Period Eyeglasses with original Tin Case
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These are a nice pair of period eyeglasses with the common sliding, or adjustable, ear pieces. Original fine black string to keep from falling off face. Numbered "18". THey come in an original tin box. Nice representative item of the eyeglasses worn by Civil War soldiers.
CDV of Famous Civil War Actress: Maggie Mitchell
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We show many photographs of soldiers in our museum. But a tremendous number of images were taken during the 1860's of civilians, family members, politicians, statesmen, performers and even inanimate objects in museums. Photographs was new in the early 1850's and still a "miracle" in people's eyes, but with the advent of the paper & cardboard CDV in the 1850's, it was now generally affordable. This is an image of a famous actress of the times: Maggie MItchell. She still is a good-looker by our modern standards. Most likely, Civil War soldiers would bring a few images of pretty ladies with them to war for romantic inspiration. There were many songs and poems about "the girl back home..." Occasionally, a CDV of a young lady in a swimsuit or sleeping garments found its way into camp and caused a stir as it circulated. These were daring enough to show bare knees!!! (Talk about out-of-control!!!) This image has a New York backmark. Isn't it a shame that in the 1860's there were no recordings or film invented yet in order for us to see or hear this lovely Maggie performing?
Civil War Period Sibley Stove
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This is an original Civil War Period hand-forged Sibley Stove which was being used in Texas as a smudge pot to heat the trees in an orange grove! The hinged door works great. There is some rust at top where stack pipe would be added to carry fumes out the top of a peaked (Sibley) tent. There is also some flakey rusting and mild corroded spots along the base that was against the ground for all those years. But overall, this is a very solid (and heavy!)item, measuring about 29" high and 20" across at base.
Patented by Major Henry H. Sibley in 1857, getting a $5 Royalty from the War Department on each stove until he resigned in 1861 to join the Confederacy. These were also still heavily used in the West during the Indian Wars. This is shown in Francis Lord's Volume I Civil War Book.
Lucy Frantz, 1863: Remembered.
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This is a stunning ruby ambrotype from 1863 of a young lady named Lucy Frantz. Except for this wonderfully-executed image on glass she might otherwise be totally forgotten. But here she is again! I always find the ambrotype technique to yield images of the most stunning depth and feeling. Look at that detail! Besides her name and the date, Lucy scribble a message in pencil behind her image: "The grass is green, the rose is red, hear my name when I am dead." Lucy is clearly remembered now, seen in her sumptuous black dress and fine jewelry. Though young, she appears to be wearing a wedding band and since the date is 1863, could likely be the young wife of a Civil War soldier. This image came from a Lehighton, Pa, Mahoning Valley estate auction. This coal mining region of Pennsylvania has a strong history of Quakers, Pennsylvania Dutch, Amish, and Native Americans. Someday I'll trace Lucy's records.
Harden's Express Shipping Decal to 6th Maine Soldier
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Many gifts, supplies and even foodstuffs were forwarded to soldier's by Courier's, U.S. Mail and private Express Services. Shown here is a fancy shipping decal from Harden's Express, dated May 31, 1862, to J.E.Stewart of Co. G., 6th Maine Inf. His residence was Columbia, Maine. He was 23 years old. And he enlisted on 7/15/1861 as a private, being mustered-out on 8/15/1864 at Portland, ME. Someone was shipping a package to him in Williamsburg, Va. It bears great graphics in green ink as well a few disclaimers concerning shipped items that are connected with the Army. A nice 9" by 6" size
Georgia Coat Button Pounded into a Poker Chip
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Games of relaxation and chance were popular in troop encampments between military engagements. There were spells of intense activity, and then, periods of protracted waiting. The wintertime often put the men into a military suspended-animation. During this time, soldiers read, wrote letters, conversed, sang, hosted family visitors, smoked their pipes, cooked, cozied-up their huts, went to photographers, bought goods from sutlers, drilled, took turns at sentry duty, and gambled. This is a Horstmann & Allien button from the coat of a Georgia troop. It has been pounded totally flat in order to be used as a poker chip. Who knows whether this was lifted from a friendly soldier's uniform or that of a vanquished enemy.
