Folding Camp Chairs

[kealbo54]

Semms like it,huh?New folks come on and go through the older threads.No matter what I do,i have too many big beams in my reenactor eyes to pay much attention to the reenactor motes in someone elses.heck,the last event I attended,I FLEW TO.

 

[Poor Private]

New people, new eyes, new questions. I am never tired of answering a question if it helps others!

 

[RNMCSA]

Confederate camp. No chairs or tents.

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/confederate-camp.82966/

 

[Diplogeek]

As I was reading the long lists of farberism, I began to think of the 613 ordiances in the Mosaic Law, which no man could perfectly keep, which is why a blood atonement was required for the remission of sins.

Being of the Jewish persuasion, I'll leave the religious philosophy in the above alone, except to say that I don't quite agree, but this did make me smile and think of a Jewish saying that you hear fairly often, especially in dealings between Orthodox and heterodox (i.e. Conservative and Reform) Jews:

"Anyone more observant than I am is a fanatic. Anyone less observant than I am is a heretic."

The interplay that I've observed between the Authentic/Hardcore/Progressive/Mainstream/Farb crowds, at least online, embodies this, to some extent. Granted, I'm still super fresh fish, so I can only speak to what I've read, obviously. I think part of it is something that crops up in the Jewish community as well, in that this isn't really a hobby that you can do alone, but when every reenactor has their own pet peeves about what is and isn't farbish, you're bound to run into conflicts, particularly when any large event is, by necessity, going to have to draw on all of the segments of the community to pull the numbers needed.

This brings me to another joke: a Jewish man was shipwrecked on a deserted island and had been there for months when a rescue ship finally found him. When the rescue crews came ashore, they found that the man had built not one but two synagogues. Impressed with his apparent piousness but perplexed, they asked him why he had built two synagogues when he was the only one on the island.

"Oh," the man said, by way of explanation, "this synagogue here is my synagogue. And this one," he said, gesturing to the second, "is the one I wouldn't be caught dead in!"

 

[kealbo54]

I keep thinking of the one photo i kick myself for not taking on my trip to the Chancellorsville event last month.My nephew and i had goneto register and decided to take the rest of the day hunting for a few obscure sites in the area.Mostly along Va 3(the Plank rd)On our way back from the Orange CH area,we spotted one lone confederate reenactor marching along the highway,in what i assumed was his paying hommage to Jacksons flank march as it was the 2nd of May.
Alone,all by himself.No one to impress with his authenticity or lack,thereof.Just getting out of the event what he was willing to put into it.Most likely oblivious to the traffic,and the F--rby 21st century pavement,taking a 12/14 mile hike in much the same gear and footwear used by the real soldiers before him,experiancing much the same aches and pains as they must have,and not relying on others to make or break his good time.
it helped to reinforce my own philosophy that I am the only one responsible for the enjoyment i take away from any given event.

 

[M E Wolf]

I keep thinking of the one photo i kick myself for not taking on my trip to the Chancellorsville event last month.My nephew and i had goneto register and decided to take the rest of the day hunting for a few obscure sites in the area.Mostly along Va 3(the Plank rd)On our way back from the Orange CH area,we spotted one lone confederate reenactor marching along the highway,in what i assumed was his paying hommage to Jacksons flank march as it was the 2nd of May.
Alone,all by himself.No one to impress with his authenticity or lack,thereof.Just getting out of the event what he was willing to put into it.Most likely oblivious to the traffic,and the F--rby 21st century pavement,taking a 12/14 mile hike in much the same gear and footwear used by the real soldiers before him,experiancing much the same aches and pains as they must have,and not relying on others to make or break his good time.
it helped to reinforce my own philosophy that I am the only one responsible for the enjoyment i take away from any given event.

Well, I wouldn't bash 'pavement' too quickly. Macadam was laid down on several roads in and out of the city long before the Civil War started. In "A History of Fairfax County, Virginia" it is documented that Warrenton Turnpike was paved, from Fairfax to Gainesville (Near Manassas Battlefield). It too was a coaching route. I'll agree with the striping being modern but, paved roads isn't a modern invention.

Just some thoughts,

M. E. Wolf

 

[kfranklin]

As a "Fresh fish" reading this thread does put me off a bit. I am going to my first reenactment and it's the biggest. Gettysburg. I will be traveling over 2700 miles just to get there. I am doing my research and have experienced friends who are helping me but I am on a limited budget being retired and on a fixed income. I also have arthritis and sitting on the ground for extended periods is out of the question. I'm going as the cook. I can't march because of the arthritis. As for chairs just a little research and I found a scissor chair that looks similar to the "Boy Scout" model. as for enlisted men sitting in chairs I also found many pictures of them sitting in whatever chair they could find. If there was a chair around seems there was some soldiers butt planted in it.

View attachment 15052View attachment 15052

It's all about the details. Notice that on nearly all the examples the legs are turned or curved. Furthermore that folding chair differs in many ways from the Boy Scout model, it's actually what's commonly referred to as a folding sling chair.

 

[kfranklin]

Also here are some really neat chairs from the DC forts:

Fort Whipple:
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Fort C.F. Smith:
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[M E Wolf]

There isn't anything that doesn't permit a bedroll and or blanket to be refolded as to become a chair cushion... officers with pillows could sit on them.

Just some thoughts.

