Stove Pipe Hat – of early LDS / Mormon Leader, ‘High Priest’ Ezra Booth Saved from oblivion by the common availability of original research material, this historically significant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints related relic is best described here as to condition and authenticity by our photo illustrations. Remaining in exceptional all original condition, this historic stovepipe bever hat bears the signature of early Mormon leader Ezra Booth. Offered here as found at a well-established Eastern antique market where the significance of the inscription was totally unrecognized, we extend here for authenticity, an illustration of an established signature for comparison to the Ezra Booth inscription in the hat.
Ordained in1831to the high priesthood from among a small group of early followers of LDS founder Joseph Smith, Ezra Booth had been a popular Methodist minister before witnessing a healing performed by Smith. So struck by what he had witnessed at the hands of the fledgling Mormon Church founder, Booth became a convert and was baptized and ordained an elder in May 1831. Ordained to be a high priest June 3, 1831 Ezra Booth was called to go to Missouri to preach the word of the Book of Mormon. Booth quickly became disheartened as he had apparently expected that he would convert people through the performance of miracles, as had been his experience with Smith. When no miracles were forthcoming, he became disillusioned and fell into disfavor of the Church. By September 6, 1831, Booth was silenced from preaching as an Elder by Joseph Smith and less than three days later after being a member for only five months, Booth renounced Mormonism. In a series of letters published in the Ohio Star beginning in November 1831, Booth’s criticisms had a public impact such that they were republished in 1834 book entitled Mormonism Unveiled. Ezra Booth’s brief role in the early Mormon movement continues to be referenced by the LDS today.

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historic 1838 / 1839 - Aroostook Border War EPAULETTE A rarely surviving example of the period common practice of wearing a single epaulette as insignia of rank by military officers both militia and Regulars*, this silver Captain of Infantry epaulette is accompanied by a Sergeant’s epaulette, both offered here as set aside decades ago with the notation from Father’s uniform 1839 Aroostook War Lizzie J Longley Rines. Our research finds Lizzie J Longley Rines as the 1843 Bangor, Maine daughter of Aroostook War** participant then Captain of the Old Town, Maine Militia Capt. Stover Rines. [As an aside Lizzie Rines died in 1849 at her home in Boston.]
* After the Revolution the American system was that General to Major wore two epaulets while others wore one. Captain on the right, Lieutenant on left with silver designating infantry and dragoons with gold for artillery. Sergeants frequently wore an abbreviated epaulette held by a button on the right shoulder .
The Aroostook War occurred in 1838 and 1839 and was centered around a dispute between the U. S. and English over the international boundary between the British colony New Brunswick and the state of Maine. Simmering over a number of years a second and in the time equally paramount was the issue of navigation rights on the St. John River. Largely lost in time is the fact that earlier on these issues were responsible for the establishment of a US Army barracks in Hancock, Maine and the service of Robert E. Lee there as an Army surveyor. In 1839 Capt. Stover Rines and his company of militia was part force of some two hundred men who marched to Aroostook to arrest and imprison trespassers on state land. Capt. Rines and two other key figures leading the Maine force were ultimately taken captive and jailed in Fredericton, New Brunswick. The action inflamed both sides. Additional State troops were authorized and the US Congress raised 50,000 men to repel any actual invasion of American soil. The Aroostook War ultimately came to a bloodless end when General Winfield Scott was successful in negotiating a settlement between the parties. One of the officers serving under Gen. Scott at Headquarters, Eastern Division, United States Army, Augusta Maine was Robert Anderson later Major Robert Anderson of Fort Sumter fame.
While a Google search of Capt. Stover Rines Maine will offer considerably more detail on Capt. Rines and his service on the Maine frontier, we did not find an account of his earlier militia service thus can only assume that the included sergeants epaulette is a remnant progression through the ranks.
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desirable Civil War folk-art - MULTI – CORPS BADGE pendant Best described here by our photos as to eye appeal and condition, this burl wood pendant measures approximately 2 ½ inches by 2 ¼ inches wide and is ½ inch thick. Displayed on one face is a large 5th Corps device surrounded by 12th Corps, 24th Corps and 17th Corps devices, a fouled anchor with JULY 4 1863 across the lower edge. The opposite face sports a large 2nd Corps device surrounded by 1st , 3rd , 17th , 11th and 6th Corps badges. Each device is hand cut into the burl and filled with sealing wax to create a most colorful patriotic hand crafted, folk art pendant. 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!