CW Period Box of Bone & Wood Dominoes
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This is a full set of 28 Civil War Period Bone and Wood Dominoes. Comes in it's original wooden slide-top box. A popular game amongst troopers in camp on both sides of the picket line.
Boot Black Tin from Fredericksburg
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Dug from the foundation of an officer's camp hut at Fredericksburg on private property. This is a tin that contained boot black to touch up the boots for maintenance and parade ground looks. You can see some of the dessicated boot blackening paste is still inside. The last person to use any soon went into a hailstorm of deadly lead at the Union debacle of Frederickburg!!
1864 Engraving: Rival Charms
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This engraving comes from an original 1864 bound edition of Peterson's Magazine which was published monthly in Philadelphia. The publication was very popular, containg romantic stories, wise essays, thoughtful poems, cooking hints, medicinal advice, sewing patterns for outfits, French fashion images and generic engravings. These are the actual pages that a Civil War wife was likely to be reading while her husband was engulfed elsewhere in greatest peril. Notice how fashion is important in any time period of generation...
1864 Smoking-Cap Design in Color
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This colored engraving comes from an original 1864 bound edition of Peterson's Magazine which was published monthly in Philadelphia. The publication was very popular, containg romantic stories, wise essays, thoughtful poems, cooking hints, medicinal advice, sewing patterns for outfits, French fashion images and generic engravings. It gives a pattern for making a smoking cap for one's husband. Unfortunately, most husbands were wearing uniform caps at the time with the smoke of muskets overhead rather than a good cigar... This page comes from an 1864 bound book, owned by a Mary Jane Dixon from South Eliot, Maine. Who knows if her relatives all made it home safely from the war...
1864 Peterson's: Pattern for Traveling Satchels.
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Pattern or design for a lady's traveling sachel. This page comes from an original 1864 bound edition of Peterson's Magazine which was published monthly in Philadelphia. The publication was very popular, containg romantic stories, wise essays, thoughtful poems, cooking hints, medicinal advice, sewing patterns for outfits, French fashion
images and generic engravings. To think, a soldier's wife could've visited his camp carrying such a homemade purse the day before he left for his final battle.
Mourning Fan
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Whether mourning for a killed soldier or simply a family member taking by disease at home, premature death was a sad fact-of-life in the 1860's... In attending services at church or displaying respect on the public streets through a period of mourning, ladies often wore black clothing. Broaches with small pictures of the lost loved one or containing locks of their hair were often worn on the dress or lapel. And as expected, the Ladies' fans were intentionally black as well. This example has fine black silk with decorative silver sequins between the radiating fins. For while you might be full of terrible grief, it would be more terrible not to look good...
Ticket to the Great Central Fair
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During the Civil War, the Union had large "Fairs" in bigger cities to support the cause of the troops. Many displays of technology, arts, and commercial goods were exhibited in large buildings or huge tents. Some of the proceeds were channeled toward relief for medical needs of soldiers, diability for the wounded, meals for visiting troopers and orphans' funds. There were often huge walls of captured enemy flags and weapons to amaze the curious civilians. This shows a $5.00 Season Pass to the Great Central Fair held during the Civil War. A Civil War period Advertising card also was discovered with the Fair ticket. Salesmen were happy to use the Events as a way to inform large crowds of their goods.
Soldier's Button made into a woman's hairpin
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Women of Civil War Soldiers were very proud of their men on both sides. They often wore small photos of them in broaches upon their dresses. But a more interesting momento of a man away at battle was wearing one of his uniform buttoms as a large stickpin which held up long hair in buns at the time. The is a Union General service button made into such a lady's hairpin.
Bayonet Candleabra
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Many weapons of war were brought home as souvenirs by troops, but none were so odd as tables, umbrella stands, coat racks and candleabra made from rifles, swords and bayonets. Here is an example of three bayonets artistically twisted and conjoined into a fancy candleabra. Desk sets and inkwells were commonly created using buttons, bullets and grapeshot cannonballs plucked from recent ballefields by savy collectors and entrepeneurs.
