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ANTEBELLUM MILITIA UNIFORM COAT POSSIBLY OF CLAUDIUS BAKER DENSON, FOUNDER OF THE FRANKLIN MILITARY

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:1,500.00 USD Estimated At:3,000.00 - 5,000.00 USD
ANTEBELLUM MILITIA UNIFORM COAT POSSIBLY OF CLAUDIUS BAKER DENSON, FOUNDER OF THE FRANKLIN MILITARY
This militia tail coat which predates the Civil War is consigned along with Claudius Baker Denson's Confederate frock coat offered as the following lot. Though this coat does not have Denson's name as his frock coat does we known he was the founder of the Franklin Military Academy in North Carolina and this coat was typical of the prewar period. The buttons are regulation US eagle "I"s which denote infantry. The buttons are back marked "Horstmann & Allien" which are circa 1855-1860. The sleeves are quite bulbous like those seen during the Civil War measuring 8" in diameter with 5" cuffs. The coat has bullion tape decorations and a buff trim on tails. Coat has typical Civil War era construction with a padded breast, white cotton sleeve and pocket linings, and pockets in tails. There are 1-1/2" six pointed star decorations at the bottom of each tail. Regardless if this was Denson's coat or not, it descended in the same family and is most likely a southern used militia "tail coat". Denson's papers and wartime letters are found in an archive in the North Carolina Room of the New Hanover County Public Library in Wilmington, North Carolina. These documents are available online at the library's website. CONDITION: Coat is very good overall with dark navy blue color with some moth damage. A few of the larger 1" holes have old sewn repairs. Coat retains seven large 23mm buttons on face, two 23mm buttons on tails, and smaller 16mm buttons are found three on each cuff and one on each collar tab, no buttons are missing. 1/2" gold bullion tape trim is complete with some areas of loose stitching. Linings have numerous small tears and separations but are mostly intact and sound. 4-48699 JS212