French Mle1872 Enlisted Engineer Tunic, 3rd Regiment
This item is listed for historical interest only. It was listed on our site previously but has been sold and is no longer available for purchase.
Sold for: $450.00

Original era manufacture. Introduced for service after the end of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71, and is illustrated on page 446, in the book The French Army-in the first World War-To battle 1914, by Mirouze & Dekerle. It is noted that this pattern tunic was still in service as a walking out dress in 1914.Coarse, dark blue wool, double breasted tunic with a white cotton body lining displaying numerous issue markings, including that to the 2nd Engineer (Genie) regiment in addition to old costume house property markings.All of the brass Engineer pattern buttons are in place, 27 in all, both large and small examples. Attached to each shoulder is a red wool removable epaulette with markings on the underside. These have not been removed and inspected for the unit information, but are of the correct pattern for the tunic.There is a black velvet vertical panel on each cuff, these have been re-sewn, and are the correct pattern for Engineer troops. Black velvet collar patches piped in red wool, with a sewn red wool 3 on each. These also have been re-sewn but again are correct for Engineers.There are a few repairs to the coat, something to be expected for a uniform as long-lived as this pattern was, and some light scattered mothing but nothing serious. It displays very well and is a very striking looking tunic.Included in the price, and with the tunic at the time of our purchase, are a pair of officer quality red wool trousers. They are basically clean, with a wide blue wool stripe down the outside of each leg. There is some scattered moth damage in the leg area of the trousers, mostly around the right side of the knee area, where the trousers were draped over a hanger for a long period of time.