U.S. MILITARY (19TH CENTURY) - COLLECTION - HFSID 263220

19th CENTURY U.S. MILITARY CADET COLLECTION
Historically fascinating collection of late 19th century U.S. military cadet uniform attire which includes a pressed felt hat with brass buttons made at famed New York City military supply store Ridabock & Co., a brass and steel sabre with the Great Seal of the United States on crossguard, and a 13¾x16¾ framed albumen photograph of a young military cadet in uniform posed with two other men dressed in Victorian clothing. An extremely rare compilation!
Three items: 1) Saber unsigned. 35¼ inches long x 4½ inches wide x 2¼ inches deep with 30 inch long x ¾-inch wide blade and 31 inch long x 1 inch wide scabbard. Brass grip, crossguard, knuckle guard and pommel. Straight etched steel blade. Metal scabbard with brass belt loops and fittings. Grip is grooved and has brass wire wrapped in loops. Knuckleguard has "US" etched into it. Great Seal of the United States on crossguard. Brass parts and scabbard are tarnished. Blade is dull and rusted, but has sharp point. Otherwise in fine condition. 2) Cadet cap unsigned. 5 inches high x 6¼ inches wide x 9 inches deep. Pressed black felt cap with black leather brim and trimmings, brass buttons and brass starburst with "PM/A" at center. Paper label inside says: "From/Ridabock & Co./Successors to/J. H. McKenney & Co./Manufacturers of and Dealers in/Military Equipments,/141 Grand Street,/New York." Label has two handwritten lines below this in unknown hand. First line is illegible. Second line is "6 7/8", the hat size. Possibly from Peekskill Military Academy, which was founded in 1833 in Peekskill, New York. The school motto was "Stand Firm As An Oak Quit You Like Men". The school closed in 1968 due to lack of funding and low enrollment, but its famous alumni include the Wizard of Oz author L. Frank Baum and American industrialist Henry Ford. Worn and slightly soiled. Aged. Otherwise, fine condition. 3) B/w sepia toned, 13¾x16¾photo in 16½x20 black wooden frame. This photo is an albumen photo of a cadet and two men in civilian clothes in a wooded scene. The cadet and one of the other men are sitting. It's not known if the cap and saber belong to the man in this photo. However, the cap in the photo is a different design than the one offered here and has a different design on its front. Lightly toned. Lightly silvered around edges. Glass is lightly soiled. Finish on frame is lightly chipped. Otherwise in fine condition. These extremely rare items display 19th century American military cadet attire. The saber and cap in particular are items that can usually be found only as treasured parts of private collections. The photograph is a fine example of 19th century albumen silver photography. All of these items are very rare.