Civilian in work shirt?

[Dusty Merritt]

A friend recently acquired this tintype and was wondering if you all might have some insight. We think the subject's a civilian but maybe there's something military here we're missing. It's a cool image an interesting shirt (work shirt?). What do you think?


Also, here's a link to his Flickr gallery. Some great period civilian and military images here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/trajanmax/

[NYCivilWar]

Re: Civilian in work shirt?

Yikes! This hurts my head. I think I'm seeing a short waisted jacket with two breast pockets (looks like there is something in his left pocket). What is confusing to me is what is going on with his left arm. It looks like the jacket sleeve has been cut off... or if that just a shadow then it changes everything and it looks like he has had a shirt shortened, cut up the front and had buttons added to it. I've never personally seen a shirt like this (if that's what it is) and will be interested in seeing what others have to say.

Cool and confusing image!

[GreencoatCross]

Re: Civilian in work shirt?

I own a war-time cdv from a German photographer in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, showing three men wearing hickory stripe shirt-jackets and matching trousers. The shirt-jackets are identical to the one this man wears however I cannot tell if they have pockets or not. My impression is that this type of garment might be a two-piece coverall but that's only conjecture on my part....what I am seeing is the lower garment is pulled over the trousers, the upper garment put on and the lower edge of which buttons to the waistband of the lower coveralls which would essentially create a single "coverall" garment. The same basic thing can be seen in some period boys' clothing. This could be way off the mark though.