M. E. Wolf

 

[kfranklin]

Also a thought. Try cutting a boy scout chair with the slats by hand or just using a band-saw. There weren't any small Continent table saws during the period. Making it without one is extremely tedious and tiring for a chair that isn't terribly comfortable, hard to make, and doesn't pack all that well in comparison to the stools.
Now for a similar chair in design that is seen in recorded images from the 12th Cenn AD that I have yet to see in a camp but I have seen in civil war photographs:
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[M E Wolf]

• Civil War Camp Stool, Table, Chair/ Lanterns / Cooking & ...
  
  www.ccsutlery.com/store/civil-war-camp-accessories.html
  C&C Sutlery has Civil War folding camp chairs, stools, and tables, Housewife, Cooking & Eating Utensils, Lanterns, candles, matches. Music, blankets, tent ...
• Images for civil war stools
  
  
  
  
  
  

 

[M E Wolf]

http://www.etsy.com/listing/104106275/civil-war-folding-camp-stool-large

This is a handcrafted reproduction of an American Civil War era Folding Camp Stool made of red oak. They were a common piece of utilitarian furniture used by civilians and both militaries. The design is from a period antique but the dimensions have been "scaled up" approximately 20% in response to living historians who find a higher / larger seat more comfortable. Note the comparison pictures of the Standard and the Large size versions.

Like the original, this chair is made of actual 1" stock (not the ¾" stuff common today). The hinging joints are of the period correct rivet and burr method. The "stretchers" are also oak.

The seat material is heavy cotton canvas duck (#8), pre-shrunk and hand dyed with a slight distressed look for a great impression.

The finish is a custom blended oil stain which matches the color of an original civil war period chair with a hand rubbed tung oil top coat. This finish is fade resistant and becomes even more beautiful with age.

The item shown is the actual item you will receive. The approximate overall "open" size is 16 ½ x 15 ½ x 18 inches high – folded 16 ½ x 8 ½ x 23 ½.

With 2011 - 2015 being the 150th anniversary of the Civil War this a great chair for the re-enactor or history buff and also makes a unique accent piece and conversation starter. I only made a couple of these as a trial.

Remember, if you're going for a correct period impression your items should look NEW – today's antiques were that period's Brand New!

(I have to disagree that they were brand new -- any time stools are used they'll be well worn in at least around the feet of the stools)

M. E. Wolf

 

[kfranklin]

http://www.etsy.com/listing/104106275/civil-war-folding-camp-stool-large

This is a handcrafted reproduction of an American Civil War era Folding Camp Stool made of red oak. They were a common piece of utilitarian furniture used by civilians and both militaries. The design is from a period antique but the dimensions have been "scaled up" approximately 20% in response to living historians who find a higher / larger seat more comfortable. Note the comparison pictures of the Standard and the Large size versions.

Like the original, this chair is made of actual 1" stock (not the ¾" stuff common today). The hinging joints are of the period correct rivet and burr method. The "stretchers" are also oak.

The seat material is heavy cotton canvas duck (#8), pre-shrunk and hand dyed with a slight distressed look for a great impression.

The finish is a custom blended oil stain which matches the color of an original civil war period chair with a hand rubbed tung oil top coat. This finish is fade resistant and becomes even more beautiful with age.

The item shown is the actual item you will receive. The approximate overall "open" size is 16 ½ x 15 ½ x 18 inches high – folded 16 ½ x 8 ½ x 23 ½.

With 2011 - 2015 being the 150th anniversary of the Civil War this a great chair for the re-enactor or history buff and also makes a unique accent piece and conversation starter. I only made a couple of these as a trial.

Remember, if you're going for a correct period impression your items should look NEW – today's antiques were that period's Brand New!

(I have to disagree that they were brand new -- any time stools are used they'll be well worn in at least around the feet of the stools)

M. E. Wolf

Now that is a handsome chair. The shaping to the legs is a bit much as it is indicative of a modern router, but looks to be extremely well made.

 

[M E Wolf]

Well that web site link is the source.

M. E. Wolf

 

[James B White]

Well, I wouldn't bash 'pavement' too quickly. Macadam was laid down on several roads in and out of the city long before the Civil War started. In "A History of Fairfax County, Virginia" it is documented that Warrenton Turnpike was paved, from Fairfax to Gainesville (Near Manassas Battlefield). It too was a coaching route. I'll agree with the striping being modern but, paved roads isn't a modern invention.

I dunno, period macamized roads are pretty far from what we'd call paved. Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill in Kentucky supposedly has restored a section of the turnpike there to its original paved condition, and it looks like what we'd call a gravel road today. That seems to fit with descriptions of Macadam roads in the period, which would be considered paved then, but not really today. Can't find a good photo close-up, but this shows the general look of it, and when walking on it, one can see it's made of small loose gravel, tightly packed: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JbF_FgE_bME/S8uRu45rMVI/AAAAAAAAJwc/8njFzzT9-pY/s1600/Turnpike.jpg

That would of course be an incredibly good road, especially in mud season, compared to most in the period except perhaps a plank road, but nothing like a modern asphalt-paved road. As far as I know, typical Macadamized roads in the U.S. in the period didn't have any asphalt coating; that came later: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macadam But I'd be interested in more information on what paved or Madamized roads were like in the period.

As far as reenacting, I guess again it's like anything else, it just depends how broadly or narrowly one wants to define something for the purpose of being close enough to suspend disbelief. I see it as a two-step process: first try to figure out what it would have been like in the period, and then figure out how to overlay that in one's imagination with what's available at an event. Sometimes it can be done; sometimes it's just hopeless, but of course that's subjective and varies according to the individual.