Original (?) CS jacket photos

[FloridaConscript]

Re: Original CS jacket photos

I believe that is the fabled "tuscaloosa gray" of years gone by.....

I wouldn't trade a hot 6 pack of beer for that.

[Mcouioui]

Re: Original (?) CS jacket photos

For comparison, This below veteran's jacket of the 1900s, woolen sheet and tins buttons...

[tnyankee]

Re: Original (?) CS jacket photos

Is it just me or does it look like the sleeve lining was sewn into the sleeve at the same time the sleeve was sewn together? It is also set into the armseye through all 4 layers (the sleeve lining, the sleeve, the body and the body lining). I haven't seen that before. You can see the jean through the stitching and lining.

[Mcouioui]

Re: Original (?) CS jacket photos

She belongs to a friend collector, I am going to ask him for the other photos and precision...

[EasySam]

Re: Original CS jacket photos

I love that picture of the vets. Those old boys still look like they could take it to ya.

[LeatherHead]

Re: Original (?) CS jacket photos

I made these very same I buttons on this coat in high school about 1966. I made the die punch in shop class and struck brass and copper planchetes into a block of soft lead. The perimeter got a series of v notches cut with tin snips so the face could be crimped around the back.. The backs were mostly post office buttons with the face cut off, to minimize the effort in making a back. The crimp edge was folded over the back, then was soft soldered and the back then file finished. Time consuming and very labor intensive; but the end result was very cool. Then, maybe a decade later, great repro CS branch of service letters were made in quantity by actual button factories and were common and inexpensive.

One of the listing photos gives a peak at the back of a button; you can sort of see the crimped notching and solder. The I on the die was silver soldered on a bit too high, above perfect center. I still have the die and a button or two. I also made an A die, which was-is better. Chas. Childs sports a set of the As on one of his repro coats. The fronts make one think the Is and As could be orginal, the backs instantly scream new & clumsey.

What a hoot!

Dean Nelson
1st Maryland Infantry, CSA, N-SSA
Christiana High School, class of 1967

[LWebster]

Re: Original (?) CS jacket photos

Very good, Dean! You did a nice job on the buttons, in any case.

LWebster