Sutlers- Cheers & Jeers Quartermaster Shop

[Bentonville]

I'm going to have an Arkansas State frock and trousers made. I found the correct fabric through Tate Textiles.

I had been thinking about going through C&C. I get serious PU reviews about them and the shell jacket I bought just didn't fit. So I was out quite a bit.

Quartermaster Shop seems to be reasonable, comparatively speaking and the prices are not bad for what I assume is an entry level uniform.

Seeing as I'll be providing my own fabric for the frock and trousers I was wondering if anyone might have something to say about their work.

My impression will be that of my (x4) uncle, a doctor who was captured and spent time as guest of the Federals. Ft. Delaware was his last place of confinement and I'd like to reenact there. Until we move, unrelated, to Arkansas.

Fire away, I'd like to know what y'all think.

 

[7thWisconsin]

I wouldn´t go to C&C for a specialty item like that; it´s just not their market. Quartermaster shop is standard in the hobby for over the counter items. Their website says that they´re not accepting custom orders after July 1st of this year, so if you have your heart set on them making your items you need to pull the pin on it.

 

[OhioBlue16]

I would check out Beauregard's Tailor or maybe the Honest Sutler. They do a lot of custom work and use period correct patterns and methods.

 

[captaindrew]

I'd second Beauregard's Tailor, you can find him on Facebook. Custom stuff is what he does, scroll through his page and check out his work. You made a wise choice steering away from C&C. Not a bad place for a beginner to get an affordable starter kit quickly but not a custom piece you're looking for.

 

[Old Breck]

Oh boy, where to start on Quartermaster Shop...

They're really nice folks and at one time they were the standard for reenacting uniforms. But that's not really the case anymore.

The Quatermaster Shop offers very well made clothing that bears no resemblance to clothing of the period in either construction or materials.

They typically charge more than many of the authentic vendors and will nickel and dime you with things like sewing buttons on for an extra fee. Most of their clothing is made overseas and only finished in the US. Through a loophole in CFR19, the clothing can be labeled Made in the USA even though it's not. They utilize modern constructions techniques and synthetic fabrics. They clothing doesn't look like it fits right either. I'm guessing they've adapted a period pattern to a more modern body shape (if you know what I mean). If you are looking for a well made garment that will last forever, that kind of sorta looks like a Civil War piece, you can't go wrong with Quartermaster Shop.

I'll be honest, I don't know how they've stayed in business.

So it really depends on what you want out of the clothing. If you want a (not being mean here) 'costume', go for it, but be cognizant of the price you are paying. If you want a solidly documented and meticulously recreated unform that would match your ancestors, there are plenty of better options out there.

If you are referring to what reenactors call the "Little Rock Frock Coat" found in 1863 I believe Ben Tart has recreated the unique fabric is was made from. I want to say there is another frock with Arkansas provenance from Island No. 10 as well.

 

[Bentonville]

Oh boy, where to start on Quartermaster Shop...

They're really nice folks and at one time they were the standard for reenacting uniforms. But that's not really the case anymore.

The Quatermaster Shop offers very well made clothing that bears no resemblance to clothing of the period in either construction or materials.

They typically charge more than many of the authentic vendors and will nickel and dime you with things like sewing buttons on for an extra fee. Most of their clothing is made overseas and only finished in the US. Through a loophole in CFR19, the clothing can be labeled Made in the USA even though it's not. They utilize modern constructions techniques and synthetic fabrics. They clothing doesn't look like it fits right either. I'm guessing they've adapted a period pattern to a more modern body shape (if you know what I mean). If you are looking for a well made garment that will last forever, that kind of sorta looks like a Civil War piece, you can't go wrong with Quartermaster Shop.

I'll be honest, I don't know how they've stayed in business.

So it really depends on what you want out of the clothing. If you want a (not being mean here) 'costume', go for it, but be cognizant of the price you are paying. If you want a solidly documented and meticulously recreated unform that would match your ancestors, there are plenty of better options out there.

