons.

[lambrew]

Re: "Original Forage Cap" on eBay

The enlargments are very blury so I can't quite make out the number. I also have a hard time believing the seller knows that little about the item they are selling. But never say never.

Respectfully....
Sean Collicott