Unlined Fatigue blouse question

[advanceguard]

I just purchased a "New York Depot" fatigue blouse(unlined). I have searched the A/C archives and gleaned useful info. I am aware of the ratio between lined and unlined. I plan on deconstructing it and handsewing everything, I may even line it since its apart. My question is anyone aware if the unlined ones were stamped? Also, where can one find a stencil of the stamp?


I am, Sirs,

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Unlined Fatigue blouse question

Hallo!

Lined or unlined blouses would vary depending upon the contract and the contractor, so they were either hand-sewn or a mixed machine sewn/hand sewn.

Surviving unlined blouses rarely exhibit any markings since it is hard to mark the flannel without marring it. However, there are a few rare exceptions that have illegible remnant marks done in white paint.

Some believe that in order to follow the post 1862 government requirements implemented after contractor fraud that required items to be marked with contractor names and locations, that the arsenal system of using paper labels glued to the inside of the garment was used.
Being fragile, these arsenal and contractor and size labels did not last long in the field let alone any history of washing.

IIRC, there is (??) a surviving blouse with a white (dirtied yellow or yellow) painted size number on the inside.

I know of no one making stencils of size numbers. Most lads I know size marking blouses free-hand the numbers. A stencil could be cut from a manilla folder with an X-acto knife.

Curt

[CompanyWag]

Re: Unlined Fatigue blouse question

IIRC, there is (??) a surviving blouse with a white (dirtied yellow or yellow) painted size number on the inside.

I have handled one unlined blouse in a private collection that has traces of white paint present on the pocket bag. If this was a size marking, it is entirely illegible now. The pocket bag strikes me as a logical place to mark an unlined blouse as the extra thickness of material would help prevent bleed-through.

Sean:
Regarding lining the disassembled blouse, keep in mind of course that the unlined blouses typically had seams that were flat-felled (all body seams, shoulder seams and rear sleeve seams). This flat-felling is not present on lined examples...although some lined blouses have been noted that had body seams felled from the bottom up to the bottom of the body lining. Apparently it was felt the lining was sufficient protection to keep the seams from fraying.

Paul McKee

[Doughboy]

Re: Unlined Fatigue blouse question

I have acquired a stamp and size mark for Schuylkill Arsenal produced garments. It was made by a company here in Maryland that was contracted to make stamps by the Lincoln administration during the war from a font they used during the period.
Christopher Wilson

[CompanyWag]

Re: Unlined Fatigue blouse question

I assume this is a reproduction?
Paul McKee

[Doughboy]

Re: Unlined Fatigue blouse question

Sorry, yes it is a reproduction. It was sampled off of an original garment from the Smithsonian