chambray fabric for private purchase shirt?

[advanceguard]

Hello All,

I am inquiring if anyone may know or have any documentation that Chambray can be used for a private purchase shirt for a Federal enlisted man.


Thank you in advance.

[Matthew Semple]

Re: chambray fabric for private purchase shirt?

Sean,

I am intrigued about the use of Chambray for a Federal enlisted issued shirt. What documentation do you have which leads to the original use of such a cloth for this shirt?

Matt

[advanceguard]

Re: chambray fabric for private purchase shirt?

Matt,

I don't know if it was ever used for an issue shirt, I was wondering if a private purchase shirt could have been made with chambray. My preliminary research hasn't turned up much, and this opens another cloth question....is Chambray and Chambric one in the same?

[GenuineInformation]

Re: chambray fabric for private purchase shirt?

In a trade volume entitled, "Department Store Merchandise Manuals: The Cotton and Linen Departments," from 1917, author Eliza B. Thompson describes Chambray and Cambric as different cloths sharing a similar nominal origin:

Cambric
This was first made in Cambrai, France, from which it receives its name. It was originally made of fine linen threads and was imitated in cotton by the Scotch people who called it cambric muslin. It is woven of fine cotton yarns and carefully finished by bleaching and calendering. It is used for infants dresses and underwear. One make is named Berkeley cambric

Chambray
The name also comes from Cambrai, the French city where the material was originally made of linen yarn. It is a plain gingham with a colored warp and white weft or filling which gives a blended or softened effect. [Emboldening mine.] It is woven with a plain weave of finer yarns. In the finishing it is stiffened with starch and then calendered. It is used for dresses, aprons, shirtings, etc.

Since this description dates from 1917, the question remains whether it is an appropriate material for our period. I am able to find references to Chambray in two of the newspapers Vicki Betts has transcribed on her website:

NATCHEZ DAILY COURIER, January 3, 1861, p. 2, c. 3
Dry Goods, Chamberlin & Smith are now opening for the fall trade of 1860, the most complete stock of dry goods...Louisiana, Alabama, Maryland, and Virginia osnaburgs; brown domestics; linseys, kerseys; jeans; long cloths; bleached domestics; bed ticks; Kentucky Jeans and Linseys; Tennessee Truck, for Trousers; Indigo Blue Jeans, a very fine article manufactured in Baltimore for planters suits; russett [sic] brogans, of three different qualities and prices, as low as the lowest and as good as the best; English and American Navy blankets; English blue gray blankets; bed blankets; mud boots, both black and russet; Kip brogans; Boys boots and shoes; Ladies and Childrens shoes, of all kinds; carpets; oil cloths; druggetts and rugs; window curtains; damasks and shades; flannels, red and white, of all qualities; denims, stripes, plaids and chambrays, apron checks and furniture plaids; table oil cloths; brown and bleached canton flannels; English, French, and American prints; Linen and cotton sheetings and pillow case goods ...

STANDARD [CLARKSVILLE, TX], September 17, 1863, p. 2, c. 2

New Goods
Just Received, and
For Sale by the Undersigned,

4000 yards, best Calico.
1000 " Bleach Domestic.
200 " Chambray.
100 dozen Gingham Handkerchiefs.
20 " White cotton Hose.
50 yards Irish Linen.
400 fine French Calf Skins.
50 lbs. best shoe thread.
100 dozen Spool thread.
20 lbs. Patent thread.
[illegible] lb. Black Sewing Silk.
50,000 needles assorted sizes.
500 lbs Sal Soda.
400 lbs Black Pepper.
12 Keg of nails 5 to 10d.
12 dozen Tin Caps.
12 hhds. Sugar.
And various other articles in store, which will be shown upon application.
Clarksville, Texas, Sept. 18th 1863.
J. H. Darnall.
I have also in Jefferson, Texas, sixty hogheads of Sugar, and 100 barrels of Molasses for sale.
J. H. Darnall.

Given the evidence, I believe chambray is a perfectly reasonable choice for a man's civilian shirt of the 1860s. In fact, I believe it so much that I have had my own shirt made of the stuff:

[advanceguard]

Re: chambray fabric for private purchase shirt?

Thank you Mr. Knight! That is very helpful....would you mind greatly if I saved your pictures to use as reference while I make mine?

P.S. I love the Brogans!!!! They fit wonderfully!!

[GenuineInformation]

Re: chambray fabric for private purchase shirt?

I don't mind at all. Sean Cooper actually took the pictures and made the shirt for me.

[Doughboy]

Re: chambray fabric for private purchase shirt?

Any evidence that modern chambray resembles period chambray fabric?
Has anyone done an actual comparison? Modern fabrics often bear only a passing resemblance to their period counterparts

[GenuineInformation]

Re: chambray fabric for private purchase shirt?

Christopher,

Below, please find links to two images of 19th century garments in blue chambray.

http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/museum/collections/online/image.cfm?ImageFile=/VoyagerImages/Z000/Z00021/Z0002181.jpg&TableKey=OBJECT:48710

http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/museum/collections/online/image.cfm?ImageFile=/VoyagerImages/Z000/Z00028/Z0002858.jpg&TableKey=OBJECT:28855

Looks pretty close to me.

[Doughboy]

Re: chambray fabric for private purchase shirt?

links wouldn't open. Question, did you lay original next to modern or is it a photo comparison only?
Just wondering as we have been having this discussion particularly with blue/gray kersey fabric. Easy to say "X is closest to original" but until you actually lay them side by side it is only an opinion.

I was able to open links finally and my observation stands.

[GenuineInformation]

Re: chambray fabric for private purchase shirt?

It's just a photo comparison.

[advanceguard]

Re: chambray fabric for private purchase shirt?

I have looked at the same images that Mr. Knight posted. I have enhanced these images on my PC an and besides the typical fading from age and use, the fabric that I have (which is 50+ years old) is nearly identical in weave. While I am not a textile historian, I feel confident that the material I chose for a sent from home private purchase shirt is appropriate and accurate. Ultimately, many of the textiles that we use are not 100% identical to materials made 150 years ago for a myriad of reasons. If I ever have an opportunity to lay my shirt next to an original I will let you know how it stands up.