Federal Overcoat Button Placement

[J_Gillett]

Greetings,
I was curious if there are extant examples of federal issue overcoats that feature all buttons on the overcoat body (not the cape) running in a vertical line from the collar to the waistline, or if all feature the slight sloping to the wearer's right that one can see in many pictures of originals. I have attached a picture of an original from the County Cloth site that shows what I am talking about.

Best regards
Jonathan Gillett

[Guy Gane III]

My guess on that, after having seen the few greatcoats I have seen up close, that CC's coat (and I would drop him a line, also), was modified to fit the original wearer's body type. A lot of photos show sack coats modified in that way. I don't see why it wouldn't apply to greatcoats, too.

;)

[jurgitemvaletem]

One possability for this coat having been modified this way may have been to assure that the skirt stays closed arround the hips, even in a strong breeze.

[J_Gillett]

Guy and Patrick
It is interesting that I have found this detail is present on many other federal issue overcoats not just the CC example. Sometimes it is obvious like on pg 129 Federal EOG with the jean cloth overcoat or even in John Henry Kurtz's collection catalog Item number: 57513 (pg. 96). Sometimes it is a bit harder to tell like on the overcoat within the same auction catalog item number 57842 pg 212 or the other overcoat in EOG pg 129. It may be sloping but it is tough to call, perhaps they are just sewn onto the far piece of topstitching that connects the lining to the body. This photo of four federals (sorry cant get a larger one to load) has the same detail and I seem to also remember seeing it in Time Life's Tenting Tonight.

I'll be sure to contact Mr. Childs to see if he can shed some light on the subject, but I appreciate anything anyone wants to add.

Best
Jonathan Gillett

[J_Gillett]

Mr. Childs explained that he has seen numerous examples of this style of button placement. He now does it on his repros because of it being a common feature and also to keep the wind and cold out. Figures.

Jonathan Gillett