Description

These shirts are the same popular campaigner shirts we have sold for decades made of nice coarsely woven hand dyed checked 100% muslin/cotton fabric shirt in common period pattern with standard gusseted sleeves, two breast pockets, a falling rounded collar, and hand sewn cotton trim on the collar and placquard. Major seams are machine sewn as found on most commercial shirts of the period. All button holes are hand-sewn in the common style. Each shirt variation is a unique/one of a kind combination, all with original vintage buttons from our collection accumulated over some 50 years. With a couple of exceptions all of the buttons are glass, with all of the buttons having a minimum value per set of $12-$15 per shirt. Some are quite rare. (Consistent with our commitment to break the “cookie cutter” mold that seems to dominate so much of the period reproduction culture.) Made to represent the “made from home” or commercially manufactured “ready made shirts” with typical documented personalized features. As with all of our similar shirts these were pre-washed and hand dyed utilizing period methods to get our exclusive and popular period color shades and schemes. (we cannot predict the effect that modern washing machines and detergents and electric tumble dryers may have on certain types of buttons and their finishes and colors achieved with period dye methods. In most cases , a replacement button would not be available from us. However, many original shirts are found with non-matching buttons, especially those with documented field service) We recommend hand washing in cold water by itself and hang drying, of course what else would a campaigner do? To provide a reasonably priced quality shirt with a great look and no sacrifice of authenticity has always been our goal. After examining several documented original period shirts, we looked long and hard to find the coarse woven checked materials we desired to make our common shirts out of. Combined with our period method dying process, we are confident that the result is a very authentic representation of the common quality material available in the day. Because the material is produced in the manner of less refined coarse weave cottons, in order to better represent the quality that was mass produced during the period – as opposed to the higher tech produced “finished” cotton shirts of the modern era, there is occasionally some minor anomalies found in the weave. (skipping a thread, small thread pulls, balls, etc) They are not “damaged”, and  if discovered after the garment is in production these very minor anomalies are simply left as is on the garment as they represent the types of issues we have observed on similar period undamaged fabric as well.  (PLEASE SEE SIZING CHART FOUND AT TOP OF HOME PAGE)

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION CONCERNING ANY OF THESE VARIATIONS OR BUTTONS PLEASE EMAIL US AT SUTLEROFFORTSCOTT@HOTMAIL.COM

IMPORTANT NOTE: It has just come to our attention after over 30 years of selling various versions of our very popular woven checked signature shirts, in SoFS exclusive period color schemes, produced utilizing period hand dyed methods, that a certain percentage of people see our checked material involving the gray color differently than others. With our gray and black checked shirts, some see a varying degree of purple shade as opposed to simply gray. With our gray and muted red shirts the same folks apparently sometimes see a light blue as opposed to gray. While some gray dyes may include blue, our gray color dyeing has utilized black only dyes for over 20 years. It is apparently a phenomenon related to the smaller check pattern. First let me say that we are meticulous with our descriptions and have absolutely no intention of ever misrepresenting this or any of our products. Secondly, let me say that contrary to an opinion we received from a “so called campaigner afficionado”, purple is a perfectly appropriate period color which was in common use. (we have been a participant and pioneer in the “campaigner” movement since before it was so dubbed – for some 5o years) Before the development of synthetic dyes, purple was indeed the stuff of royalty and the wealthy and not seen in everyday wear. However, the introduction of aniline dyes in the 1850s, including purple versions allowed the more common folks the opportunity to level the field and they consumed it voraciously. The new-found availability and popularity of the color included shirting material, curtains, woven and printed cotton checks, plaids, and stripes. So, if you see purple, it is ok, take a deep breath. We actually had a good friend who shops in the store regularly who bought a gray and black checked shirt a few years ago and we just found out he bought it because it looked purple to him and he was excited because no one else made one. If you buy one and it looks purple and you don’t want it, we will accept it as a return unused and unwashed for a full refund. However, the postage on the return will be the responsibility of the purchaser. Sorry, no returns because it doesn’t look purple to you, and yet no extra charge if it looks purple and you like it! Like always, we very much appreciate your courteous and civil discourse.

NOTE: The Virgina State buttons found on shirt XXL-2 are the same pattern as seen in Alberts American Uniform Buttons, pictured on page 267 and describe on page 268 as VA 28 and 29. While the pattern is documented they are not original to the Civil War era. They were purchased in a lot of vintage buttons and we are told they likely date to the 20th century possibly from either a school or state guard or agency. They are heavily enameled with a brown, almost maroon coating. The backs are subdued black and marked Scovill Mfg, Co.  If you are a fellow who demands certain back marks and configurations, these buttons are not for you – but can be easily changed out. (I personally like my buttons and all my personal gear to have the best available marks and patterns that are reasonable to obtain and fault no one who wishes to do the same. However, if you are a price or vendor/source virtue signaler, or want to examine in detail the buttons/back marks of everyone you share your Living History experience with, including their underwear buttons, regardless of their proper CW era provenance, in order to be willing to take the field with the fellow and/or purchase any additional items from a vendor who markets otherwise completely historically acceptable campaigner quality Living History goods, you might wish to shop elsewhere. We are a Sutler, not a Quartermaster and all of our clothing and uniform items are made to represent either Private Purchase commercially manufactured, Ready Made Clothing, or made from “home” garments.