kyhistorian01 Posted February 20, 2010 Share #1 Posted February 20, 2010 I have had this for quite a while. It is in a frame, which is why it didn't come out as clear as I had hoped, but I was wondering what time period it was from. I have never seen a picture of an officer wearing a cape, nor have I ever seen a Navy cape in a museum that I can remember. The portrait is named to a George Stewart, but with such a common name I doubt if I'll ever find out anything about him. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cthomas Posted February 20, 2010 Share #2 Posted February 20, 2010 Robert- I'm sorry but I cannot help you out here. Great portrait anyway! I'm looking forward to hearing other impressions on this nice image. -Chuck I have had this for quite a while. It is in a frame, which is why it didn't come out as clear as I had hoped, but I was wondering what time period it was from. I have never seen a picture of an officer wearing a cape, nor have I ever seen a Navy cape in a museum that I can remember. The portrait is named to a George Stewart, but with such a common name I doubt if I'll ever find out anything about him. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMCR79 Posted February 21, 2010 Share #3 Posted February 21, 2010 My guess is early 1920's Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chariot Whiskey Posted May 6, 2010 Share #4 Posted May 6, 2010 I believe the Navy called them Boat Cloaks. FDR was often seen wearing one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sigsaye Posted May 6, 2010 Share #5 Posted May 6, 2010 I have had this for quite a while. It is in a frame, which is why it didn't come out as clear as I had hoped, but I was wondering what time period it was from. I have never seen a picture of an officer wearing a cape, nor have I ever seen a Navy cape in a museum that I can remember. The portrait is named to a George Stewart, but with such a common name I doubt if I'll ever find out anything about him. Robert They are refered to as "Boat Cloaks" and are, as far as I can tell, still authorized. I have never seen one in actual use, nor known any one in the Navy who owned one. The hat puts it as pre 1933 Steve Hesson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirk Posted May 6, 2010 Share #6 Posted May 6, 2010 George Vandenburgh Stewart appointed from from NY.....born 2 Mar 85 in VA.....Graduated the Academy1910....instructor 1912 Naval Academy.....1916 USS Nebraska, 1927 Academy, 1931 Commanding USS Argonne, Captain 1939 commander Postgrad school Academy. Hope this gets you started Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hudson Posted May 6, 2010 Share #7 Posted May 6, 2010 Even the Marines still have these. A couple of years ago I found one for an NCO. Here's some WWI era images of the Navy version: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom-ADC Posted May 6, 2010 Share #8 Posted May 6, 2010 Boat coat and he is a Ensign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted May 7, 2010 Share #9 Posted May 7, 2010 So with the dates and ID, we now know this picture dates from 1910-1912...pretty nice! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hudson Posted January 21, 2011 Share #10 Posted January 21, 2011 I picked up one of these today: dated Dec. 1915. I'll get some photos up later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted January 21, 2011 Share #11 Posted January 21, 2011 I picked up one of these today: dated Dec. 1915. I'll get some photos up later. Can't wait to see it!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack's Son Posted January 21, 2011 Share #12 Posted January 21, 2011 With all you guys working on this, I'm sure you will have his history within two days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hudson Posted January 21, 2011 Share #13 Posted January 21, 2011 With all you guys working on this, I'm sure you will have his history within two days. Actually it won't take that long: his name was on the label in the cloak and his full name was on the sword and fore and aft cap they had there (both priced way up there, out of my range). He went to the Naval Academy before WWI, retired as a Lt. Cmdr and had a son who was a "Jr." who also went to the academy (becoming the youngest person to graduate). Here's Senior's wikipedia entry: What, you wanted to the the cape/cloak? Okay: I have lightened up the photos to show detail. This is a massive pile of wool: I haven't weighed it yet, but I'm guessing it's heavier than one of those WWII Army melton wool overcoats, which are in the neighborhood of 8 pounds. Here's a partial shot of it spread out: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hudson Posted January 21, 2011 Share #14 Posted January 21, 2011 The toggles are different colors: it may be that one had some bad dye that changed over the decades. This is, after all, 95-years-old. Surprisingly the fabric is all in quite good condition. I found one small nip on the back. From the back you can see the deep folds that contain the huge amounts fabric used in this: A little side story: this came from an estate sale for the widow of Jr. (he died in 1983) and the only house militaria in the house was one khaki uniform coat of Jr's, plus his father's cloak, fore and aft cap with box and epaulets, plus the engraved Horstmann sword with scabbard and knots (to buy the cap, box, epaulets and sword would have been over $1,000!). The father entered Annapolis in 1912 and the son retired in the early 1970's so between the two of them they spanned over 60 years of service. I had wondered if Junior wore his father's sword???? Here's Junior's bio for the record. So, lots of history to come out one little (????) boat cloak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwnorma Posted January 22, 2011 Share #15 Posted January 22, 2011 So with the dates and ID, we now know this picture dates from 1910-1912...pretty nice! Dave Probably post 1918 as he is wearing the double breasted jacket introduced late that year. