Our Price: $1695

Fine example of decorated American militaria offering a rare combination of history and folk art. American volunterer militia companies from 1790-1860 were legally chartered, but their uniforms and equipment were limited only by their pocketbooks, allowing them to form an "elegant elite" that contrasted with the minimally equipped enrolled militia of the community, and competed with other such companies not just in military profieciency, but social status, and displays of patriotism, plowing, and even ethnic pride; by way of their uniforms, painted flags, hat plates, drums, canteens and knapsacks.

This pack if nicely mounted on red background in a shallow shadowbox fram and is made of black painted canvas with narrow leather shoulder and cross straps in place and showing at its sides. The flap extends roughly halfway down the pack and is painted "WEYMOUTH" in green shadowed red block letters across its center. The lower portion bears the painted letter "LI" in entertwined script letters in oval opening at center of a stylized diamond-shaped sunburst with both the letters and the rays painted in red with green shadowing like the the town name.

Pack has not been examined out of frame, but it appears to be in very good condition and are almost never seen with the original straps as present on this example. There are some scattered areas of paint loss showing the underlying cream colored canvas, but no significant holes or tears. We see one very small black patch at the lower edge of the flap at right center and some light stains. Two or three threads are visible at lower left, perhaps indicating a mended tear inside, but no damage is visible at that point.

All and all, the knapsack presents very well and its dating is nicely circumscribed by Nash's 1885 Historical Sketch of the Town of Weymouth, Massachusetts, from 1622 to 1884, which dates the founding of the company to 1818 with the commisssion of Levi Bates as its Captain on February 9th of that year. Nash notes that eh company was "composed of the active young men of the village," and in existence for about fifteen years," getting us to 1834.

Frame measure 19 3/4" x 20 1/2", knapsack measures 12 1/2" x 14".

This is a great looking piece of military history, framed and ready to hang. It looks great on its own or would be a nice addition to any collection of painted American or militia gear. We reccommend John Hamiltion's article, "The Elegant Elite" in Man at arms and Bill Guthman's article "Decorated Military Americana" in the magazine Antiques as good starting points for the interested collector.

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