Close up of my research books

Research

Here are a couple of my favorite research books. The one on the left lists military contractors from pre- to post-Civil War and everything in between. If you are interested in details like how many eagle cuff buttons a particular manufacturer produced during the war, then this is your book. It also has some cool Union makers labels. The most interesting thing I learned from this book was that most contractors who made uniforms didn't make headgear to go with them. Quite often kepi makers made other items, such as harness, saddles, bridles, and the like.

Lining material

These are but a few of the many different types of cottons available for linings. These mostly go with Confederate kepis, while Federal caps usually have a simple black or brown polished cotton.

Maker's label

I use this label for my Confederate kepis. I have only the one, because extant labels of Confederate manufacture are scarce as hens' teeth. I have a few different labels for Union caps, which I will be posting very soon.

Lining material

I have a lot of different cotton material for lining. Pillow ticking (pictured) is very popular in Confederate caps. I will take some photos of the many types of lining available and post them here later.

Sheridan kepi

Some years back, I got a call from General Phil Sheridan's great-grandson, wanting me to make a replica of his kepi. I had the gold patch special-made by a guy who specializes only in handmade patches and insignia. His name is Jan Zirkle. Haven't talked with him in years but he used to have the email address Giltwire@aol.com. This is first rate stuff, none of that stuff from India. Of course it is pricey.
I sewed the black braid by hand. Sewing black braid on dark blue cloth will make you go blind, and that's why I don't do it anymore. The top inside was also quilted. I'd like to think General Phil would have been pleased to wear it.

Confederate jean infantry kepi

This kepi is made from butternut jean material that I still have from Pat Klein's loom at Family Heirloom Weavers. The bottom band is a mid-blue satinette from the same source. The buttons are the seal of the state of Virginia.

Jackson cap

This is a replica I made of Stonewall Jackson's so called 'rusty' cap, a present to him from his wife upon the occasion of his receiving a new frockcoat from JEB Stuart. When it was originally made during the war, it was a cadet gray, but the sun faded it to this light tan color in only about a year's time, as the dyes were not nearly so color fast then as we have today.

I once had a customer from Florida whose main thing was to go around the country portraying Stonewall. He had me make him two of this forage cap. One in its unfaded cadet gray and then in the faded butternut color. A real before and after.

Forage cap

This is one of my Union forage caps that I recently made and sold. It has a black polished-cotton lining and a makers' label inside. It is a little taller and falls forward, making it a little more like Union forage caps from the earlier part of the war.

Kepi

This a cadet-gray Confederate kepi I recently completed. I wanted a photo of it before I shipped it off to my customer.