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60157
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original! Civil War issue - U. S. Army Mod. 1858 Hardee Hat
Not to be confused with more frequently surviving reconstructed Bannerman Army surplus examples, (Easily recognized by replacement of a large circular portion of the brim.) this example of the elusive early Civil War issue Hardee hat was recently acquired from an old collection dating back to when such treasures could be had. While the sweat band is replaced and there has been some old reinforcement of a crack visible on the underside of the brim, (see illustrations) this scarcely found issue Hardee represents a find that will display well in any Civil War or military headgear collection. Recognizing that short of holding in hand, the eye is the best gauge, a good look at our photo illustrations will speak best for condition and display appeal of this rarely surviving ’Jeff Davis’. We have made every effort to illustrated this hat here toward that end. Inside the crown the hat sports its original U S ARMY EXTRA MANUFACTURE – 7 1/8 - No. 4 label and the Hardee retains its period blue worsted infantry cord, with brass infantry horn, regimental and company insignia, along with the eagle side device and regulation ostrich feather. A scarce opportunity to acquire an original issue example of the type in nicely displayable condition. Buy with confidence! We are pleased to offer a no questions asked three day inspection with return as purchased on direct sales! Just send us a courtesy e-mail to let us know your item will be returned per these provisions and your purchase price will be refunded accordingly. Thanks for visiting Gunsight Antiques!
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6218
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mid 1800s – SLATE (‘SCHOOL’) PENCIL
Not a real big deal but this nice mid-19th century, all original, unsharpened and as new, cedar mounted slate pencil will be appreciated by collectors of Civil War era everydayand personal items as well as deep dish antique writing instrument enthusiasts. Not to be confused with the more commonly encountered graphite pencil, this example has a slate center for use with the personal size writing slate used in the period. Boldly marked AMERICAN LEAD PENCIL CO. / SCHOOL SLATE 490 the piece was manufactured in the Jersey City Heigthts, New Jersey pencil factory set up in 1860 by Edward Weissenborn. We have only a few of these and are offering them priced individually for the collector who would like one or two. Don't forget to give our search feature a try for special wants. A simple key word in lower case works best. Thanks for visiting Gunsight Antiques !!
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60131
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earlier to mid-19th century – Ladies Mourning Bonnet
Entirely hand stitched and constructed in silk this earlier to mid-1800s ladies bonnet remains in excellent original condition and will best be described by our photo illustrations. With good evidence of period construction and style while remaining in pleasing condition this black silk bonnet will go nicely in any Mexican War through Civil War era grouping and will be of special interest to the earlier to mid-19th century mourning collector. A desirable ladies item simply laid out or displayed on your period form. Buy with confidence! We are pleased to offer a no questions asked three day inspection with return as purchased on direct sales! Just send us a courtesy e-mail to let us know your item will be returned per these provisions and your purchase price will be refunded accordingly. Thanks for visiting Gunsight Antiques!
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6203
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Civil War vintage Smith’s Patent - Infantry Captain STRAPS
A good honest period used example of Smith’s Pat. June 18, 1861 Captain of Infantry shoulder straps remaining in untouched condition just as they were set aside decades ago. Best described here by our photo illustrations. A classic for the Civil War collector. Buy with confidence! We are pleased to offer a no questions asked three day inspection with return as purchased on direct sales! Just send us a courtesy e-mail to let us know your item will be returned per these provisions and your purchase price will be refunded accordingly. Thanks for visiting Gunsight Antiques!
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60137
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c.1862 - 13th Mass. Infantry - letter of Taynter family Genealogist – Dean W. Tainter
This soldiers letter is authored by Dean W. Tainter while serving as a Pvt. of Co. A 13th Mass. Volunteer Infantry. His four page letter is legibly penned from Camp Jackson in Williamsport, Maryland and is dated, Feb. 15, 1862. Tainter had entered service on July 20, 1861 as a twenty-five year old bookkeeper / genealogy author (see: A History and Genealogy of the Descendants of Joseph Taynter by Dean W. Tainter* [1859] ) who according to his letter had passed up potential advancement in the 16th Mass. in favor of commitment to the 13th as it was composed of American born Boston boys among whom was many of my friends and, was about to start without delay. Further expressing the recruits common sense of patriotism and eagerness to help keep the old flag flying Pvt. Tainter advises, I have not regretted my choice yet for the 16th did not leave until Sept. and have remained at Fortress Monroe inactive ever since while we have been in the Potomac from Washington to the Penn. line, had two or three brushes and won for ourselves a name. Tainter writes of a book he had written and comments to the reader regarding his post Civil War plans advising that your scheme about the Museum attracts my attention but he has talked of wool growing out west. Tainter states though, that Antiquities touch a week point in my human nature and advises that he would like to see an inventory of the material which you have to form a Museum. Indeed, Pvt. Tainter seems to have more heart for antiquities than growing wool as he goes on to write more on the subject, eventually circling back to expressing once more a desire to see an inventory for the proposed museum. No deep dish Civil War content but the letter is complete, an easy read and offers interesting insight. Of interest is that according to the HDS database Tainter was discharged for promotion on May 28, 1862 and was commissioned into the U S Navy on that date. We did find record of Navy service as Acting Ensign but will leave research of his Civil War Navy service to the new owner of his letter.
