Decorated military Americana offers a rare combination of history and art. American volunteer militia companies from 1790 to 1860 were legally chartered, but their uniforms and equipment were limited only by their pocketbooks, allowing them to form an “elegant elite” that contrasted with the minimally equipped enrolled militia of the community, and competed with other such companies not just in military proficiency, but social status, and displays of patriotism, politics, and even ethnic pride, by way of their uniforms, painted flags, drums, canteens, and knapsacks.

The pack is nicely mounted on red background in a shallow shadowbox frame and is made of black painted canvas with narrow leather shoulder and cross straps in place and showing at its sides. The flap extends about halfway down the pack and is painted “WEYMOUTH” in green-shadowed red block letters across its center. The lower portion bears a painted “LI” in entwined script letters in the oval opening at center of a stylized diamond-shaped sunburst with both the letters and the rays painted in red with green shadowing like the town name.

We have not examined the pack out of the frame, but it appears to be in very good condition, with some scattered areas of paint loss showing the underlying cream-colored canvas, but no significant holes or tears. We see one very small black patch at the lower edge of the flap at right center and some light stains. Two or three threads are visible at lower left, perhaps indicating a mended tear inside, but no damage is visible at that point. All in all, the knapsack presents very well and its dating is nicely circumscribed by Nash’s 1885 Historical Sketch of the Town of Weymouth, Massachusetts, from 1622 to 1884, which dates the founding of the company to 1818 with the commission of Levi Bates as its Captain on February 9 of that year, says the company was, “composed of the active young men of the village,” and in existence “for about fifteen years,” getting us to 1833.

Frame measures 19 ¾” x 20 ½”, knapsack measures 12 ½” x 14”.

This is a great looking piece, framed and ready to hang. It looks great on its own or would be a nice addition to collection of painted Americana or militia gear. We recommend John Hamilton’s article, “The Elegant Elite” in Man at Arms and Bill Guthman’s article “Decorated Military Americana” in the Magazine Antiques as good starting points for the interested collector.  [sr] [ph:m]

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