This is not related to detecting but..............

[miester]

There seems to be many people here with knowledge of wars that I thought I would give this a try here. This is a photo, I assume of a relative of mine as it was given to me many yrs. ago when I was a child by my Grandpa. The question, can anyone identify the uniform? If it's not civil war ( I dont think it is ) it could be German, it must be very old, pre 1900 I guess. Anyone know of a link on old uniforms? Thanks.

 

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[jeff of pa]

Your Sure? It's not Confederate ?

 

[miester]

Your Sure? It's not Confederate ?

I dont know but there are none of my relatives in the south, they all got off the boat from Germany and moved to Wi. and did'nt disperse until after 1900. Thats why I think that it's a German uniform of some kind, and I think they did'nt arrive in the U.S. until 1868.

 

[lonewolfe]

cool piece!

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Were the red lines added to the photograph?

 

[SHERMANVILLE ILLINOIS]

Miester,

may not be a military uniform.

The old ones had many faternal type of organizations that would wear uniforms. Could be some type of community band. Just a thought.

have a good un.............
SHERMANVILLE ILLINOIS

 

[trk5capt]

Very much looks like pre WW1 German army uniform. I believe the epolits on the sholders were changed to the same color as the uniform when Germany entered the war. Also the uniform color changed to a light green. I am trying to recall this information from uniforms I saw in a muesium in Germany 35yrs ago. trk5capt...

 

[miester]

Very much looks like pre WW1 German army uniform. I believe the epolits on the sholders were changed to the same color as the uniform when Germany entered the war. Also the uniform color changed to a light green. I am trying to recall this information from uniforms I saw in a muesium in Germany 35yrs ago.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?trk5capt...

Which museum? maybe they have a web-site that I can look up. Thanks.

 

[rabajohn]

Could it be a military academy uniform such as West Point, etc.?

 

[Rmeav8r]

I looks like the early European style from mid 1800's, and it's not the USMA at West Point. I think it looks more like a German Police or Local Band uniform. Almost every village or town in Germany still have local bands that wear similar styles of uniforms. If it was a military uniform it would have something to identify it with the Franco Prussian wars from the period. You may take it to an expert on photographs, they can usually date it by the process of the photo. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Prairie Drifter]

I have collected many period photos, both military and civilian, and one interesting clue as to place and date, is his waxed upturned mustache. This style was popular among the European monarchies in a variety of changing lengths and forms from the mid 19th and early 20th Century. And became a fashion trend among their subjects, especially those men who served in the Armed forces, who would compliment their appearance with the 'King's Mustache'. It was popular in WW1. The style progressed into the very short sharp pointed version you have in your photo, that was popular among German and Austrian-Hungarian troops of the Great War.

Here is a photo of Italy's Vittorio-Emmanuele II (ca. 1860) with his:

Here is a photo of Wilhelm II of Germany with his:

Famous Italian WW1 soldier and poet, Gabriele d'Annunzio with his:

Italian officer WW1 with his:

And here is a photo of my grandfather who fought in WW1 in the Italian Infantry with his:

This short sharp waxed upturned pointed style mustache in your photo seems to be a purely European thing during that period of the Great War (especially among German/Austrian & Northern Italians), and not popular among American men.

So, taking the above information, combined with the photo evidence, I can safely come to but one conclusion: I need a life!

 

[miester]

Drifter, I disagree with your conclusion. As a collector of useless information myself I have to say that it's the digging up of historical facts thats the fun part. You dont need a life, I'll bet that you have a full one. Thanks for the info!

 

[IrishCharlieM]

Does look like Pre-1900 German Enlisted..........

 

[nhbenz]

Neat old picture. The red trim does look odd as though it were added. Is there any chance you could see a pattern on the buttons with a magnifying glass? And of course the obvious question -- are there any markings on the back of it?

 

[miester]

Ha!Ha! there you are again, that avitar cracks me up every time I come across it! Thanks for the laugh....I never thought about the buttons, I'll have to check it out. Yah the red is added, no nothing on the back, took the photo out of the holder to check.

 

[Narked1]

All,
I've spent the last few hours surfing the internet trying to find out what uniform that this is and I come back and find out that you all have pretty much come up with the same conclusions that I did! (Yep, I need to get a life here in Egypt).

Looking at the pic I would say to look at the buttons. They are too close together to have been a uniform of the Civil War, indicating European. The Germans preferred darker colors for their military uniforms so it may be from a military unit, band, or fraternity organization in Austria, Poland, or countries surrounding Germany. And I agree with the mustache, definitely mid-to-late 1800's European.

If it is a military uniform, the single row of buttons indicates that he was an enlisted person. The epulets indicate that he is a senior enlisted person, or rather, a non-commissioned officer. And I would guess that the red bits indicated his specialty (i.e. infantry, ordnance, tuba player in the band, meter-maid, etc.)

Just my thoughts after perusing the internet for a few hours.
Narked1

 

[Narked1]

Have looked at the photo with a couple of different programs and magnified the red stripe......definitely and addition to the original picture. Just look at where the red line comes to a corner on the right side of the necktie and then becomes very thin as it turns vertical. The turn is too sharp for it to have the appearance just below the turn upward. The other item of interest is the looping of the red line through the collar on the left hand side of the picture. Doesn't look normal for a military/band/police uniform. And lastly, look at the left hand piece of red that goes over the left shoulder. I don't think that it goes completely over the shoulder and may have been drawn in.

If it was me, I would take the pic out of the frame and VERY carefully examine whether or not the red line is an add-on.

GOD! I need to get a life!

 

[AzSports]

I can't see how the line is not an add-on, just by being red. They may even had good photo shop intentions by adding a marker as Narked1 referred to.

The button style and high collar seemed to be real popular in the 30's Bulgaria pics on.

http://www.balkanantiques.com/rw/it...garia-Medic-Colonel-Photo-Uniform-Orders.html

I like the mustache dating but my picture of Rollie Fingers in uniform is clearly marked 1985!

Maby an antique dude would date the picture frame for you.

 

[Nana40]

Don't think it's confederate......

I have a picture of a GGrandpappy in a confederate uniform. His is dark in color and it buttons up on the opposite side as your picture indicates.... I really don't know.....but I remembered having this pic...so I thought you might be able to discount it being confederate....

Nana

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

This is not color photography, and the red was probably added because the uniform had red on it. That was my first impression when I first seen this old black & white photo.