* Dean W. Tainter’s letter offered here is addressed to Charles M. Taintor (yet another spelling variation) who authored an earlier published (1847) Taynter / Taintor / Tainter family genealogy titled The Genealogy and History of the Taintor Family, From the Period of Their Emigration From Wales, to the Present Time. Both works have made their mark and have been considered important enough to be republished through time. Both are currently well represented in print and on the internet. In addition to mentioning his own effort at authorship in this letter Dean Tainter recounts a request received for purchase of the work of both men.
Buy with confidence! We are pleased to offer a no questions asked three day inspection with return as purchased on direct sales! Just send us a courtesy e-mail to let us know your item will be returned per these provisions and your purchase price will be refunded accordingly. Thanks for visiting Gunsight Antiques!
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2603
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earlier 1800’s to Civil War vintage STAR INSIGNIA SAMPLE CASE
We’ll let our photos do most of the talking on this one except to advise the viewer that this wonderful tailor’s sample case is fashioned from marbled paste board measures approximately 6.5 x 8.25 inches and contains twenty-one sequined stars of various size and design all classic of the earlier to mid 1800’s. Such stars were utilized in the construction of fine presentation grade flags, to adorn patriotic (and session) badges, General grade shoulder epaulets, and even as Confederate General grade collar devices. An example of this use may be seen on what is considered to be one of the most elaborate uniform frocks in the collection of the museum of the confederacy. (see; Gov. John Milton uniform frock : Catalogue of Uniforms / Museum of the Confederacy collection ) An outstanding earlier 19th century to Civil War insignia item. please note: ALL ITEMS ARE CURRENT & AVAILABLE UNLESS MARKED SOLD!! If you are new to our catalog and wish additional ordering information or just to learn who we are, please check out our home page. Thanks for visiting Gunsight Antiques!!
Manufacturer: American antique
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5852
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Antebellum SLAVE SERVANT’S - WILMINGTON & WELDON RAIL ROAD TICKET
Complete and entirely original is this COLORED SERVANT’S TICKET issued by WILMINGTON & WELDON RAIL ROAD Co. for ONE SEAT FROM WILMINGTON, N.C., to NEW YORK . The ticket measures approximately 17 ½ x 4 5/8 inches wide printed on one side only on yellow newspaper type stock . With a small chip of the upper left corner and some period horizontal folds (all visible in our illustrations) the ticket remains entirely original with no rips, tears, separations, repairs or stains. The top section of the ticket provides space for the ticket holder’s Name, Color, Age, Height, Marks,Owner’s Name and With whom traveling. The ticket was printed by the Daily Journal Job Office, Wilmington, N.C.. The ticket provides for nine transfers necessary for rail travel from Wilmington, North Carolina to New York, the appropriate section to be cut from the ticket and retained by a rail road agent at each transfer site.
Well known to American Rail Road enthusiasts, antique collectors, antebellum South and Civil War collector / historians, the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad was, at the time of its completion in 1841, the longest railroad in the world. A key Confederate resource throughout the American Civil War, students of the Union siege of Petersburg will be familiar with the part taken by the Wilmington & Weldon Rail Road in that action. An outstanding Americana collectable, this offering will frame up nicely or will lay in to enhance any number of collectable categories.
Buy with confidence! We are pleased to offer a no questions asked three day inspection with return as purchased on direct sales! Just send us a courtesy e-mail to let us know your item will be returned per these provisions and your purchase price will be refunded accordingly. Thanks for visiting Gunsight Antiques!
