Real or Faux? "Confederate" "Cavalry" "Kepi"

CyleKostello

Sergeant
Joined
Jan 27, 2021
Location
Washington, DC
Hi folks,

Saw this kepi (labeled as a kepi, looks closer to a forage cap imo) on flea bay recently. I don't collect confederate cloth but I thought this cap might be interesting to discuss. Doesn't look like a run of the mill reenactor cap. But it is also clearly not a Richmond depot cap. That said the stitching looks hand done, there are remnants of button holes on the sides, the leather looks old and the buckle looks like it has a nice patina. Though the gray fabric looks a bit less old than the leather and yellow fabric. It certainly looks old to my untrained eye. Could it be UCV or a theater prop? Or possibly a homemade cap?

Anyways what do y'all think? Old cap or a nicely aged reenactor piece?
As per usual on ebay, the photos are just awful

Thanks!

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s-l1600 (47).jpg


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Confederate relics are not my specialty, but that´s not authentic in any way. The chinstrap is like nothing I´ve ever seen. The buckle isn´t of a type I´ve ever seen on a cap - plus the strap doesn´t even have holes! There´s no lining. The brim is completely wrong. The stitching is primitive; that never would have been accepted at depot level for issue. I seriously doubt anyone, or anyone´s beloved family member, made that for someone to wear to war. It reminds me very much of a forage cap my buddy made after visiting an N-SSA skirmish when we were in 5th grade. (Actually he did a better job.) I don´t see that as authentic in any way.
 
Hi folks,

Saw this kepi (labeled as a kepi, looks closer to a forage cap imo) on flea bay recently. I don't collect confederate cloth but I thought this cap might be interesting to discuss. Doesn't look like a run of the mill reenactor cap. But it is also clearly not a Richmond depot cap. That said the stitching looks hand done, there are remnants of button holes on the sides, the leather looks old and the buckle looks like it has a nice patina. Though the gray fabric looks a bit less old than the leather and yellow fabric. It certainly looks old to my untrained eye. Could it be UCV or a theater prop? Or possibly a homemade cap?

Anyways what do y'all think? Old cap or a nicely aged reenactor piece?
As per usual on ebay, the photos are just awful

Thanks!

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No and not even close EBay really needs to have an arbitrator similar to how they authenticate watches. Southern cavalry kepis with yellow bands are extremely rare. I have attached one of my Southern kepis, a Richmond Depot Artillery piece from the Richmond Howitzers. Notice the difference in sewing material and structure.

6415EB18-0F13-44DB-8ACB-78123B298296.jpeg
 
Here are a couple of commutation, or home made kepis even they have more uniformity and basic sewing skills than what you typically see on pieces offered on Ebay. The first, though crude came from a field hospital that was used after the battle of Kernstown. The cap evidences a hybrid kepi forage cap creation that was not so uncommon during this early war period. The second came from the decedents of Cpl. William Simpson with a note that it was made by his wife and this is largely corroborated by the all cotton construction, the kepi would not have lasted a month in hard campaigning and he most likely was issued a different cap or acquired a slouch hat. I wonder how he explained to his wife why he left the cap at home?

Both exhibit the sewing skills that most at the time found necessary to clothe not only soldiers, but their own families. Shoddy sewing and workmanship are rarely evident in authentic Southern uniform articles.

IMG_0280 (3).JPG

Kepi1 (2).jpg
 
There is another on EBay currently, it is made completely of leather, which should automatically give one pause. Imagine wearing a leather kepi........I have learned not to use absolutes, so I will not say that there were no leather kepis, but highly doubtful.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/313615848624?hash=item4904f614b0:g:m2cAAOSwITpg~XnS

The sad thing here are the individuals who have bid on this thing.......
 
There is another on EBay currently, it is made completely of leather, which should automatically give one pause. Imagine wearing a leather kepi........I have learned not to use absolutes, so I will not say that there were no leather kepis, but highly doubtful.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/313615848624?hash=item4904f614b0:g:m2cAAOSwITpg~XnS

The sad thing here are the individuals who have bid on this thing.......
They sold those in souvenir shops when I was a kid, I proudly wore one for a while when I was 8 or 9 years old. Not long after that I knew better.
 
I have an original MS Infantry kepi that was issued to the militia. Probably before the war and chances are the kepi and the buttons came from New Orleans. The crown is not as high as found on later eastern kepis. The back has a smaller leather stiffener sewn in and the visor was tarred.
I paid $25 for it , $20 for a non-descript Confederate saber and about $15 for a double barrel shotgun in 1957 from a little old lady in Vicksburg.
F1D567EB-4052-44D3-9CAD-20CD6D28E449.jpeg
 
There is another on EBay currently, it is made completely of leather, which should automatically give one pause. Imagine wearing a leather kepi........I have learned not to use absolutes, so I will not say that there were no leather kepis, but highly doubtful.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/313615848624?hash=item4904f614b0:g:m2cAAOSwITpg~XnS

The sad thing here are the individuals who have bid on this thing.......
Heck, even I can tell that one’s faker than a three dollar bill. You’ve got some absolutely killer caps though my goodness
I have an original MS Infantry kepi that was issued to the militia. Probably before the war and chances are the kepi and the buttons came from New Orleans. The crown is not as high as found on later eastern kepis. The back has a smaller leather stiffener sewn in and the visor was tarred.
I paid $25 for it , $20 for a non-descript Confederate saber and about $15 for a double barrel shotgun in 1957 from a little old lady in Vicksburg.
View attachment 409536
Love that cap. My only bit of ACW cloth is a Yankee forage cap. Might pick up a UCV Kepi one of these days as a space filler
 
I have an original MS Infantry kepi that was issued to the militia. Probably before the war and chances are the kepi and the buttons came from New Orleans. The crown is not as high as found on later eastern kepis. The back has a smaller leather stiffener sewn in and the visor was tarred.
I paid $25 for it , $20 for a non-descript Confederate saber and about $15 for a double barrel shotgun in 1957 from a little old lady in Vicksburg.
View attachment 409536
Would you share a picture of the interior of your kepi?
 
Hi folks,

Saw this kepi (labeled as a kepi, looks closer to a forage cap imo) on flea bay recently. I don't collect confederate cloth but I thought this cap might be interesting to discuss. Doesn't look like a run of the mill reenactor cap. But it is also clearly not a Richmond depot cap. That said the stitching looks hand done, there are remnants of button holes on the sides, the leather looks old and the buckle looks like it has a nice patina. Though the gray fabric looks a bit less old than the leather and yellow fabric. It certainly looks old to my untrained eye. Could it be UCV or a theater prop? Or possibly a homemade cap?

Anyways what do y'all think? Old cap or a nicely aged reenactor piece?
As per usual on ebay, the photos are just awful

Thanks!

View attachment 409493

View attachment 409494

View attachment 409496

View attachment 409497
Definitely phoney.
 
Heck, even I can tell that one’s faker than a three dollar bill. You’ve got some absolutely killer caps though my goodness

Love that cap. My only bit of ACW cloth is a Yankee forage cap. Might pick up a UCV Kepi one of these days as a space filler
Mine is confederate not ucv
 
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