The Watchdog
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THE WATCHDOG ii%me 5, ~o.1 Winter, 1997 Guarding your interests.... In accordance with our pledge to donate our profits provided a coat appropriate to both eastern and western annually to battlefield preservation efforts, early in January theaters. He will make you one for $190. The Watchdog donated $240 to the Friends of Fort Hill We have found another supplier of accurate in Frankfort, Kentucky. This is the second year in a row reproduction knitted goods. Kathy Kleiman (10264 Eagle that we have allocated our profits to this group, which Nest Ct., Fairfax, VA 22032; ph. 703-323-1219 or e- has as its mission the restoration and interpretation of mail: [email protected])produces hand-knitted socks, two Civil War forts overlooking downtown Frankfort. scarves, and fingerless mitts ("wristers") of exceptional Considerable progress was made in this effort in 1996 -- quality. Her products are made from 100% American the city of Frankfort approved plans for interpretive wool according to period patterns (the scarf is deliberately signage and walking trails, the walls of Fort Boone and made shorter than those appearing in period images for the New Redoubt were cleared of decades of safety reasons). Ms. Kleiman takes orders and only undergrowth, and the trails and signs laid out. Dedication accepts payment when the order is filled -- a practice that ceremonies and a living history program in June will mark we wish others would copy! And, to our minds, the the official opening of Fort Hill as an interpreted Civil highest marks we can give this manufacturer is that she War site. Should you be travelling through Kentucky, donates her proceeds to historic preservation, to the we hope that you will make plans to stop by and see the Friends of Point Lookout, Maryland. Now, there's efforts underway in Kentucky's capital city. commitment to preservation! A couple of years ago The Watchdog published information about reproduction Union Army sack coats. We recommended no made-up garment at that time. Now we are willing to do so. John M. Wedeward (1900 Pleasant View Drive, Stoughton, WI 53589; ph. 608- 873-8503) offers an excellent copy of the J.T. Martin contract sack coat. His coat has the details we said should be there -low collar, tapered front seam, small notch at the cuff, coat wool trim on the inside pocket, and even maker, inspector, and size markings on the sleeve linings. This coat says a good bit about how much progress has been made in making reproduction uniforms. People used to argue about whether to use brown thread on sack coat button holes. Mr. Wedeward's coats have thread dyed blue with logwood like the original coats - this thread will turn brown in time as nature takes its course. Be warned, this coat is not a thing of beauty, and the lining is heavy. But if you want to look like a Union Army soldier, you can. do no better. In choosing to reproduce a Martin contract coat, Mr. Wedeward has Nicky Hughes his article is about dinnerware - the stuff from Undecorated Ironstone - This earthenware was used in which we eat and drink in civilized settings, and abundance in the period of interest to us. Typically, ironstone Twhich we broadly refer to as china. Like others of is pure white in color, or nearly so, and a little glossy in our brief articles about various aspects of 19th century material appearance. It has no decoration or markings, except perhaps culture, this piece contains some generalizations that might for makers' marks on the bottom. It tends to be heavy and upset the specialist, the expert, and the dedicated collector. It solid. Shapes are usually simple, but they can be stylishly should be considered "the last word" about nothing. The goal ornate. In fact, another excavated Missouri River steamboat, of the article is simply to guide Civil War reenactors toward the Bertrand, which sank in 1865, contained ironstone china china of types more appropriate than that seen at many living of the "Rosebud" design, a fairly ornate pattern. Just about history events. As the situation is today, the dinnerware that everything was made in ironstone -from tea cups to chamber shows up at many of the "ladies' teas" and other social pots. Reasonable, newly made facsimilies of period ironstone occasions at reenactments has about as much to do with the dinnerware still can be found rather easily. Look in the big Civil War era as do Maxim Guns and '03 Springfield Rifles outlet stores that sell china and maybe in quality department - neither of which would be tolerated for a moment on our stores. Of course, old pieces of ironstone can be found in re-created battlegrounds. We hope this piece will help improve antique shops, and they are not, by and large, very expensive. the impressions