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HANDSOME PRE-CIVIL WAR MILITIA OFFICER'S KEPI IN TRULY OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL CONDITION
$3,950.00
Originally $5,500.00
Quantity Available: 1
Item Code: 72-16
Shipping: Determined by Method & Location of buyer
To Order:
Call 717-334-0347,
Fax 717-334-5016, or E-mail
Here, in fantastic original condition, is a handsome, unidentified militia officer's kepi manufactured by a Union County, Pennsylvania merchant named John M. Taylor of Lewisburg. A clear and strong maker's mark printed in gold gilt reads "J. M. TAYLOR / LEWISBURG / PA." and is found on the inside cloth of the kepi's crown. Records are scarce on John M. Taylor and he is not listed in B. Bazelon's and McGuinn's "Directory of American Military Goods Dealers and Makers 1785-1915." Taylor is listed as a merchant on the Lewisburg Borough property lists for Union County, PA in October 1864 according to the Mifflinburg tax assessor. John M. Taylor was a businessman of some means as he was taxed on a number of Union County holdings that included acreage, town lots, buildings, cattle, horses, and carriages. One entry in the Mifflinburg Telegraph Weekly Newspaper in late 1852 reported that the old County jail was sold to John M. Taylor who 'converted it into a dwelling'. In 1864, Taylor was taxed on personal property valued at $2,400.00, a hefty sum of money for the time. Taylor was instrumental in the manufacturing of military uniform-style kepis in Lewisburg, PA as attested to by this fine kepi specimen that bears his name but no records of his manufacturing facility have been found as yet.
Constructed in the French 'chasseur pattern' style that was prevalent prior to and during the American Civil War, this private purchase kepi was manufactured by Taylor's clothing firm in Lewisburg to serve the many and varied pre-Civil War militia companies that were common in both the North and the South. Similar to the French uniform caps of that period, the kepi had a lower profile, exhibited a less pronounced slope at the crown, and displayed a straight, flat visor or brim. This type of kepi was worn usually by officers who had some freedom of dress in their uniform choice.
The officer cap specimen here measures 4" high from base to top of crown and is approximately a size 7". The exterior body is constructed of high quality, deep blue indigo, wool satinet cloth that is absolutely in choice condition. It shows almost no wear or mothing at all save one tiny moth nip on the right side near the juncture with the visor. Top of the circular crown features a 5" diameter pasteboard disc covered in a red wool cloth that is free of any nips or blemishes. Crown is void of any piping or rank design. The colors of both the blue and the red wool cloth are rich and vibrant, not faded or worn. In addition, kepi features single, 1/8" wide vertical lines of gold piping or braiding that emanate from the crown's 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock positions and traverse downward at an angle on the cloth sides. Piping terminates at a single horizontal band of gold piping that encircles the entire exterior of the kepi. Another single row of gold braid runs along the exterior edge brim from visor tip to visor tip.
The original flat, thick leather, tarred visor is in excellent, strong condition and tightly sewn to the brim with no repairs evident. The reddish brown-colored Moroccan leather sweatband measures 1 3/8" high and rings the entire inner brim area of the cap. The thin leather is in excellent condition with tight original stitching to the brim. One small area of sweatband brim stitching has separated from the body at the right visor tip. Some slight edge scuffing visible on the band from age and use. Inside crown is lined with a dark brown, unpolished, twill cloth material that is lightly padded, while the kepi's inner crown disc is covered with a slightly darker brown, quilted cotton cloth. Though its surface bears slight rubbing and sweat marks, the maker's name "J. M. TAYLOR / LEWISBURG / PA." is strongly stamped in faded gold gilt on the disc's center with ¼" high block letters. Kepi is complete with its thick, unbroken, tarred leather visor or brim tightly stitched to the body. Also the kepi appears never to have had a chinstrap, cloth brim band, or any brass, cuff-size buttons on either side of the cap.
This fantastic looking, pre-Civil War militia officer's kepi in such great original condition is a uniform specimen worthy of any Pennsylvania military display or of any Civil War era headgear collection.
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