VTG Civil War Confederate Federal Gold Embroidery Captain Shoulder Straps Bars

Horse Soldier has a set of these listed, so I'm borrowing part of Wes' comments. You will receive the items pictured. This is a set of Civil War Captain's shoulder straps. These are a nicely made pair with the center ground made of velvet and the base material not only turned over on the back, but also given a separate backing rather than left open and showing the web underlay and embroidery thread.

The borders are single row, gold embroidered bullion, as are the rank bars. Both the inner and outer edges of the borders, and the edges of the rank bars are lined with gilt jaceron wire, which is in place and tight. The gold bullion embroidery shows some oxidation but is medium bright.

The velvet center ground shows some slight wear spots but no holes. The very edge of the material where it is turned under shows a little roughness, but it is tight to the sewn backing.

The center, ground color is brown, clearly an oxidized black that still shows at the very edges. The term "staff" often brings up the picture strictly in one of the support services or a rear-echelon position, but the term and the insignia applied also to officers serving on regimental, brigade, division and corps, as well as army staffs in field, often serving under fire on the front lines as adjutants, aides-de-camp and other capacities, carrying messages and conveying orders on the battlefield where they would find themselves under enemy fire.