 

died of wounds - 124th New York Infantry - 4th Sgt. Appointment Best described here by our photos as to condition and eye appeal, this appointment remains in pleasing condition with no repairs, tears or separations. Unusual as this form is typically reserved for commissions, the application here documents the appointment of Sandford T. Estabrook to ’4th Sergeant’ Co. G 124th New York Infantry. The appointment is signed by Col. Francis M. Cummings commanding and Co. G commander Lt. William B. VanHouten. It is dated April 27,1864 just days before Sgt. Estabrook would suffer fatal wounds at the Battle of the Wilderness. Soon to become a veteran Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg and lastly the Wilderness , twenty five year old Sandford T. Estabrook was mustered in on September 5,1862 as a Corporal in Co. G 124th NY Vols. Taken prisoner at Chancellorsville on May 3,1863, Estabrook was paroled and returned to his Regiment prior to its participation in the Battle of Gettysburg. He was severely wounded at the Battle of the Wilderness on May 5,1864 dying of those wounds at David’s Island Hospital on August 12,1864. 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!


 

Pat. 1874 - multiple MOUSE TRAP Best described by our photo illustrations, this vintage wooden mouse trap measures approximately 5 1/8 inches in diameter and is designed to ’accommodate’ as many as five mice. Though, unmarked as to manufacturer relative age is easily discerned by its construction and the utilization of the O. S. Watrous Patent August 25, 1874 design spring loaded trap mechanism. Watrous’s patent description describes a design intended to be more effective and humane compared to existing traps at the time. (see photos) A once common necessity, now a relic of a time when country homes and farms were inundated by small mice, this seldom surviving example remains in untouched working order. 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!
 

original! June 1, 1865 - Lincoln funeral – ORDER OF SERVICES This Capital of New Hampshire, Abraham Lincoln, Order of Services measures 9 ½ X 5 inches and remains untouched original condition with good evidence of age and originality while remaining in pleasing condition with no tears, folds or repairs. Issued to attendees of the June 1,1865 Abraham Lincoln funeral memorial, the handbill offers the complete memorial service with participants. A rarely surviving relic of a national mourning for the assassinated president. 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!  

Civil War vintage - matching four place MESS SET Especially desirable as a fully matching set, our photos will speak best for the condition and eye appeal except to advise that the set of eight individual pieces remains in excellent even unused condition apart from good evidence of age and originality. Seldom surviving in matching sets, this offering will make a welcome addition to any Civil War vintage mess grouping.
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179th Penn. Inf. – Harness Maker - Occupational CDV Best described here by our photo illustrations, this CDV offers a Civil War era occupational view of two horse harness makers complete with harness and harness vice. Back marked by J. S. Schooley of Watsontown., Pa. The reverse also bears the name of Daniel B. Yoast who enlisted and mustered in on 11/5/1862 as a Private of Co. C 179 Pennsylvania Infantry and mustered out with the regiment on 7/22/1863. 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!
 

Civil War Military Troop / Thermoplastic ‘Oreo’ Photo Case As found after decades of Maine attic storage, this Civil War military tintype is housed in its period thermoplastic pocket case will be best described by our photos as to condition, content and eye appeal. Measuring approximately 1 ¾ inch in diameter the photo case remains in pleasing condition with no chips or cracks offering a nice example of the period travel / pocket case now most frequently referred to by collectors as an Oreo Cookie case. 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!  

