Sack coat

[NapoleanInGrey]

This looks believable or at least possible to me. When I was working on Glory back in 1989 a friend of mine who was working in wardrobe found and segregated out an entire rack of original uniform jackets from the stock that had been rented for the movie. No Civil War sack coats, though there were probably a dozen ca. 1890's five-buttons and a half-dozen or more artillery (and possibly cavalry) shell jackets. I remember one eccentric old reenactor fellow around that time who used an ORIGINAL cartridge box and what was supposedly a four-button threadbare original he had gotten from a defunct costume company that closely resembled yours.

Omg you worked on Glory!? That's, like, my all time favorite movie!!
But anyway just curious, would be possible for a coat like this worn in the actual Civil War to have survived? Like through families or something?

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

Omg you worked on Glory!? That's, like, my all time favorite movie!!
But anyway just curious, would be possible for a coat like this worn in the actual Civil War to have survived? Like through families or something?

Oh yeah he was it. Its a treasure to sit down and hear from him in person.

But this is also a treasure covering it:

Golden Thread - Twenty-five Years Ago: My Brush With Glory! | Non-Fiction History of the Civil War

Exactly twenty-five years ago today when I returned home from my regular job working in the Housewares department at the Dallas Galleria Macy's I found on my answering machine a phone call I had been waiting for and one that would in many ways change my life: "James, how would you like to come...

civilwartalk.com

 

[NapoleanInGrey]

Oh yeah he was it. Its a treasure to sit down and hear from him in person.

But this is also a treasure covering it:

Golden Thread - Twenty-five Years Ago: My Brush With Glory! | Non-Fiction History of the Civil War

Exactly twenty-five years ago today when I returned home from my regular job working in the Housewares department at the Dallas Galleria Macy's I found on my answering machine a phone call I had been waiting for and one that would in many ways change my life: "James, how would you like to come...

civilwartalk.com

That's so cool. I can't even imagine the stories he's got! I think I'll watch it again tomorrow just to look for him!

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

But anyway just curious, would be possible for a coat like this worn in the actual Civil War to have survived? Like through families or something?

That's actually one of the main ways uniforms survive, and in the case of my family get destroyed. the majority of original CW uniforms in private collections survived that way, ones in old museums tended to be donated by the survivors of the family after its wearer passed on.

There is a comparatively very large number of surviving Confederate uniforms, mainly because it was HIGHLY illegal to wear them in their military form after the war, same goes for the belt buckles, so they either had their buttons covered with cloth, or changed out to wooden buttons, (Union buttons were actually the most common Confederate button, but they were brass and Federals didn't care and gave them an excuse to mess with them), or they were packed away in a trunk.

Union uniforms from the war are more plentiful, and ten times rarer at the same time. Enlisted Frock Coats, and red and yellow trimmed Mounted Services jackets are extremely plentiful in comparison to Confederate garments. Hundreds of thousands were made, and sat in storage, and were of no use to anyone who had them after the war.

However the most common Union coat in the war, the Fatigue coat, or sack coat is probably rarer than any other mass produced uniform from the war. This is due to them being basically work coats, or field uniforms by todays standards were very useful for everyday wear and working in. Oh and were cheap.

That's about the best primer I can give.

 

[Package4]

Omg you worked on Glory!? That's, like, my all time favorite movie!!
But anyway just curious, would be possible for a coat like this worn in the actual Civil War to have survived? Like through families or something?

There are approximately 100 known Original Federal sack coats today, 20 of which are in the Smithsonian. The numbers of survivors though are probably greater, previously unknown specimens pop up occasionally.

 

[NapoleanInGrey]

That's actually one of the main ways uniforms survive, and in the case of my family get destroyed. the majority of original CW uniforms in private collections survived that way, ones in old museums tended to be donated by the survivors of the family after its wearer passed on.

There is a comparatively very large number of surviving Confederate uniforms, mainly because it was HIGHLY illegal to wear them in their military form after the war, same goes for the belt buckles, so they either had their buttons covered with cloth, or changed out to wooden buttons, (Union buttons were actually the most common Confederate button, but they were brass and Federals didn't care and gave them an excuse to mess with them), or they were packed away in a trunk.

Union uniforms from the war are more plentiful, and ten times rarer at the same time. Enlisted Frock Coats, and red and yellow trimmed Mounted Services jackets are extremely plentiful in comparison to Confederate garments. Hundreds of thousands were made, and sat in storage, and were of no use to anyone who had them after the war.

However the most common Union coat in the war, the Fatigue coat, or sack coat is probably rarer than any other mass produced uniform from the war. This is due to them being basically work coats, or field uniforms by todays standards were very useful for everyday wear and working in. Oh and were cheap.

That's about the best primer I can give.

So do you know about how much one would be worth if you were to come across it?

 

[NapoleanInGrey]

I've just been looking around and I see a Major General frock coat for about 12 thousand, but it's hard to say if it's authentic or not. It's in pretty good condition.

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

So do you know about how much one would be worth if you were to come across it?

@Package4 would know the answer better than me.

