This shirt was imported into the Confederacy from existing and perhaps surplus stocks of British Army clothing. Made of straight, square cut body, the 100% cotton fabric is unusual in that it is a weft stripe, utilizing the selvage edge for the hem of the shirt. The surviving shirts have two collar versions, one of which is based on the original in the Museum of the Confederacy, with solid Civil War provenance, and is attributed to Lt. John Selden of the Virginia Artillery. The other surviving shirts are in Australia. Those were surplus British army shirts issued to convicts.
The main difference between the two versions is in the collar. On the version attributed to Lt. Selden, the collar is folded down and overcast, leading one to believe that this is an alteration or repair of the original collar. In addition, a closure button was added on the front slit closure, and the collar is closed with a porcelain Prosser patent button. Among the three Australian convict shirts, all three possess a higher collar, in fact the same square collar as the Federal Domet Issue shirt, but with the addition of a second button in the center of the collar, which gives it a breaking point, to roll over a neck stock or cravat. Since the Australian shirts have identical construction, buttons, pattern and fabric to that of the Lt. Selden shirt, it is very likely that the collar represents how this shirt appeared "as issued". For this reason, we have chosen to reproduce what we believe to be the original as made, issue version.
This shirt is completely hand stitched. We offer this in the "issue collar" rather than the manner in which the artifact in the Museum of the Confederacy survives. This version bears our custom produced, unique 3-hole bone buttons found on both the Selden and Australian shirts. The “Australian convict” shirt is offered with our reproduction of the Prosser patent button to close the neckband. Sold ready to wear with the British inspector's and maker's marks on the lower front panel.
(The man in the last photos below is wearing his shirt that is about 5 years old and has seen lots of use.)
This shirt was imported into the Confederacy from existing and perhaps surplus stocks of British Army clothing. Made of straight, square cut body, the 100% cotton fabric is unusual in that it is a weft stripe, utilizing the selvage edge for the hem of the shirt. The surviving shirts have two collar versions, one of which is based on the original in the Museum of the Confederacy, with solid Civil War provenance, and is attributed to Lt. John Selden of the Virginia Artillery. The other surviving shirts are in Australia. Those were surplus British army shirts issued to convicts.
The main difference between the two versions is in the collar. On the version attributed to Lt. Selden, the collar is folded down and overcast, leading one to believe that this is an alteration or repair of the original collar. In addition, a closure button was added on the front slit closure, and the collar is closed with a porcelain Prosser patent button. Among the three Australian convict shirts, all three possess a higher collar, in fact the same square collar as the Federal Domet Issue shirt, but with the addition of a second button in the center of the collar, which gives it a breaking point, to roll over a neck stock or cravat. Since the Australian shirts have identical construction, buttons, pattern and fabric to that of the Lt. Selden shirt, it is very likely that the collar represents how this shirt appeared "as issued". For this reason, we have chosen to reproduce what we believe to be the original as made, issue version.
This shirt is completely hand stitched. We offer this in the "issue collar" rather than the manner in which the artifact in the Museum of the Confederacy survives. This version bears our custom produced, unique 3-hole bone buttons found on both the Selden and Australian shirts. The “Australian convict” shirt is offered with our reproduction of the Prosser patent button to close the neckband. Sold ready to wear with the British inspector's and maker's marks on the lower front panel.
(The man in the last photos below is wearing his shirt that is about 5 years old and has seen lots of use.)
