Civil War vintage- horseshoe TRAVEL SHAVING MIRROR Remaining in pleasing condition with good evidence of period use, handling and originality this vintage travel mirror measures 5 inches by 4 1/8 inches wide and is set off by a glass mirror that remains solid and unbroken while displaying the classic age distortion of a 19th century mercury backing. This lite weight tin framed, horseshoe shaped shaving mirror will display well in any Civil War era personal item grouping. 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!
 

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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Lord collection acquired - original Civil War Enlisted ARTILLERY DEVICE Acquired several years ago when we were fortunate enough to purchase several groupings from the personal collections of our longtime friend Dr. Francis Lord, this period original issue artillery insignia device offers that desirable, untouched age patina and with the exception that the easily replaced attachment wires have been removed remains in fine original condition. (Those Oldtimers who were fortunate enough to know Francis will remember and lament his habit of removing attachment wires and sometimes even using hot melt to mount such insignia for one of his many displays.)
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 had an abiding interest in all manner of 19th century military equipage. His primary interest was in Civil War however and led to his widely known, multi volume, pioneer 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 other Lord collection items.) 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 !

 

19th century hand stitched SOFTBALL Not a big deal but a nice inclusion in any circa 1800s antique grouping, this hand stitched leather softball measures approximately 3 5/8 inches in diameter and remains in pleasing condition with good evidence of age and originality.
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18th century Martially Decorated SNUFF BOX This lacquered paper mache snuff box measures 2 ¼ inches in diameter and remains in pleasing all original and untouched condition featuring the hand painted image of a period elite and colorfully uniformed archer complete with quivered arrows and crossbow in hand. With good evidence of age and period use, even to the remains of period coarse ground snuff, this attractive tobacco snuff box will set in nicely in any quality period display. 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 Hard Rubber – Medical / Surgical Irrigation Syringe This eye appealing Civil War vintage hard rubber syringe remains in pleasing original condition with no breaks, cracks or other issues. Measuring approximately 8 inches in total length, this irrigation syringe will fit well in any Civil War era medical / surgical collection, (see: Damman’s Pictorial Encyclopedia of Civil War Medical Instruments & Equipment ). A growing collectable category in and of itself this material is the subject of broad interest well served by Mike Woshner’s reference INDIA-RUBBER & GUTTA-PERCHA IN 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!


 

Mexican War dated - Military Lithograph – Waugh’s Quick Step – sheet music This original Mexican War vintage color lithographed sheet music is titled WAUGH’S QUICK STEP and is dedicated to Capt. J. L. Waugh of the 5th Company National Guard and was published in New York by Firth, Hall & Pond in 1847. Set off by a colorful military lithograph, this piece remains in pleasing condition as is best described here by our illustrations. Complete in four untrimmed 9 7/8 X 13 ¼ inch sheets demonstrating good evidence of age and originality but without tears or repairs.
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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.
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Patriotic DESK BELL from period repurposed pre Civil War - US Army Camel Corps bell Commercially repurposed for sale from army surplus this attractive old bell measures approximately 3 ¼ inches across the mouth and stands about 6 inches high. The bell remains in excellent untouched and original condition retaining a pleasing bronze patina and a goodly amount of its black enamel on the handle. The bell sports an attractive cast in panoply of American Eagles with shield, banner and star bursts. Examples of these bells, with an account of their origin, may be seen in the U. S. Army Quartermaster Museum collection at Fort Lee, Virginia. These bells were cast in four sizes (this being the smallest) under contract to the U. S. Army during the Pierce and Buchanan administrations for use by experimental Army camel pack trains moving from Texas to the West Coast. A solution to the occurrence of blinding dust storms, Camels were trained to march in line following the sound of the bell of preceding camel during long treks. The bells are said to have been later pressed into use by the Army during the Civil War with collectors of that era frequently referring to these artifacts as Union Cavalry Bells referencing Dr. Francis Lord’s Civil War Collectors Encyclopedia. Though in our fifty plus years of seeking out such things, we have had three or four of the patriotic motif bells in addition to a full set of varying sizes in our own collection, we have seen only two other example of this small size repurposed bell. One remaining in our own collection, all are identical in so far as construction clearly repurposed by the same source. 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 George Washington Gutta Percha Tobacco Pipe Best described here by our photos as to condition and eye appeal, this attractive old gutta percha George Washington pipe remains solid and pleasing to the eye while offering the good evidence and charm of period use. Solid but clearly visible heat cracks offer testimony as to why this period material was so seldom used for this purpose.
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!

