This is an interesting set of Civil War artillery officer’s shoulder straps with a lot of character, showing some nice wear from real field use and the addition of a false-embroidered gilt stamped-brass rank bar to the end of each of bullion embroidered straps that were made originally with single embroidered rank bars. This is a great touch that indicates not only a promotion from First Lieutenant to Captain, but that the officer received his commission while in the field or a remote military camp and had to improvise somewhat, likely with the help of sutler or peddler, rather than simply purchasing a new set of straps with his new rank from a local military goods dealer.

The straps have a red field, or ground, indicating service in the artillery, either a light artillery battery, horse artillery, or heavy artillery, the latter serving both in fortifications and, as the war went on, in the field as infantry. In any case, the straps indicate command of a battery or company. These were the standard embroidered bullion construction, using a single row of bullion embroidery for the borders and the rank bars, both of which were edged with gilt jaceron wire. The underlying base fabric, a dark blue to match the uniform coat, was then turned down along the edges on the underside either to neaten them or as part of sewing them to the coat. They show the remnants of a paper backing applied over the web base of the embroidery, likely showing how they were first sold.

The red field has strong color with just a few small spots of wear to the nap that are not obtrusive, and no holes. The bullion embroidery of the borders and bars has turned a muted silver on the high points, as is typical, but shows some pleasing traces of gilt in some areas and plainly shows the alternating groups of dead and bright bullion strands. The edges of the base fabric show wear and some losses on the back, but the outer jaceron wire is still in place, as is the rest of it, with just the ends at one corner of one strap unstitched, but not distended or uncoiled, and they could be tacked down if desired. The back of the straps show losses to the paper and the turned under edges of the base fabric. Much of the damage to the paper likely happened when the officer added the additional bars. The web underlayer of the strap is thus visible and shows a few holes as well as the thread of the embroidery.  [sr] [ph:m/L]

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