Fifty + years of handling history with care.
Janet and Bedford Hayes have spent more than three decades finding, researching, and placing genuine period pieces — uniforms, field gear, photography, and the everyday objects of 18th and 19th century American life. Their work has furnished museum cases and private collections alike.
Every piece that comes through our door is examined, dated, and described plainly — no guesswork, no exaggeration. If we’re not certain, we’ll tell you so.
“The web site your friends won’t tell you about.”
All Manner of Quality Americana
With emphasis to the Civil War era military & non military.
Military Uniforms & Insignia
Coats, kepis, buttons, and rank badges of the war years.
Field Gear & Camp Life
Canteens, mess tins, drums, and the tools of daily soldiering.
Photography & Ephemera
Tintypes, cartes de visite, letters, and printed keepsakes.
Currency & Documents
Period notes, bonds, deeds, and hand‑penned correspondence.
Domestic & Textile Arts
Quilts, samplers, sashes, and the handwork of the home.
Presentation Pieces
Awarded, engraved, or documented items with a known history.
A Few Recent Arrivals
A small sampling — the full catalog is updated as new pieces are catalogued.
Civil War era PATRIOTIC BADGE
Absolutely original and in mint condition, this patriotic star badge measures approximately 1 7/8 inches across and is constructed of thin die struck brass. The construction style is…
Inquire →author signed Confederates Downeast: Confederate Operations in and Around
Not a big deal but if you have an interest in Civil War Confederate activity in the East, particularly Confederate operations in and around Maine, and you don’t…
Inquire →Exceptional! 19th century – Signal Corp – hand colored collotype
Best described here by our illustrations, this impressive antique collotype remains in exceptional condition and is an original from the1892 military history folio group ‘The Army and Navy…
Inquire →We've furnished cases for some of the finest museums and private collections in the country — and we still answer the door ourselves.