Richmond Evening Whig - April 5, 1865 - 1st edition after the fall of Richmond Dated Wednesday April 5,1865 just two days after the fall of Richmond, this original of Richmond’s Evening Whig offers a detailed accounting of the burning of the city. Filled with details of the conflagration as only a Richmond resident and eyewitness could provide, this single sheet, front and back, second day after the fall printing is augmented with all manner of the latest military news in the closing days of the Civil War. With period wear at the center fold and tattering at the edges, the sheet measures 18 X 12 inches, is sound but with expected delicacy. In May of 1862 the Whig went to a half sheet format to conserve paper. Suspended by the Union upon the fall of Richmond, the Whig was the first newspaper in the city to be operational again on April 4,1865 producing this April 5th edition of the Evening Whig. The Whig was published on available Confederate stock but as a Union paper. A desirable, seldom surviving remnant of Civil War history. 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!
 

vintage – Dog & Stag MEERSCHAUM TOBACCO PIPE A large example, (shown here with a quarter for size comparison) intricately carved with dog and stag, our illustrations will likely do best to describe this attractive old hunting motif meerschaum tobacco pipe. With lots of rich color as comes to natural meerschaum with many a pleasant smoke and a good period char as additional evidence of age and originality, this old hand carved pipe remains in pleasing condition and will display well in any tobacciana or period grouping. 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 !!


 

Confederate Captured & Repaired – Mod. 1816 Springfield Conversion Frequently ignored in the earlier years of collecting, ’captured and repaired’ or ’C & R’ Confederate used arms have come into their own in recent years as research has been shared and as evidenced by CAPT. Steven W. Knott’s definitive work ’Confederate Reissued Firearms’. Identifiable as such by a telltale font letter stamp located on the underside of the stock just forward of the trigger guard the mark placed by Confederate ordnance officers supervising the cleaning and repair, is rather innocuous to all but the experienced eye, however the distinctively ’cat tailed’ Q Confederate approval marking is of considerable significance particularly as the subject arm frequently shows marked period alteration, some from the Confederate cleaning and repair process and some by issue personal preference or make do field repair. Best described here by our illustrations as to overall condition and eye appeal, this Model 1816 Springfield smooth bore, cone in barrel, percussion conversion retains the original barrel shortened to 35 ¼ inches with a bead front sight. The unmarked, slotted for sighting, middle band is set forward of the usual location with filled band spring ports. The Springfield 1832 dated lock has what is likely a CS arsenal made hammer. All original to the Civil War years, this altered musket measures 51 inches in total length sports the usual array of Mod.1816 inspection markings and the all-important ’cat tailed’ Q Confederate approval mark just forward on the trigger guard tang.
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Civil War issue pair - lead filled- intertwined USA Bridal Rosettes In fully original and in untouched condition, these exceptionally nice intwined USA bridle rosettes have survived as a pair on their vintage collection mount.
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Civil War vintage - Meriden Britannia Company - Pat. 1861- WIRE REINFORCED SPOON Definitely a specialty item for the deep dish mess enthusiast or tableware collector, this Meriden Britannia Company spoon remains in excellent condition and though unmarked as to maker is clearly identifiable as a ’M.B.Co’ patented Feb. 26 1861 spoon by design and the mark of a wire end in the handle edge indicative to the patented application of a cast in internal wire reinforcement. The most significant of several improvement patents utilized by the Connecticut manufacturer, upon close inspection by the educated eye, the clip of the wire end on the side of the spoon handle (see patent drawing) identifies spoons made by M.B. Co. in the period, with or without the {PAT'D FEB.26.61} or maker’s marking. ( A Google search for artdesigncafe.com/g-i-mix-co-designs-history will offer the original parent drawing and description.)
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rare! Wadhams / Kinsley & Parker’s Pat. 1858 - Thermoplastic PHOTO CASE Best described here by our photo illustrations this WADHAMS Manufacturing Co. gutta-percha / thermoplastic, 9th plate photo case with its Kinsley & Parker’s HINGE Patented June 1st, 1858, remains in untouched and as found condition with a small tear to the velvet liner and a minor scuff to the original label but importantly, with no imperfections to the case itself. A rare photo case (see: Rinehart case No. 15) tight at the hinges and with no cracks, chips, blemishes or other condition issues. 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!