If you are referring to what reenactors call the "Little Rock Frock Coat" found in 1863 I believe Ben Tart has recreated the unique fabric is was made from. I want to say there is another frock with Arkansas provenance from Island No. 10 as well.

Modern body shape? Am I to assume you mean the beer drinking, pizza eating kind?

 

[Bentonville]

I had bought a shell from C&C. Very nice people, very terrible uniform.

I'd second Beauregard's Tailor, you can find him on Facebook. Custom stuff is what he does, scroll through his page and check out his work. You made a wise choice steering away from C&C. Not a bad place for a beginner to get an affordable starter kit quickly but not a custom piece you're looking f

 

[7thWisconsin]

I had bought a shell from C&C. Very nice people, very terrible uniform.

I have a C&C shell, and it´s a decent garment that looks good and does the job. Maybe it´s a bit of a **** shoot in the quality control arena.

 

[Bentonville]

I have a C&C shell, and it´s a decent garment that looks good and does the job. Maybe it´s a bit of a **** shoot in the quality control arena.

Will they let you send your own cloth though? I have some very specific needs as I'm sure you can imagine and their AR frock is 100% wrong. And import.

I am the pizza eating, beer drinking, 6'2 guy by the way (see above)

 

[jepridgen]

I second getting in contact with Beauregard's Tailor or the Honest Sutler. Yes, you will pay a little more, but what you'll end up with will more than make up for it. I don't know if either of them will let you send the fabric, but I'd imagine BT already has it anyway (maybe better quality than what you have). There's a reason a lot of the more progressive/campaigner types use those guys. Whatever they make looks like an original as much as humanly possibly, and it's high quality to boot.

 

[Bentonville]

I found darned high quality. In my mind anyways. Research behind it, on their part.

 

[jepridgen]

I found darned high quality. In my mind anyways. Research behind it, on their part.

View attachment 472879

Yup, that's probably where those guys got it or would get it.

 

[Bentonville]

Yup, that's probably where those guys got it or would get it.

It took a while to find it. There was a woman who ran (?) a textile shop that had cloth but I'm not quite sure it was right.

Interesting as her shop had 'Galla' or Gally Rock in its name. My ancestor was from there. All that is left is a historical sign on the road and graveyard. A true City of the Dead.

My relative is buried in Aiken.

 

[7thWisconsin]

Will they let you send your own cloth though? I have some very specific needs as I'm sure you can imagine and their AR frock is 100% wrong. And import.

I am the pizza eating, beer drinking, 6'2 guy by the way (see above)

I don´t think they do custom work with someone else´s materials, though; there´s nothing on their site about it. Since you don´t like the look of their advertised one, I wouldn´t think you´d want them to make you a custom one like it. I´d go with one of the other guys mentioned.

 

[Bentonville]

I don´t think they do custom work with someone else´s materials, though; there´s nothing on their site about it. Since you don´t like the look of their advertised one, I wouldn´t think you´d want them to make you a custom one like it. I´d go with one of the other guys mentioned.

You're right. And the frock is a terrible looking thing. Gray jean does not an Arkansas frock make.

 

[Bentonville]

So in the continuing story of the frock coat every single sutler I spoke with, and and there were a plethora calls and emails made and sent, all told me it just couldn't be done.

So what to do? On the off chance it would work I called C&C. I asked if they had tgat fabric. They said no. I asked if I could send it. And LO! they said yes.

I'm sure I'm rationalizing here but with textile that won't tear up, I'm providing my own French blue as well, and specific instructions I think I might be the first person to get a descent coat out of them.

Adolphus really helped I must say. That guy knows his stuff so I didn't sound like total dummy.

I'll keep y'all posted and once I get everything in order I'll post a photo and get to read what a jerk I am.

To be continued...

 

[Old Breck]

So in the continuing story of the frock coat every single sutler I spoke with, and and there were a plethora calls and emails made and sent, all told me it just couldn't be done.

So what to do? On the off chance it would work I called C&C. I asked if they had tgat fabric. They said no. I asked if I could send it. And LO! they said yes.

