Description
Taken from the patent granted to Sibley in 1856, this tent offers a large, ventilated area for a number of people. We have followed Mr. Sibley’s original wishes for his conical tent, building it with the correct 18′ diameter and 12′ height. A 9′ door in front and the back allow full ventilation, especially when the rain cap is left off the 18″ open top. (Sibley’s original description called for either a half height door in the rear or an optional full height door. Please specify should you wish the half door please.)
Sibley tents were designed to be held up by a single pole standing in a metal, collapsible tripod. An iron reinforcement was sewn into the peak opening of the canvas. This ring was suspended with chains from a steel disc with a hole in the center for the main pole to locate its top pin.
We build our impressions of Mr. Sibley’s tent the same way, with a steel ring in the peak and plenty of reinforcements to make the tent last. We also supply the tent with the proper disk and six chains for the pole support. (The patent originally called for ropes for suspension but was modified to the chains. Some original Sibleys show only three chains in use but we use six.) Included is a rain cap as indicated by Sibley but altered somewhat. The patent drawing shows a piece of a pie shape. This cap was used to help direct airflow from the peak of the tent but does nothing for weatherproofing. With the addition of a stove to the system it became possible to close the top and store heat. Our peak cap is more of a pie with a piece removed so as to overlap and close the peak area.
Sibley’s were modified with the addition of 4′ walls. However there are no historical examples of canvas walls. The period photos show the tent placed atop walls of wood or sod to raise the tent and increase the usable floor space.
The patent does not show or describe mud/sod flaps so they are not standard but are available as an option.
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