3146

RARE CIVIL WAR ERA NAVAL JUMPER.

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:1,250.00 USD Estimated At:2,500.00 - 3,500.00 USD
RARE CIVIL WAR ERA NAVAL JUMPER.
A rarely seen Navy enlisted wool jumper likely from the Civil War era or a few years after. These ship board sewn jumpers changed very little in style but varied very much in detail. Sailor sewn jumpers are known to have a wide range of decorative motifs such as the hand embroidered stars & the white tape edging utilized on this jumper. The entire jumper is hand sewn at all the seams & edges. There is also a hand sewn repair at the right armpit. The collar button appears to be of hard rubber but is not marked. Hard rubber buttons were patented in 1849 & 1851 by the Goodyear Rubber Company. 5" Below the button is a cotton tie to help close the front of the jumper. The sleeves terminate in functional turn back cuffs trimmed in the same white tape as used at the collar & front of the jumper. The 2 buttons on the sleeves are of vegetable ivory. Vegetable ivory is derived from the tagua nut & produced from the very hard white endosperm of the seeds of select palm trees. It is called vegetable ivory because of its resemblance to true animal ivory. Buttons of vegetable ivory were popular during the last quarter of the 1800s but were occasionally seen earlier. Similar jumpers can be seen in period photographs of Civil War enlisted sailors as well as sailors dating to the late 1860s & 1870s. This jumper shows all the indications of being Civil War & it is quite likely the vegetable ivory buttons were added during the life of the jumper. CONDITION: jumper is in extraordinary condition for its age showing only 1 notable repair at the armpit & scattered moth damage throughout. The body of the jumper remains quite solid. The stars & tape trim are bright white w/ minimal discoloration. (02-14874/BF). $2,500-3,500.