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6072
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scarce ! period Maine redware - single serving BEAN POT
Too small for anything but single serving camp use, these little 3 ½ high by 3 ¼ inch mouth diameter, pottery bean pots must have lost favor for all else as period examples have disappeared from the scene even here in Maine where the little native red-ware pot was a natural to the baked kidney bean eating Yankee. Easy to carry and high in protein, dried beans were plumped by soaking in water prior to being place in the pot with, if one were so fortunate, a healthy portion of molasses, touch of brown sugar, pinch of dried mustard then topped with a cube of salt pork. Buried to the rim in the coals of a campfire with a flat stone to cover the mouth and hold in heat, the little pot would soon offer a tasty, trail hardy meal. Emanating from a Maine farm attic, this little gem remains in excellent, unused condition and offers good period characteristics to include the telltale raw outer surface with interior glaze. Consistent with the field practice of using a stone, there is no inner lip for a cover as was common to larger homebean pots. Surviving in as new and unused condition with no chips, cracks, or other issues this little period Maine baked bean pot will be a nice find for the Civil War era personal item enthusiast! Buy with confidence! We are pleased to offer a no questions asked three day inspection with return as purchased on direct sales! Just send us a courtesy e-mail to let us know your item will be returned per these provisions and your purchase price will be refunded accordingly. Thanks for visiting Gunsight Antiques!
If you have an interest in neat Civil War period things or Maine in the time, you may enjoy our museum site at:
MaineLegacy.com
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60166
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outstanding ‘before & after’ Postmortem Daguerreotype group
Our photos will offer the best description of this lot except to advise that each daguerreotype retains its original seal and while the postmortem has some specs behind the glass (on the glass & not on the image) the three 6th plate daguerreotypes remain in pleasing, all original and as found condition. Emanating from a Maine estate where they had been maintained together the two of the gentleman are easily recognizable as one and the same. The accompanying lady bears an identification as Mary Hanson Verrill. Good fodder for some researcher, this group of three daguerreotypes is deserving of staying together. Buy with confidence! We are pleased to offer a no questions asked three day inspection with return as purchased on direct sales! Just send us a courtesy e-mail to let us know your item will be returned per these provisions and your purchase price will be refunded accordingly. Thanks for visiting Gunsight Antiques!
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4214
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earlier to mid 19th century ladies Fur Gloves & Muff
A wonderful companion piece to lay in with earlier to mid 1800s antique ladies collectables, this beautiful vintage fur muff and gloves grouping show good age and originality yet remain in excellent eye appealing condition. Clearly crafted as a matched set, the hand stitching and decorative lining remains solid and in pleasing condition. Buy with confidence! All direct sales are backed by no questions asked three day inspection with return as purchased ! Just send us a courtesy e-mail to let us know your item is being returned per these previsions and your purchase price will be refunded accordingly. Thanks for visiting Gunsight Antiques!
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5905
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Civil War vintage PEWTER WHISTLE
Illustrated here with a U.S. quarter for size comparison, this neat little period pewter whistle remains in pleasing condition with good evidence of pewter casting methods of the period with natural age patina that comes to this material with time. Difficult to find nowadays, Civil War site digger/historians have well documented examples of the period style and material. Will lay in well in any period personal grouping. (see: Excavated Artifacts from Battlefields & Campsites of the Civil War by Phillips) As with all direct sales, we are pleased to offer a no questions asked three day inspection with refund of the purchase price upon return as purchased! Thanks for visiting Gunsight Antiques !
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5774
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Dr. Francis Lord’s own - Civil War LETTER & NUMBER DEVICE DISPLAY
Dr. Francis Lord’s Civil War show 19 X 22 ¾ inch letter and number display board is offered here untouched just as the pioneer Civil War collector and author created it. The display offers 100 original Civil War period letters and numbers organized in sets according to size and style then wired (a few are glued) to a sheet of heavy art board and backed with a second art board sheet. Please note: We hope this piece will remain intact as a collection and have priced it at much less than half the going retail total of its individual parts hoping that will encourage purchase by an appreciative collector.
A breakdown of the display with approximate size is as follows, sizes starting at the top by row:
7- 1 7/16 inch LETTERS ; 4- 1 3/8, 1- 1 5/8, 1-2, 1 2/4 inch NUMBERS; 8 – 1 1/16 inch LETTERS; 9 – 1 inch NUMBERS; 8 -1 inch LETTERS; 7- 1 inch LETTERS; 13 – ¾ inch NUMBERS; 13 – ¾ inch LETTERS; 7- ¾ inch LETTERS; 10- ½ inch NUMBERS; 12-1/2 inch LETTERS
Of interest to the collector and preserved in our accompanying letter will be the fact that we acquired this piece several years ago when we were fortunate enough to purchase several groupings from the personal collection of our longtime friend, Dr. Francis Lord. A pioneer Civil War collector from a day when nearly no one else paid much attention to the details of many now valued Civil War collectable categories, Francis authored the widely known, multi volume reference, Lord’s CIVIL WAR COLLECTORS ENCYCLOPEDIA. While a lot of detailed knowledge has been gained as the interest and value of Civil War collectibles increased so dramatically over the years, Dr. Lord’s first and second volumes in particular and his Civil War Sutlers & Their Wares continue to offer valuable and reliable reference to Civil War collectors. (Use Lord in our search feature to find any other Lord collection items.) Thanks for visiting Gunsight Antiques!