I'm sure I'm rationalizing here but with textile that won't tear up, I'm providing my own French blue as well, and specific instructions I think I might be the first person to get a descent coat out of them.

Adolphus really helped I must say. That guy knows his stuff so I didn't sound like total dummy.

I'll keep y'all posted and once I get everything in order I'll post a photo and get to read what a jerk I am.

To be continued...

You'll get a C&C coat made out of quality material. It won't be any different in construction than whatever they sell off the rack. Most 'sutlers' get all their clothing from overseas so custom work isn't really a thing for them

Did you try the below?

Beauregard's Tailor - Not One Stitch Back

Beauregard's Tailor - Not One Stitch Back, Greer, South Carolina. 4,870 likes · 387 talking about this. Beauregard's Tailor provides authentically constructed Confederate, Federal, and civilian...

www.facebook.com

The Honest Sutler

The Honest Sutler, Rochester, New York. 4,638 likes · 61 talking about this · 1 was here. The Honest Sutler offers Civil War era clothing made with historical accuracy in mind.

www.facebook.com

K. Windahl & Co. Historic Reproductions | Facebook

Welcome to the Facebook home for K. Windahl & Co. Historic Reproductions! Listed here are some photos of standard and custom items that we make, as well as any updates and sales that we have going...

www.facebook.com

I don't think any of the above would say it couldn't be done.

Did you contact Tart himself to see if he could make one? Also, I'm not sure if you are involved in the reenacting hobby or not, but there are multiple individuals without businesses per se that could probably make one for you.

I would just hate to see you end up with a poorly made garment after you did the initial legwork

 

[jepridgen]

Good luck on the project, but just make sure they aren't using incorrect materials for the rest of it. If you did all this work to get period correct material from quality sources like you obviously did, it will be for naught if they use some poly-blend thread and machine sew everything. It's one thing if you're just pulling together something just to have a uniform, but it looks to me like you want a spot on representation of a historical item. C&C are good folks, but I've never seen anything they've made that covered all the bases you're after.

 

[Bentonville]

Good luck on the project, but just make sure they aren't using incorrect materials for the rest of it. If you did all this work to get period correct material from quality sources like you obviously did, it will be for naught if they use some poly-blend thread and machine sew everything. It's one thing if you're just pulling together something just to have a uniform, but it looks to me like you want a spot on representation of a historical item. C&C are good folks, but I've never seen anything they've made that covered all the bases you're after.

I've tried the above sutlers. No go for my rather "pre-war" looking self.

I'm making as sure as possible that C,&C will do the best they can. I'm sure a few corners could be cut on their part so I thread counted them like crazy when I spoke with them.

Thing was they wanted to procure the textile and I put a huge stop to that. They told me their gray jean cloth (trousers) was close to theirs but I'll provide my own. One, no cut corners, two no "extra charges".

I'll take responsibility for those personally.

 

[d.perry]

Another thing I consider when making a purchase is resale value.

• Quartermaster Shop
  • #504 Civil War US Fatigue Blouse starts at: $129.00 (bigger sizes as much as $189), plus $4 for sewing on buttons.
    • Resale value is about half of new. (I just bought one off Facebook for $60 in used but decent condition)
• Wambaugh, White & Company
  • Contract Fatigue Blouse is $200.00 sizes 36-48, 50 and 52 is an additional $25.
    • Resale value is pretty close to original cost if in good condition as buyers do not wish to wish to wait a month if not more as these are made in small batches. (I paid $190 shipped for a used one in like new condition)

I don't buy things with the intent to resell them. When quality (and correct) items are sourced, if you need to get out, it isn't as financially painful as when trying to liquidate sulter row items. I noticed W.W.& Co and Tart items (just for a couple examples) rarely last more than a day on the FB trader forums. This is if they are not snapped up by fellow unit members. The same items sourced from places like C&C and Luckyline1945 (again just a couple examples) are on the trader forums for weeks with price reductions. The price difference between the Wambaugh, White & Company $200 blouse and Quartermaster Shop $129-189 blouse is not much different on purchase but have drastically different resale value. Just something to think about when making a purchase.