of reenactors who portray civilian ladies and gentlemen (or maybe soldiers who have just pillaged a nearby Shell Edge Ironstone - This is mostly white, but with a house). We can do better than enamelware, soldiers' tinware, decorated border. The rims of pieces have small, raised flutes or quaint painted china some misguided merchant considered with feathered coloring - usually blue or green. The color is appropriately "old-timey." To obtain tableware, in fact, we solid right around the edge of the piece, but in less than half an recommend avoiding the merchants' tents at events just about inch thins out to nothing in wisps as if applied with strokes of altogether - get thee rather to the antique shops and to some apaintbrush. Once extremely common, this style of tableware other locales we will suggest herein. can- be found- - on occasion- in antique shops. - -- - - Dinnerware of the early to mid-19th century is well documented in books intended for antique enthusiasts, in archaeological specimens and reports, and in museum and private collections. Many types of dinnerware were in use during this era, allowing modem-day reenactors considerable leeway in which to exercise personal tastes within the strictures of historical availability. One must remember, however, that there was considerable variation in what was used from region ,/ to region and between social classes. To delve into these details, one really must examine those books, specimens, reports, and Detail of "feather" or collections firsthand. This article deals in general with shell edge on ironstone. dinnerware examples which enjoyed reasonably widespread popularity among the "middling classes." Gold Rimmed China -Again, this is essentially white. but A good place to begin our quest for the proper teacup is in decorated. A thin band of gold runs around the rim of the a wet hole in the middle of a Missouri cornfield - or to be pieces. Plates and saucers may have one or two more smaller less obtuse, in the cargo of the sunken steamboatArabia, which circles of gold toward the center of the piece. Pieces seem to has been excavated from that pit. This boat went down in the be a bit more light and delicate than plain ironstone, and some Missouri River in 1857 carrying a load of goods intended for may.be fine porcelain. Recently, Pier One Imports offered sale in frontier stores on the far reaches of that stream. The gold-rimmed china that would not have looked out of place china aboard is fairly representative of what was available among the cargo of theArabia -if one did not notice the maker's just before the Civil War to the kinds of folks most of us are label on the bottom. interested in simulating. Following is a list of most of the dinnerware varieties found aboard the Arabia, with some Transfer Decorated China - This is white china covered comments regarding each: with a decorative design, most often executed in blue (but in other colors as well -some examples on the Arabia are gray Spatterware - Spatterware looks like its mottled colored or grayish-brown). Known by collectors by many generic decorations were applied with a brush or sponge -but don't terms, including Staffordshire or Davenport, it came in a great confuse it with spongeware, which has larger splotches and many patterns. Most of the patterns have ornate, organic or became more popular after our period of interest. The flowery borders around central scenes. These scenes show decorative color slip is usually blue, but might be green, black, castles, ruins, oriental settings, or other exotic landscapes. or red. Patterns found aboard the Arabia include "Friberg" and "Cyprus." The popularity of this stuff in the first half of the The Arabia cargo is not a universal catalog of what was nineteenth century is impossible to exaggerate. It remains available in the dinnerware department at the middle of the common in antique shops, but pieces in good condition can be nineteenth century. Following are some other styles, and we quite expensive. Fortunately for reenactors, a little chip or are just scratching the surface with this list (and we aren't crack in a piece makes it much less desireable to collectors - even touching on fine procelain, lustreware, and lots of other and therefore china varieties): less expensive for the likes of Rockinghamware - A mottled finish of multiple shades of us, to whom brown characterizes this ware. It was very popular for many, such blemishes many years. Old pieces exist that date from before to long are simply signs after the Civil War. Pieces tend to be rather heavy and solidly of use. If you made. Serving, utility, and food preparation pieces such as prefer not to cart bowls, pitchers, and even spittoons are common. expensive an- tiques, or even Redware - Redware looks, well, red - like clay.