Something Very Special from My Collection

[Matthew Semple]

All,

I figured I would share these pictures before I put this item up for bid later this week on a well known "e-" auction site.

First, I have conducted twenty years of research on commercially available carpet bags, vallises, and other forms of mid-nineteenth century luggage. I have examined hundreds of carpet bags and vallises. This is the only known example (that I am aware of) of a commercially produced painted (oil) cloth vallise to come up for bid in auction over the past twenty years.

Identified to being owned by 2nd LT W. A. Hill of the 7th New Hampshire Volunteers as indicated by his stenciling in two different locations and handwriting in period correct ink on the pasteboards. The photos tell so much about this item. I will add additional information in the next day or so.

Submitted for your viewing pleasure.

Very respectfully,
Matthew Semple

[Tom Craig]

Re: Something Very Special from My Collection

That's pretty cool! Thanks for sharing!

Take care,
Tom Craig
1st Maine Cavalry

[Jimmayo]

Re: Something Very Special from My Collection

Very nice. Never saw one like that.

[NYCivilWar]

Re: Something Very Special from My Collection

Matthew,

Thanks for sharing your vallise with us. In your years of examining other period vallises, carpet bags etc. have you come across a similar bag to this that was un-painted? Do you have any information about this bag being used before and/or during the war? Or, is the stencil the only documentation?

Thanks again for the photos!

[Matthew Semple]

Re: Something Very Special from My Collection

Kyle,

Great questions. I will do my best to answer them.

I have documentation which accompanied the bag which says that a pair of socks and a shirt were found in it prior to it being put up for auction. I found this out after winning the bag. If I had known that they were in the bag I would have bid for them all to keep the collection complete (or at least made it a point to examine those in full detail). The shirt and socks were put up seperately for auction and since I was after the bag it never occurred to me that they were all together at one point. The socks appeared to be typical mid-nineteenth century and not that remarkable. The shirt was a natural domet flannel US issued shirt. This leads me to the belief that the bag was used during the war but that is not definitive. When considering this and the fact that the stenciling appears to be typical wartime stenciling, it is a good bet that the bag was wartime used.

I have encountered descriptions of similarly designed bags available to the commercial market but have never seen another extant example in all my examinations. I have to dig through binders and binders of notes to find the exact references and documentation. I recall having encountered descriptions of various materials used in this design from painted cloth, carpet, to plain drill (I assume canvas or other heavy cotton material).

I have a copy of Hill's pension records and service record. Hill was in service for all 22 of the Seventh's engagements. He served with Co. K and was honorably discharged in January 1865.

Matt

[GrumpyDave]

Re: Something Very Special from My Collection

Just because the stenciling is "wartime" doesn't mean the bag was wartime. Do you have any provenance that the bag was used during the war? Or, was it used by the owner to attend GAR functions in 1890, (a definite possibility)?

[Matthew Semple]

Re: Something Very Special from My Collection

Grumpy Dave,

As I stated several times in my post, it is not definitive.

Matt