American Historical Ephemera and Photography Featuring the Civil War and American Militaria Collection of Bruce B. Hermann

2 3/8 x 2 in. signal corps officer's insignia (minor tarnish/darkening of bullion, minor loss to velvet pile near edges). Composed of two crossed flags embroidered in gold and silver bullion with red cloth centers on a black velvet oval with 13 silver bullion stars and the silver letters "U S" and a jaceron twisted brass wire border. Polished brown cotton backing over pasteboard stiffener. 

The rarest of all branches of insignia and known through only a few extant examples and appearance in photographs. The Signal Corps was only established in 1860 with the appointment of one officer and expanded by Congress in March 1863. After the war, the Corps was reduced and their insignia was modified with a torch and replaced in 1872 by the standard general staff wreath with "U.S." letters.