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[kealbo54]

Thanks.He sounded like he new his trade.As a civilian Impression I wouldnt really be in that much need of a belt,but I carry a small 32 cal pistol.

 

[Tin cup]

John Zaharias http://thebuttonbaron.com/

I ordered 23 bone buttons (for a type 2 shelter half I'm making) from him last Tuesday (9/4) and got them on Friday (9/7)!
That was fast, coming from Gettysburg!

Kevin Dally

 

[ConfederateVolunteer]

What would you good folks suggest in the way of Civilian pattern blankets? It seems that a lot of the good stuff once came from County Cloth, but it seems they no longer offer their blankets.

 

[Mike S.]

Family Heirloom Weavers used to be an excellent source of period correct copies of civilian blankets and coverlets. Unfortunately Pat Klein has backed away from catering to living history offerings, at least on the retail side of things.If you can find one of these excellent repros on the used market, snap it up.

Currently, South Union Mills offers some period reproduction blankets, as well as originals:

http://www.southunionmills.com/Antique-Blankets.html
http://stores.southunionmills.com/-strse-Coverlets/Categories.bok

http://www.southunionmills.com/Shaker-Blankets.html
http://stores.southunionmills.com/-strse-Shaker-Blanket-Repros/Categories.bok

 

[ConfederateVolunteer]

Family Heirloom Weavers used to be an excellent source of period correct copies of civilian blankets and coverlets. Unfortunately Pat Klein has backed away from catering to living history offerings, at least on the retail side of things.If you can find one of these excellent repros on the used market, snap it up.

Currently, South Union Mills offers some period reproduction blankets, as well as originals:

http://www.southunionmills.com/Antique-Blankets.html
http://www.southunionmills.com/Shaker-Blankets.html

Thanks for the links et al. I'm looking specifically for a checkered design which I haven't been able to find anywhere. It's really a shame that FHW stepped back from living history items, I've heard of their quality.

 

[Mike S.]

There are some nice, large check coverlets here:

http://stores.southunionmills.com/-strse-Coverlets/Categories.bok

 

[Tin cup]

Coverlets are not getting cheaper!
I just got some wool socks from South Union Mills, and are great folk to deal with.
I got a FHW coverlet some years ago, spent a long time hand sewing the 2 halves together. (saved about $20 doing the sewing myself)
It is a great light weight item to carry around when you know it's not going to be too cold.

Kevin Dally

 

[ConfederateVolunteer]

They certainly aren't!
Sewing items yourself is a great money saver, which is why I'm having my sister teach me a few basic stitches this weekend.

 

[M E Wolf]

They certainly aren't!
Sewing items yourself is a great money saver, which is why I'm having my sister teach me a few basic stitches this weekend.

[[[TEASE ALERT]]] Shall we say "Poor Sister?!"

Now promise not to bayonet her with the needle sir! [[[END OF TEASE ALERT]]]

M. E. Wolf

 

[ConfederateVolunteer]

I promise!

 

[Shadow9216]

Anyone have an opinion or information on civil war emporium? They were suggested to me on facebook, I'd never heard of them before.

 

[johan_steele]

Anyone have an opinion or information on civil war emporium? They were suggested to me on facebook, I'd never heard of them before.

Looks like Paki made... you get what you pay for.

 

[kealbo54]

First I have ever seen them.I was a bit taken aback by the confederate officers forage capLOL.that is to F__B's for the price of one,I think.My opinion is there alot of really progressive guys on here,and the site prolly wont get rave reviews

 

[Shadow9216]

Looks like Paki made... you get what you pay for.

Hmm...I've got several rugs which were made there and they're top quality. Almost as good as the Persian rugs. But I doubt that's what you had in mind.

 

[kealbo54]

Looks like Paki made... you get what you pay for.

Very true.Thats pretty much what I try and tell Wal-Mart shoppers,too.

 

[Shadow9216]

Very true.Thats pretty much what I try and tell Wal-Mart shoppers,too.

So what are the issues, specifically? Poor materials used? Colors? Patterns? I'm hoping to learn how to tell quality at a glance, the way most of y'all do- right now, unless it's horribly wrong I'd probably miss some key detail

 

[kealbo54]

,as you have asked,are mostly authenticity,and research.

 

[kealbo54]

sorry.I had a longer answer but my ancient machine is screaming for a reboot and sent most of my text into cyber-nowhere.Oh how I love wasting my time.HeHe.BRB,I hope.

 

[johan_steele]

So what are the issues, specifically? Poor materials used? Colors? Patterns? I'm hoping to learn how to tell quality at a glance, the way most of y'all do- right now, unless it's horribly wrong I'd probably miss some key detail

The biggest thing is the weight of the wool. A quality jacket is of a lighter weight wool than most of the poorer quality stuff and it's visually identifiable once you've seen it. Hand sewn button holes & hand sewn in general is also an indicator. There are several vendors mentioned earlier in this thread that are certainly museum quality.

I've owned several sack coats a frock & a shell jackett over the years. My first was a good quality machine sewn sack coat of a civilian pattern of correct materials but machine instead of hand sewn. My second coat was a poor quality shell jackett was not so good as was my second sack coat (I tholught I was upgrading), both mainstream quality which I sold off at my first opportunity. My final Sack Coat was made by Matt Caldwell via Waumbaugh & White... it's museum quality, all hand sewn and IMO as good or better than any other and all but indistiguishable from an original. I also own a Frock made by Jarnagin before their quality began to slide. They are dramaticly different jackets and put side by side only one is truly authentic w/ the the rest sliding downward in quality.

All I can say is to take a look at the offerings by Waumbaugh & White, John Wedeward (sp?), CJ Daley, NJ Sekela etc. They look different than the lower quality items. A different look to the materials and they certainly wear differently.

 

[kealbo54]

BEst advice I can give is to listen to Johan.He is somewhat of a guru as far as I am concerned.Secondly make peace with what you want out of reenacting.It took me a year to figure that out.