French Kepi Mystery Officer

[Mild53]

This image has been a mystery for me for 20 years. Perhaps you can tell we what country or unit this young officer served in.

When I bought it I assumed it was an officer image for the US Indian war period. The the collar and cut of the uniform looked right, the kepi looked right, and the insignia looked like a variation of the "crossed sabres". The frame is labeled with a Detroit, Michigan company.

However, the image was created or retouched in Dinard France (North Coast across from Plymouth England) by a well-known French photographer - Arjalew. Arjalew was active around the turn of the century and perhaps later. So this is most likely from the period 1890-1910.

Unfortunately, I have never been able to find a French Kepi that looks like this one - so prominently sloped from front to back. Do you have any idea as towhat country and branch of the military this young man served in?

Thanks!

[FROGSMILE]

This image has been a mystery for me for 20 years. Perhaps you can tell we what country or unit this young officer served in.

When I bought it I assumed it was an officer image for the US Indian war period. The the collar and cut of the uniform looked right, the kepi looked right, and the insignia looked like a variation of the "crossed sabres". The frame is labeled with a Detroit, Michigan company.

However, the image was created or retouched in Dinard France (North Coast across from Plymouth England) by a well-known French photographer - Arjalew. Arjalew was active around the turn of the century and perhaps later. So this is most likely from the period 1890-1910.

Unfortunately, I have never been able to find a French Kepi that looks like this one - so prominently sloped from front to back. Do you have any idea as towhat country and branch of the military this young man served in?

Thanks!

He is dressed in a US Federal Army uniform from around the period of the American Civil War and I suspect the photo was then retouched in France later. He has the typical Federal Army rank of either a Lieutenant or a Captain (I believe that both had 2 bars but in differing colours) and his kepi is overstitched with a cruciform design in the the fashionable style adopted from the French, who were then pre-eminent in military affairs (before the Franco Prussian war). The crossed device on the front of his cap could be sabres, but it might even be the gun barrels of the artillery, it is too indistinct to tell. His beard is also vvery much of the 1860s period.

[Tom W.]

He could have been a French volunteer serving with the Union Army.

http://712educators.about.com/blcwphmilgrp3.htm

[Tinhat47]

Interesting. His shoulder boards are those of a U.S. 2nd lieutenant, but his two-row kepi braiding indicates a captain. I can't for the life of me figure out what his kepi insignia is. It is definitely not crossed swords, cannons, hunting horn or laurel leaves seen on officers cap insignia.

[tiddley]

I would say either army Quartermaster or army ordinance corp. 2nd lt. But not a regular becuse if you notice his buttons have rims not general service eagles. Private purchse Kepie like most state troops. And boards. The date is between 1861-65but not after 1870. tidley.

[Mild53]

Great comments, thanks. So I surmise that this is NOT a pre WWI French officer.

I am posting this to a Civil War forum to see if there are any ideas. Why would a CW officer have his portrait retouched by a French photographer. I'll let you know what I find out.

[Mild53]

Well I have gone as far as I can for now. Here's what I will attach to the back of the image in case I expire soon.

"This is animage of a Civil War era officer, based on the shoulder bars a lieutenant inrank, probably reprinted after his death as a memorial. To create this kind of image an originalimage was copied photographically then heavily retouched in this case, by theFrench artist, Arjalew.

Arjalew wasactive in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s in Paris and Dinard, France, thelocation listed on the mat of this image. He was a commercial portrait photographer and also published outdoorviews of Dinard in a book. Arjalewapparently also had quite a business selling postcards made from his artisticallyarranged photographs of children and women. How a Civil War era image came allthe way to France for retouching is unknown.

The frame islabeled “Geo R. Angell Co, Fine Arts Detroit”. George Angel founded a fine arts business in1863 and his son George, born in 1874 eventually took over. A biographical dictionary of Detroiters describesthe younger George’s business as art and photography supplies. In 1905 thebusiness was located in a new and prominent building, the Fine Arts Building, a six-story brick building facing GrandCircus Park designed by Louis Kamper, architect.

Based on the quality and the likely cost of the imageand frame this officer was from a prominent family."