 

[Billw12280]

Sack coats are exceedingly rare and, when available, command a premium. I was going to purchase one a couple of years ago but the asking price of $28,500 was out of reach for me at the time. I wish I had bought it now, but it did end up in the Civil War museum in Texas, so everybody can have a chance to enjoy it. A very nice sack coat just sold at auction recently and realized 18k IIRC. I also saw one with Sgt chevrons that sold for 12,500 several years ago. The Major General coat you are referring to is probably the one I've had my eye on but I'm in the process of purchasing a Union first sergeant enlisted frock coat. The Major General coat is absolutely authentic although, I believe, it is just post Civil War as he was not breveted as Major General until 1865. He mustered out of volunteer service in 1866 which would explain the coat's excellent condition. This could probably use a little more research but it is an amazing coat nontheless.

 

[Package4]

So do you know about how much one would be worth if you were to come across it?

As with anything condition, provenance and battle history deem price, if it can be proven authentic and is federal issue and not state. A nice sack coat, but the soldier guarded a railroad bridge for the extent of the war will differ from one that was actually on campaign and in battle.

Collecting ACW cloth is one of the most precarious venues of memorabilia collecting, the unscrupulous know that cloth can bring a high price and have taken advantage of the collecting novice. I am pained when I see what goes on eBay and the dollars paid for absolute garbage. I couldn't contain myself and knowingly purchased one of the pieces, took copious pictures asked for a refund and gave scathing feedback. eBay doesn't seem to care, but bad feedback does work. There are two doing so right now and I believe they are working in tandem.

 

[Billw12280]

As with anything condition, provenance and battle history deem price, if it can be proven authentic and is federal issue and not state. A nice sack coat, but the soldier guarded a railroad bridge for the extent of the war will differ from one that was actually on campaign and in battle.

Collecting ACW cloth is one of the most precarious venues of memorabilia collecting, the unscrupulous know that cloth can bring a high price and have taken advantage of the collecting novice. I am pained when I see what goes on eBay and the dollars paid for absolute garbage. I couldn't contain myself and knowingly purchased one of the pieces, took copious pictures asked for a refund and gave scathing feedback. eBay doesn't seem to care, but bad feedback does work. There are two doing so right now and I believe they are working in tandem.

Unfortunately it's not just limited to ebay, I believe at least one of the sellers you may be referring to also uses Live Auctioneers, or at least uses a similar flag backdrop. Caveat emptor!

 

[NapoleanInGrey]

Sack coats are exceedingly rare and, when available, command a premium. I was going to purchase one a couple of years ago but the asking price of $28,500 was out of reach for me at the time. I wish I had bought it now, but it did end up in the Civil War museum in Texas, so everybody can have a chance to enjoy it. A very nice sack coat just sold at auction recently and realized 18k IIRC. I also saw one with Sgt chevrons that sold for 12,500 several years ago. The Major General coat you are referring to is probably the one I've had my eye on but I'm in the process of purchasing a Union first sergeant enlisted frock coat. The Major General coat is absolutely authentic although, I believe, it is just post Civil War as he was not breveted as Major General until 1865. He mustered out of volunteer service in 1866 which would explain the coat's excellent condition. This could probably use a little more research but it is an amazing coat nontheless.

Ah, wow, that's a lot of money! I mean, of course if I had it, I might pay that much. But I was just curious because we met a lady in Kentucky who had a Confederate shell jacket that was her great great grandpa's. I believe she's passed now, and of course I would never have asked how much she would want for it, but it was in sad condition, holes and such from moths (she brought it down from the attic) and I had wondered how much it might actually be worth.

 

[Billw12280]

Ah, wow, that's a lot of money! I mean, of course if I had it, I might pay that much. But I was just curious because we met a lady in Kentucky who had a Confederate shell jacket that was her great great grandpa's. I believe she's passed now, and of course I would never have asked how much she would want for it, but it was in sad condition, holes and such from moths (she brought it down from the attic) and I had wondered how much it might actually be worth.

Confederate uniforms, even ones in ratty/moth eaten condition, command premium prices. Sack coats are by far the rarest of Union uniforms but I've seen Confederate uniforms being offered for sale for far greater amounts than what I listed for sack coats. If you haven't already done so you should check out Allen Wandling's website Midwest Civil War Relics for some cool Civil War items.

Midwest Civil War Relics Home page

Buying-selling Civil War items

midwestcivilwarrelics.com

His stuff may be on the higher end of the price spectrum but cool nonetheless. Keep in mind something is only worth what somebody is willing to pay for it.

 

[NapoleanInGrey]

Confederate uniforms, even ones in ratty/moth eaten condition, command premium prices. Sack coats are by far the rarest of Union uniforms but I've seen Confederate uniforms being offered for sale for far greater amounts than what I listed for sack coats. If you haven't already done so you should check out Allen Wandling's website Midwest Civil War Relics for some cool Civil War items.

Midwest Civil War Relics Home page

Buying-selling Civil War items

midwestcivilwarrelics.com

His stuff may be on the higher end of the price spectrum but cool nonetheless. Keep in mind something is only worth what somebody is willing to pay for it.

Maybe it's just me, but personally I don't think I'd be able to sell something like those items if I stumbled upon possession of one.
Then again, I do keep everything.