HELP needed in identifying an authentic blanket circa 1975...

[WoodenNutmeg]

I recently purchased an authentic Federal blanket, which is said to be an exact replica of a blanket owned by the National Park Service. The blanket, pictured below, is dated, having been made sometime in the mid 1970s as a limited run. I asked the seller if he knew who the maker was, or, if he had any details at all regarding the blanket, and he responded in this way...


I can't tell you who made the blanket, but it was commissioned in the mid 1970s by members of the 2nd Maryland, many of whom were park service employees. Some [blankets] went to the park service and 2nd Maryland and a few extras went to friends of the park service and/or the 2nd Maryland. The blankets were never released to the public and caused some problems because you could not tell it from the original that belonged to the park service. They were afraid people would try to sell them as originals since there was no way to tell them from originals. As far as I know there were only 50 or so made. This is all I can tell you about the blanket. I've had it for over 30 years and the only thing it was ver used for was display.

The blanket is coarse, appropriately weighted , and all around, it appears to be a seemingly impressive reproduction. I'll try to get some additional photos up (close ups of the weave, etc), but in the meantime, I was hopeful that some of our "old school" brothers here on the forum might be able to offer up some insight regarding this blanket? Perhaps some corroberation regarding the information offered above by the seller? I'd really like to know what original blanket this reproduction was based on.
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[ScottCross]

These were manufactured in the 1970s by the Nationl Historical Society (NHS) and were the best blankets available for many years. Fred Gaede and another guy were the company (sorry, I've forgotten his name) and they were baased on an original owned by the NPS and are sometimes referred to as NPS blankets. I don't recall which mill made them. They are still very authentic and getting very hard to find. I carried one for many years and finally sold it to get an Augie Weissert blanket.

[WoodenNutmeg]

I knew someone here would be able to ID this! Great info, Scott! It is much appreciated! I'd love to be able to personally compare the two, but I'll have to take folks' word on it.

[John Pellarin]

Funny this thread came up. I just used my NHS blanket this weekend for a Boy Scout camp-out! Still is holding up and looks good!

John Pellarin

[WoodenNutmeg]

John and/or Scott...can either of you confirm that only 50 or so of these blankets were made? Given the amount of fabric produced at the time, if it was indeed a limited run, the number 50 would make sense, but I would suspect that the NHS would be interested in producing more than that number? Then again, we are talking about the mid-70s here. How did both of you acquire your blankets by the way? Were they second hand, or, were you original purchasers/owners?

[CJSchumacher]

Fred Gaede and another guy were the company (sorry, I've forgotten his name) and they were baased on an original owned by the NPS and are sometimes referred to as NPS blankets.

Dave Jurgella comes to mind.

[rmilstead]

Folks,
I might suggest that the other individual most probably was Brice Workman. I know from discussions with Brice a couple of years ago that he and Fred worked on some blankets "back in the day". I will see Fred in a couple of weeks at an event and can ask him then if it is of interest.
Dick Milstead
Hardaway's Alabama Battery
Company of Military Historians

[508preach]

You got that off of ebay didnt you? I almost bid on the same blanket and hesitated....glad it went to someone who would get some good use out of it and not someone who would use it to cover an air mattress.....though Bryan if we cross pathes at an event be prepaired for me to ask to see it haha.

[Canebrake Rifle Guards]

Yes, it was Brice Workman.

Greg Starbuck

[ScottCross]

John and/or Scott...can either of you confirm that only 50 or so of these blankets were made? Given the amount of fabric produced at the time, if it was indeed a limited run, the number 50 would make sense, but I would suspect that the NHS would be interested in producing more than that number? Then again, we are talking about the mid-70s here. How did both of you acquire your blankets by the way? Were they second hand, or, were you original purchasers/owners?

Bryan,

There were certainly many more than 50 blankets made. There were at least 50 of these, just in the ranks of the Mudsills alone. Also, they reproduced two different blankets: one was brown and the other was gray.

Yes, it was Brice Workman. In fact, Brice had a number of these 'stashed away' back in the 1980s. I got mine directly through him.

[CompanyWag]

Yup, it was Workman and Gaede. I still have my NHS blanket. They do turn up from time to time...Almost as if being leaked onto the market. Definitely more than 50 were made.

Paul McKee

[WoodenNutmeg]

Thanks, Scott...thanks, Paul...I had a hunch that these were made in a run larger than 50. :wink_smil

[John Pellarin]

Everyone,

Back in 2006 on the Civil War Reenactors board, NJ ************ posted a thread about Bryce Workman and the production of the blanket that NHS produced. Do a search for Bryce Workman and one should find it. There were some photo attachments with the thread, but they do not want to open up when I went there today. I remember some very good information.

John Pellarin

[Moonshine]

I posted one for sale here back in 2006??? I think the link is still working where I posted pictures. It had someone's initials stenciled on it too.

I have the printed info that came with it somewhere as well as the stencil for stitching the "US" in the center although that was already done. It was a VERY lightweight brown variety.

[PVT.THIB]

Here is the old thread that James was talking about with the pictures:
http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11182
Hope that helps.

[CompanyWag]

That certainly looks like an NHS blanket. Workman's blankets had a decidedly pronounced diagonal due to differently shaded warp and weft yarns.

Paul McKee

[Cpt Boone]

Here is the link to the cwreenactors article.

http://www.cwreenactors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=726&highlight=bryce+workman

May have to see if we can get the pictures again.

[Moonshine]

Pictures would be great! I'm interested in seeing some of the tinware too.

Thanks a bunch in advance.