Original tent patents written on the canvas...

[WoodenNutmeg]

I am not very familiar with this as fact nor how it would play into reproduction should it prove to be factual.

With that said, I found this photo:

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb249/digthefuzz/tent.jpg

It was excerpted from the June 8th, 1861 issue of Harper's Weekly, thus demonstrating the aforementioned as a possibility (patent painting on the tent canvas). So, is this drawing an accurate portrayal of a proposed camp scene or is it more of a 19th century artist's rendition in exaggeration (don't laugh, as it did happen)? Furthermore, I cannot make out the date, but does it suggest that the patent is from July 1861? If so, the Harper's Weekly issue is again dated June 8th, 1861, so, what gives?

If someone knows the answer to this, the information to me would be greatly appreciated.

Pvt. Bryan O'Keefe, Esquire

[AZReenactor]

I'm just speculating here but perhaps it could be the artist was trying to make the point that the troops were well supplied with the latest equipment.

[Charles Heath]

Troy, perhaps the patent refers to the "invisible" stakes at canvas edge. :p

[ephraim_zook]

FWIW, I found Patent # 14,740 dated 22 April 1856:

"Be it known that I, H.H. Sibley, United States Army, have invented a new and Improved Conical Tent; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and accurate description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon...

...This tent will hold comfortably 20 men with arms and equipments (Italics mine), has the advantage of warmth in cold weather and cooking in rainy weather, is more perfectly ventilated and comparitively lighter than any now known".

It was fun to seek this one out!

http://www.google.com/patents?id=8JpSAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4&dq=army+tent#PPA18,M1

Ron Myzie

[Charles Heath]

Ron,

It appears to be a somewhat stylized square bell tent. Versions of this type tent appear at least as early as July 1861 in western Virginia, and in olive drab form continue into at least into the early days of WW2. I'll suggest it is probably an Americanized version of tentage seen in Europe since the time of the Crimean War. While I haven't seen a CW era repop of that specific tent, who wouldn't want to relax in a fine copy of Prince John's marquee?

[ephraim_zook]

In looking at the patent files it appears that everybody and his brother-in-law jumped into the tent arena in 1861 and 1862, coming up with all manner of varients to Sibley-type tents and supports for them. You'll find support structures like umbrella frames, like expanding clothes-drying racks, with hinged legs, you name it.

I'm sure nobody got rich with all these designs.

Ron Myzie

[Charles Heath]

Ron,

If only the pillow ticking shelter half had managed to get into production in the form of a tent-knapsack.

Meanwhile, I just found evidence of an 1861 version of a "junk on the bunk" diagram ostensibly for inspection purposes. Sigh.

[ephraim_zook]

If it was the one I saw, it was tent / knapsack / cape.

Ron Myzie