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2672
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Civil War Major General Franklin CDV
A nice E. & H. T. Anthony, Matthew Brady backmarked albumen photograph of General William B. Franklin, who was considered one of the most gifted of his military counterparts graduating first in his U. S. Military Academy class at West Point in 1843. Franklin won a brevet for gallantry in the Mexican War at Buena Vista and as an Army engineer would later be placed in charge of the construction of the new Capitol dome in Washington the erection of the Treasury and Post Office buildings. He commanded a brigade at the 1st Battle of Bull Run, and led a division, and subsequently the 6th Corps, with distinction during the Peninsular Campaign. During the Maryland campaign, he commanded the forces which penetrated Crampton's Gap at South Mountain, and his corps at Antietam. At the battle of Fredericksburg, he commanded the ‘Left Grand Division’. He later commanded the 19th Corps in the expedition to Sabine Pass and in the ill fated Red River campaign in which he was wounded. During his leave,
And while still an invalid, he was captured by Confederate raiders while riding on a train of the Baltimore & Philadelphia road, but made his escape the same night. He was given the Brevet rank of Brigadier General, June 30, 1862, for gallant and meritorious service in the battles before Richmond, and Brevet Major General U. S. Army March 13, 1865 for gallant and meritorious services in the field during the war.
Manufacturer: E. & H. T. Anthony
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6064
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S C marked - Civil War import Austrian Cavalry Pistol
This scarce import Austrian horse pistol has a 10 3/8 inch .665 smooth bore barrel with a period arsenal conversion from the European tubelock system to standard American percussion. The Model1851 pistol was not equipped with a ramrod channel or ramrod as, in use by Austrian Dragoons, the rammer was carried separately. In line with intended mounted use and carrying, the pistol’s design offers the unusual feature of attached sling swivels. The barrel and lock face do not show arsenal markings with the exception of reversed initials on the back side of the lock (see photo). Requiring some additional research and of potential significance to the Confederate collector will be the small SC (South Carolina ?) one piece stamp on the opposite side of the lock. This offering remains in pleasing condition with good evidence of contemporary use and carrying to include a clearly period crack repair to the wood adjacent to the barrel just forward of the lock. Despite good evidence of at least a small number of these Austrian conversion having found their way into the American Civil War, existing examples of such have been extremely elusive and are seldom found even in the older, advanced collections. A complete example has been preserved in the Smithsonian Institution collection as a specimen from Civil War purchases. (see:Civil War Guns by Wm. Bennett Edwards) Additionally a relic lock is known to exist having been recovered in 1924 at the Pea Ridge battlefield in Arkansas. Acquired some time ago and set aside per our personal fascination with the myriad of Civil War imports, this is the only example of such we have owned, in our fifty plus years of active search for such treasures.
Buy with confidence! We are pleased to offer a no questions asked three day inspection with return as purchased on direct sales! Just send us a courtesy e-mail to let us know your item will be returned per these provisions and your purchase price will be refunded accordingly. Thanks for visiting Gunsight Antiques!
A note about firearms: WE EMPHASIZE HERE THAT THIS PIECE IS CONSIDERED AN ANTIQUE / COLLECTABLE. IT IS OFFERED AS A HISTORICAL COLLECTABLE ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSIDERED FIREABLE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. PURCHASE OF THIS ITEM WILL CONSTITUTE A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF AND AGREEMENT WITH THE ABOVE.
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5828
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handcrafted antique - DICE CUP & BONE DICE
At first glance not a big deal but if you appreciate Civil War personal items or period gaming and gambling primitives, this old hand crafted dice cup with period hand cut bone dice will be especially appreciated. This well-worn old cup was fashioned from a single piece of hardwood drilled out leaving the telltale marking of a hand brace and auger. The sides were them shaved to finish of the thin walled game cup. The uneven lip with a rich natural gloss to the outside surface offer good evidence of age with lots of period use and handling. The old bone dice housed in the cup (illustrated here with a quarter for size comparison) are clearly the product of a make-do effort, hand cut and crudely formed from bone. Like the cup they offer unquestionable evidence of age and period handling. A worthy addition to any early American gaming or personal item grouping, this cup and dice set will fit especially well set in with American gold rush items or relics of the American West as well as the Civil War. Buy with confidence! We are pleased to offer a no questions asked three day inspection with return as purchased on direct sales! Just send us a courtesy e-mail to let us know your item will be returned per these provisions and your purchase price will be refunded accordingly. Thanks for visiting Gunsight Antiques! :
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