 

period sheared top INK and DIPPING PEN The product of a Louisiana excavation, this authentic old sheared top ink remains in pleasing condition with no chips, cracks or dingsand offers good color with all the characteristics of Civil War and earlier 1800s artifact collectors appreciate. Offered here with an original period used but not abused ink dipping pen this pair will display nicely with any quality period grouping.
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!

 

Family album identified CDV - 2nd N H Inf. sharpshooter armed - Gettysburg fatally Best described here by our photos as to subject and eye appeal, this identified early Civil War image of freshly enlisted William W. Ballard as a Private of Co. C 2nd New Hampshire Infantry is a bit light in contrast and trimmed in the period to fit the period family album page but is clearly worthy of an appreciative home and preservation. Enlisting as a Private on May 11, 1861, Ballard seems to have had sharpshooter* aspirations as he poses here with a half stock caplock rifle before he was quickly commissioned to 2nd Lieutenant on November 11, 1861. Promoted to 1st Lieutenant on July 11,1862 and wounded at 2nd Bull Run. just over a month later Ballard would be fatally wounded at Gettysburg July 2nd1863.
*see: reference to 2nd NH Inf sharpshooters and their focus on advancing Confederate color bearers at Gettysburg - p141 History of the Second Regiment New Hampshire Volunteers by Martin Haynes 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! Civil War- Extra Rich- STAFF GRADE OFFICER'S HAT CORD Another product of a search of our 50 plus years accumulation, this attractive high grade bullion hat cord with the netted acorns is from a small acquisition of some years ago when we were fortunate enough to acquire a grouping of Civil War surplus smalls that had been set aside from the inventory of the defunct Philadelphia Army Surplus firm of Stokes / Kirk. No exception to the other items in the lot, this officers hat cord remains in fine, as new and unissued condition yet offer good evidence of age and originality and will please the most discriminating collector. This extra rich grade cord is of the gold bullion, double cord type with netted caps and slide with extra thick 3/16 inch diameter cord and netted acorns that measure a full 1 3/8 inch in length. A variation of the type is referred to in the 1864 Schuyler, Hartley & Graham Military Goods catalogue as a General Officers cord though they are seen on the better officer slouch hats of all grades (see: Don Troiani's REGIMENT'S & UNIFORMS of the CIVIL WAR p. 252, see also: Gen. Thomas G. Stevenson slouch hat, p. 185 Time Life’s ECHOES OF GLORY – Arms & Equipment of the Union.) 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!
 

especially desirable - Federal Eagle – powder flask Once again, reflective of our personal preference for the charm of untouched real history with period use while remaining in pleasing condition, this attractive double sided Federal Eagle with shield and E PLURIBUS UNUM powder flask will make an eye appealing addition when laid in with a Civil War vintage percussion revolver. Measuring approximately 5 5/8 inches in length including the charger, by 2 ¾ inches wide, this especially hard to find design flask retains nearly all of its original dark finish while offering the assurance of use and period originality. An especially nice item for the serious Civil War collector / historian, at age 80 this is only the second of the type we have encountered in our now 60 sum odd years of aggressively seeking out such things.
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original! earlier to mid-1800s clay TOBACCO PIPE Best described here by our photo illustrations, this attractive Black American motif tobacco pipe measures approximately 5 inches in length and remains in excellent unused condition while offering good evidence of age and period originality. An exceptionally nice item in any quality Civil War era personal item grouping.
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!