Wooden lice comb
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While officers used ivory, bone and shell, the common man used lice comb of basic wood. Combing lice and their eggs (nits) out of one's hair and beard kept the itch off a soldier on the march or under his blankets...
Soldier's Needle & Repair Kit: called
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This is a rolled kit of thread, needles and cloth patches that were carried by solders to mend their garments & socks. It was called a "housewife" in lieu of a real, caring woman to tend the wandering warrior... Being cloth and purely practical i9n nature, many of these did not survive the elements or later neglect of time. But they were a very practical matter of survival during war, like socks, stamps, ink, bread and a blanket in winter... It measures 3 3/4" x 7" and 3/4 thick, being made out of a black leatherette and cloth material. Still contains the original pins and needles. Both ends of the housewife are fashioned to be pincushions,where there are still pins present.When it is unrolled, the original needles are shown. A soldier would usually add thread and a thimble.This is very well preserved and quite a representative example.
Refreshment Saloon & Depot for Troops on Leave
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Large cities, such as New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and Washington had "refreshment saloons" or large depots where troops passing through town on leave could stop for food, lodging, companionship and minor ailments. For the more seriously sick or injured, there were large official military hospitals in bigger cities. The Philadelphia "Refreshment SAloon" was famous for its size and hospitality, quickly becoming popular with Union troopers. An association between the official armed forces and Christian charity groups made this service possible to tens of thousands of men in the course of the Civil War. Old lithographs often show these depots in their hey day. But engravings of military hospitals can be found as well. The soldiers liked to show where they'd been when tested to the limits of their endurance between 1861 and 1865.
And Baby Makes Three!
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This is a civilian lithographic CDV card which depicts a relative or mid-wife weighing a newborn by using a handheld home scale. "Just Nine Pounds" which any woman who has kids will tell you is a pretty big baby to deliver! I suppose they liked REALLY big babies on farms back then! In any case, someone put this in a Haverhill, Massachusetts family photo album labeled in pencil "Paulina," no doubt in honor of a new member to their clan. I am told that modern mid wives still use such scales to weigh babies that they deliver at home these days!
A Rotating Mourning Photo Pin
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What a unique jewelry design idea from the Civil War! A pin that actually pivots: one side showing a disc of black "jet" to indicate mourning~ the other side when flipped around showing the small tintype image of the beloved soldier under a piece of beveled glass. Thus, the relative or sweetheart could wear either the picture side or the black side forward. The lightly decorated metal frame is possibly gold. Pin at back holds it in place as a brooch. It is possible that popping out the glass over the tintype might reveal the name of the soldier or a lock of his hair... but I have left it underopened out of respect... and because I like the mystery of it!
Friendship Locket
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This attractive double-sided locket has a flip-open cover on each side like an old pocket watch. Dating from the 1850's period, it contains a daguerratype of a young gentleman on one side and a colorful rose image that says "From a friend" on the other. It is an attractive piece of jewelry with a finely detailed floral border. Worn from a chain or heavy pin by a lady of the period just prior to our Civil War. 1 3/8" across. Not for sale.
Civil War Coin Buttons
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Coin Buttons were plain metal buttons of various sizes that were used on a host of civilian garb such as coats, vests, cuffs and earlier breeches. They were often made of brass and sometimes plated or gilted. A few have their maker's markings on backs while othere were unmarked. These buttons managed to find their way to Civil War sites on vests and overcoats which were brought as accessories to stay warm or relax. A few may have been on plain garb worn by Southern troopers who could not be issued uniforms which became in short supply later in war. Buttons for trousers were often made of animal bone. Suspender clips of rough iron design. Buckles either brass or iron... Therefore, quite a variety of items to be found on battlefields and in campsites! I only have 6 left, two with shanks the rest without shanks.
Lovely Shoe Button Hook
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These hooks were used to tug closed the old button-up civilian shoewear of the mid- to late-Nineteenth Century. Has ornate neck and a clear white bone or stag horn grip. Solid. A big 10 3/4" long. No maker's markings.
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