Description

Several of our customers asked if we could make this haversack. While we do not do custom work, we did decide to make a limited run of them for your enjoyment. Carpet material, upholstery, and tapestry type drapery material has been documented as in use for construction of carrying/travelling bags even dating back to the previous centuries. (while heavy looped carpet material, more similar to what is seen today, was in existence and utilized for travel bags, much of the floor covering or “carpet” of the period was more of a lighter and simply woven material, leading to some confusion about the term “carpet bag”)  Several tapestry/drapery weight material over the shoulder haversacks, as well as the heavier type bag, which usually had handles or leather straps for carrying,  are indicated in museum collections with individual early war Northern state militia and regimental provenance as well as individual later war Southern soldier effort, utilizing what could be salvaged. (even with the material coated or shellacqued in an effort to water proof in the case of at least one haversack) Civilians, of course used this type of item throughout the era as they were both privately and commercially manufactured. (some of the commercially made bags could be relatively expensive in the day) Not a bad alternative for the officer’s kit as well. Representing a commercially produced version, this example is sewn in the common army pattern and made of brown and gold drapery material. It is fully lined in natural cotton and also has a button in cotton suspension liner. Interior has our high grade genuine bone buttons and all button holes are hand sewn. Handsome finished brown leather strap with blackened roller buckle, also same as army pattern. (as with many items “army” patterns were actually popular civilian patterns adapted for military use, occasionally vice versa)  Stamped for  wartime Southern maker D. B. Camp of Savannah. Interestingly, Camp, who was a dealer and maker in all manner of goods with extensive wartime military production, was listed in the pre-war period as a “Draper and Tailor”. Seems especially fitting that we should produce this item with his mark, constructed with a nice representation of period drapery material, the type he well may have had left stored in his inventory.