This original Civil War artillery officer’s cap or kepi in the tall, forage-style design is in excellent overall condition. Sometimes referred to as a fatigue cap or bummer’s cap, the Pattern 1858 Artillery Officer’s kepi is made of vibrant dark blue indigo satinet cloth and comes complete with its lining, leather sweat band, quilted crown, wide leather visor brim and narrow chin strap with cuff-size staff buttons on each side. Satinet cloth body is in minty condition with no visible moth nips, tears or fraying on the crown or side panels. The cap’s tarred, flat black leather visor is excellent and strong with its stitching tightly secured to the body. Headgear exhibits an excellent condition black leather chin strap that retains its D-shaped brass adjuster, one leather loop and two, original, cuff-size, three-piece, brass, eagle ‘A’ buttons. Appears that no officer’s insignia was ever sewn to this cap.

Entire cap interior is lined with a fine black linen material, a.k.a. Silesia cloth, but the lining now suffers from moderate to heavy tearing and ripping. Inner crown is stiff pasteboard covered with lightly quilted, black, washed cotton cloth liner. A fine maker’s tag visible on the interior crown and reads “BENT & BUSH. / BOSTON.” The well-known clothing firm was in operation from 1849 thru 1871 and did extensive business in military headgear during and after the Civil War. All of the cap’s indigo cloth is in excellent-plus condition with only one period repair visible at the very top of the front vertical seam. Hard to see. The forage cap retains its original, thin, 1 5/8” high, dark brown cloth sweatband in excellent condition with stitching tight and no tearing or ripping. Band has an old collector number “27799” hand written on the side. The cap’s smooth, flat crown (pasteboard disc) measures approximately 5 5/8” in diameter. Top of crown is void of any braid or decoration.

This original, Civil War Federal artillery officer’s forage cap is a truly handsome specimen that would highlight any military uniform collection.

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