NOT SOLD (BIDDING OVER)
0.00USD+ applicable fees & taxes.
This item WAS NOT SOLD. Auction date was 2012 Sep 27 @ 11:00UTC-4 : AST/EDT
From a surgeon with the 12th Virginia, serving his state from April 30, 1861 until the surrender at Appomattox
An excessively rare piece of Confederate headgear, the surgeon's kepi once belonging to Lt. James W. Claiborne of the 12th Virginia and one of only perhaps six surgeon's kepis known to exist in public or private hands. The dark blue/black kepi bears a round top with 4 1/2" diameter, and is 2 1/2" tall at front, 6" tall at rear. It bears a double band of gold braid 1/16" wide encircling the lower part of the cap, with a 1/8" single gold braid strand and front and back seams and a single quatrefoil in 1/8" gold braid on the crown. A 1/2" gold braid chinstrap is present, terminating at the end of the visor, and is affixed with tin-backed buttons with single star motif. The kepi is lined with brown silesia (twill cotton), and the sides are lines with a cotton print of stylized flowers on a zigzag repeating backgroung. The lining is merely set into the cap. The 1" oilcloth sweatband is painted black. The 2 1/8" deep visor is made of black leather lined with green leather or paper in a pressed pattern of striated leather, with black leather edging. The visor, stitched to the cap, is very slightly loose on the right side, and there are six or seven tiny moth nips in the body of the cap. The visor bears surface cracking and one nominal crease but overall this kepi is in much better condition than is usually found. Claiborne enlisted with the 12th Virginia Infy. at Petersburg, Va. as a private sometime prior to April 30, 1861 and remained with that regiment until he was paroled at Appomattox at war's end. He was quickly appointed Assistant Surgeon, effective Sep. 14, 1861, thus immediately elevating in rank him from private to lieutenant. The provenance and authenticity of this item is impeccable. Present is a copy of a letter from recognized uniform expert Les Jensen to dealer Will Gorges carefully describing the kepi and mentioning its connection to Claiborne. Jensen notes: "This is a very good example of an original Confedertae surgeon's kepi. There appears to be no restoration...the lining is identical to the material used in the sleeve lining of a coat that belonged to Colonel William McComb of the 14th Tennessee Infantry. Given that Surgeon Claiborne was from Petersburg, and that Colonel McComb was in the vicinity of Petersburg from the summer of 1864 until nearly the end of the war, it seems likely that this kepi is the product of either a Petersburg tailor, or one operating in central Virginia...less than half a dozen are known to exist. This is a highly important cap...". Also present are two original 1997 letters of provenance signed by Jerry Wright which also describe the kepi. They note: "...[it] came from a home in Petersburg, Virginia, around 1959-61 and was the former property of James W. Claiborne, Company E, 12th Virginia Infantry...The hat has resided in the same major collection in the Petersburg, Virginia vicinity until I obtained the item in May, 1997, and has never been offered for public or private sale to anyone since its initial release from a Claiborne family member...". The 12th Virginia fought at at Oak Grove, Second Manassas, in the Maryland Campaign, at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg, and surrendered at Appomattox. Sold with Claiborne's partial service record, letters of provenance, Jensen analysis, Will Gorges catalog offering, and other supporting material.
Estimate: $20,000 - 25,000.
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Part I: Lots 1-979 - September 27th, 2012
Part II: Lots 980-1845 - September 28th, 2012
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