LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2007 December Civil War Auction #674  / 

72293

CIVIL WAR UNIFORM GROUPING BVT GEN 53RD COLORED

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:23,000.00 USD Estimated At:25,000.00 - 35,000.00 USD
CIVIL WAR UNIFORM GROUPING BVT GEN 53RD COLORED
<B>MAGNIFICENT CIVIL WAR UNIFORM GROUPING OF COLONEL (BREVET BRIGADIER GENERAL) ORLANDO CHARLES RISDON, 53RD U.S. COLORED INFANTRY.</B></I> Risdon’s remarkable Civil War history begins with his enlistment in the three-month 19th Ohio Infantry on April 22, 1861. On October 7, 1861 he mustered in as a first lieutenant in the 42nd Ohio Infantry serving with this regiment until his promotion to lieutenant colonel of the 3rd Mississippi Regiment of African Descent (later the 53rd U.S. Colored Infantry) on May 20, 1863, having been wounded at Vicksburg on May 19. Risdon was appointed colonel commanding the regiment on March 24, 1864, and served in that capacity to the end of the war, being mustered out on June 6, 1866. This uniform obviously dates to that period. He was commissioned brevet brigadier general of volunteers on orders dated March 13, 1865, for “gallant and meritorious services in the battles of Rich Mountain (West Virginia), Middle Creek (East Kentucky), Tazeville (East Tennessee), Arkansas Post Chickasaw, Port Gibson, Champion Hill, Big Black Ridge and the Siege of Vicksburg.” <BR><BR>This beautiful grouping consists of Capron’s colonel’s frock coat, trousers, waist/ sword belt, sash and staff officer’s forage style cap. The exquisite quality blue wool frock coat is double breasted with a seven-button front. Retains all the original “S. & J./ London” eagle I buttons with separately affixed eagle I device. These are late war but unquestionably original to the coat and period. Fourteen coat size on breast, four on tails. Three cuff size buttons on each unsplit cuff. All buttons retain 95% of the original gilt. Breast pocket and pockets in the pleated tails are lined with high quality brown polished cotton. Black silk lining quilted in the breast, draped in the skirts, raw cut skirt edge. Wonderful period sleeve cut, 10” at elbows and 5” at cuffs, slightly tufted at the shoulders. Black velvet lined 1¼” high standup collar. Original maker’s label of “T. W. Sprague & Co./ Fourth St. Cor. Of Vine/ Cincinnati”. Original ID of small white polished cotton strip stitched under the label with “Col. Chas. Risdon” in period ink script. Original single border bullion colonel’s shoulder straps with dark blue velvet background. The dark blue wool trousers incorporate very narrow medium blue wool piping in the seam extending to the pocket edges. ¾” wide leather reinforcing on the inside edges of the cuffs, button fly, button on the corner of each pocket for closure. Split belted back with japanned brass buckle. Leather waist/ sword belt with superb quality M1851 rectangular eagle plate with toned wreath, stippled background, and medium width tongue. Retains both original sword slings and over the shoulder sling, with brass suspension hook. The maroon silk sash is 3½” wide with 8” tassels. The staff officer’s forage cap is probably the finest we’ve ever seen. Stands 4½” high at the front. Original staff officer’s insignia with blue wool back, double border brass wire border, old English silver bullion US inside the gold bullion wreath. Four 1/8” wide strips of black silk decoration around the base and on all four sides, quatrefoil on the crown inside of a circle. ½” wide gold bullion tape chinstrap with both original “Extra Quality” staff buttons. Visor (2” from front of body to edge of visor) tarred on the top and lined on the bottom with green Moroccan leather embossed with a diamond pattern. Brown polished cotton quilted lining with maker’s (“Paris”) embossed in crown. 1 3/8” wide maroon Moroccan leather sweatband with stitched edge. Certainly one of the finest Civil War Union staff officer’s groupings we’ve had the pleasure of offering with excellent provenance and history of service.<BR><BR><B>Condition:</B></I> The coat lining shows some minor signs of wear, most notable in the armpits. The buttonholes also show some signs of minor wear with a couple of loose stitches. One shoulder strap with a few loose strands of bullion on the corner, otherwise the coat is mint. Trousers show signs of honest wear at the cuffs with only about 60% of the original leather reinforcing remaining. One pocket button and front closure button missing, otherwise the trousers are also perfect. Sash very nice with no holes, fading or tears, just some minor wear on the tassels. Waist/ sword belt near mint as supple and sound as when new, just some minor wear on the edges. The exceptional forage cap has just one small moth hole on the body and one strip of slightly frayed black silk decoration at the back, otherwise the body of the cap is in superb condition and most impressive. The tarred finish on the top of the visor displays some crazing, but excellent. The quilted lining shows deterioration and is about 50% intact, with about 70% of the Moroccan leather sweatband remaining. Bullion tape chinstrap w/just some minor discoloration, otherwise perfect.<BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Clothing, Costumes & Jerseys (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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