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted January 22, 2011 Share #16 Posted January 22, 2011 Probably post 1918 as he is wearing the double breasted jacket introduced late that year. Chris One long serving Ensign! He graduated in 1910 and was probably commissioned soon thereafter. If this was taken post 1918 (though it probably was) he had been an Ensign for 7+ years! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooseandspoons Posted January 22, 2011 Share #17 Posted January 22, 2011 i've seen german cloaks but never a US one, very nice and i bet it does way a lot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwnorma Posted January 22, 2011 Share #18 Posted January 22, 2011 One long serving Ensign! He graduated in 1910 and was probably commissioned soon thereafter. If this was taken post 1918 (though it probably was) he had been an Ensign for 7+ years! Dave Maybe he was one of those guys who got caught up in that whole wartime/temporary grade thing, and was reverted to his permanent grade after the war? I have a grouping from a Marine officer who had something similar happen. He was an NCO before the war, Promoted to Lieutenant and then Captain during WW1, and then reverted to his "permanent" grade (First Sergeant) in about 1920. Oddly, he was permanently made a Lieutenant less than a year later. He went on to serve in WW2, retiring after that war as a Lt Col. Maybe something similar happened to Ensign Emerson? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sigsaye Posted January 22, 2011 Share #19 Posted January 22, 2011 I actually had a XO who had and wore one of these. It was "exotic" and pretty cool. Steve Hesson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin B. Posted January 22, 2011 Share #20 Posted January 22, 2011 One long serving Ensign! He graduated in 1910 and was probably commissioned soon thereafter. If this was taken post 1918 (though it probably was) he had been an Ensign for 7+ years! The uniform is clearly 1919 or later, and the flare to the cap crown suggests post-1922 uniform regulations, though the style could certainly have been worn earlier. But I don't think it is George Vandenburgh Stewart. He made CAPT in 1927. Ensign for ~10 years and then JG to CAPT in less than ten doesn't seem very likely! Edited to add: George V. Stewart was a wartime commander and a permanent LCDR by the time the double breasted SDB coat was introduced. Boat cloaks got their name in the old days when sailing ships rarely came alongside a dock or pier and there was a lot of to and fro in small oared boats. Heavy cloaks were used to protect officers' uniforms from spray, and were often part of boat equipment, rather than belonging to an individual officer. best regards, Justin B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted January 22, 2011 Share #21 Posted January 22, 2011 I have one from a Marine officer.I am correct in the cape/cloak were an optional purchase by offiecers and not required? RON Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin B. Posted January 24, 2011 Share #22 Posted January 24, 2011 I have one from a Marine officer.I am correct in the cape/cloak were an optional purchase by offiecers and not required? They were required for regular USMC officers up until WW2. I think they came back in the late '40s as an optional item, but I'm not positive on that. Best regards, Justin B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hudson Posted January 24, 2011 Share #23 Posted January 24, 2011 They were required for regular USMC officers up until WW2. I think they came back in the late '40s as an optional item, but I'm not positive on that. Best regards, Justin B. Here's a USMC NCO boat cloak: From the USMC uniform regs: 3003. BOATCLOAK/DRESS CAPE (See fig. 2-1.) 1. The boatcloak, made of dark blue broadcloth material lined with scarlet wool broadcloth, is an optional item which may be worn by male officers and SNCO's with evening dress and blue dress "A"/"B" uniforms for official and social functions. It will not be worn when the blue dress uniform is worn as the uniform of the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hudson Posted June 29, 2011 Share #24 Posted June 29, 2011 Here's another one that came out of the woodwork today direct from the daughter of the Naval officer who acquired in 1922 near the start of his 28-year career. It still had its special hanger, which is great because these things are heavy just slip off standard hangers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hudson Posted April 23, 2012 Share #25 Posted April 23, 2012 Watching the military channel today and they showed footage of the (in)famous Yalta meeting: Had never noticed before, but FDR was wearing one of these regulation Navy boat cloaks: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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