Decorative Knit Cap Photo on eBay

[GreencoatCross]

All,

I thought I'd post this interesting image I found on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/CIVIL-WAR-SOLDIER-A-C-MOWER-COMPANY-B-55th-PA-VOL_W0QQitemZ320174584301QQihZ011QQcategoryZ13704QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Check out his elaborate knit cap (with pom-pom!). It's definitely something I've never seen in an image before! Looks like the guy grabbed it from the head of a 1970's teenager.

[Deborah Hyland]

Re: Decorative Knit Cap Photo on eBay

What a great image. It's hard to be certain, but I suspect from the stitch pattern and the way the colors alternate that this is a crocheted, not knitted hat.

What are your thoughts on his handwriting?

[pambryda]

Re: Decorative Knit Cap Photo on eBay

The handwritten letter? I thought that might be either a transcription of an entry from the diary (which I presumed to be the leather-bound item next to the handwritten letter) or the "HAND WRITTEN DESCRIPTION OF THE DIARY" referred to in the sale entry. I didn't take it to be an actual copy of a diary entry, in the soldier's hand.

Pam Kingsley-Bryda

[col90]

Re: Decorative Knit Cap Photo on eBay

What a great image. It's hard to be certain, but I suspect from the stitch pattern and the way the colors alternate that this is a crocheted, not knitted hat.

What are your thoughts on his handwriting?

I would suspect crocheted as well, but what a fabulous image!

Colleen

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: Decorative Knit Cap Photo on eBay

What a great image. It's hard to be certain, but I suspect from the stitch pattern and the way the colors alternate that this is a crocheted, not knitted hat.

What are your thoughts on his handwriting?

There are a lot of variations in 19th century handwriting, but this very strongly suggests 20th century Palment method to me, both in the simple form of the capitals and in the proportions of the letters.

[Secesh]

Re: Decorative Knit Cap Photo on eBay

Hello,
It's interesting that the seller has deleted the image from his listing....Ya think he knew something we all didn't...???;)

[Deborah Hyland]

Re: Decorative Knit Cap Photo on eBay

What was transcribed wasn't a diary either. It was clearly a letter.

[Spinster]

Re: Decorative Knit Cap Photo on eBay

Hello,
It's interesting that the seller has deleted the image from his listing....Ya think he knew something we all didn't...???;)

I'm so glad you said that. I've been messing with this auction on and off for 30 minutes trying to see something more than the blurry image in the master listing.

[Secesh]

Re: Decorative Knit Cap Photo on eBay

I have purcahsed period images off and on for the past 15 years or so, for myself and for friends, and have often run across images listed as period that were obviously reenactors. Buyer beware!!! Best regards.

[Silvana Siddali]

Re: Decorative Knit Cap Photo on eBay

The handwriting is late 20th or early 21st century. Looks like some kind of sharpie or rollerball writing on modern blue-lined paper. The letter was probably transcribed by the owner.

19th century letters were usually written in ink & steel nibs, so you can see the thick and thin lines (where there was more or less ink in the nib); in this case you can see that all of the writing is of uniform thickness. Some other points to consider: in 19th century letters, the ink often fades to a brown; the paper was usually folded in half to create a smaller writing surface; and the letters are usually completely connected. 19th century writers didn't often omit the starting or ending tails. I've seen plenty of letters written on blue-lined paper, though.