South Carolina Cavalry SHOTGUN Easily categorized as placing among the primary arms of Civil War Confederate troops, the especially frequent utilization of the Liege double barrel percussion shotgun by the Palmetto state has been well documented with Russ Pritchard and John Ashworth’s Confederate & Southern Agent Marked Shotguns offering a good deal of material specific to the utilization of imported Liege shotguns by South Carolina. Sporting a bold SC with PALMETTO period cut decoration on the brass patch box, the utilization of a heavy after manufacture forge applied rear sight (set back to suit the eye of the period user) and the addition of a sling bar modification from a Yankee McClellan saddle staple with the addition of an iron ring. (See p.91 of Confederate & Southern Agent marked Shotguns for a similar application) are all collector / historian desirable features military use. Measuring 45 ½ inches in total with heavy 29 ½ inch .8 gauge laminated steel barrels. Unmarked with the exception of the SC with PALMETTO and numerous Liege armorer marks under the barrels and on the backside of the locks. this walnut stocked shotgun remains in pleasing untouched no issues condition while offering good evidence of period use and carrying. Of note from the work in Pritchard and Ashworth in Confederate & Southern Agent marked Shotguns is that there were at least a dozen South Carolina importers that acted as agents of English and Belgian Shotguns. With examples of a variety of arms is offered, both agent marked and unmarked, it is evident that many went into service without alteration while fixed rear sights with the addition of a sling ring provided on arms intended for mounted use is noted. Another offering from the paring down from our decades of personal accumulation, this treasure will set well in any quality South Carolina, Confederate or simply Civil War vintage collection. 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 Ladies EARRINGS Set here with a period quarter for size comparison this attractive pair of Civil War earrings remain in all original as found condition and are ready for display as is with natural age patina or ready for wear with the application of jeweler’s polish. A special treat for the period purest as this modestly priced in the period pair was fashioned from die struck brass with a gold wash finish as opposed to gold. Clearly focusing on the everyday buyer of limited means, such a purchase would have been more in line with the limited budget of the common enlisted troop remembering a loved lady back home. 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 era mother of pearl – Dipping Pen Set here with a period quarter for size comparison, this attractive Civil War vintage dipping pen measures 7inches in length to include its original tapered shank nib. All original and in fine condition this eye catching ink pen will make a nice addition laid out with a period document, letter, journal or simply displayed with a period ink stand or desk. 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!


 

early to CIVIL WAR era TOLE DESK SET An attractive 8 5/8" X 12 5/8" japanned tin tray fitted with a wonderful removable glass lined tin inkwell also japanned and measuring approximately 3" in diameter by 2 ¾" high. The writing tray is fitted with two domed top japanned tin containers one on either side of the inkwell. All tole work is period with lapped and soldered seams, a wonderful example of lost skills, and most impressive is the presents of virtually all of the original japanning finish with only the most minor chipping (easily touched up if you wish but we'd keep it pure and original). A neat item for the writing implement collector and a beautiful companion piece for any Americana group to no later than the Civil War era.
 

PALMETTO FROND BASKET An attractive little basket, hand crafted in the classic style of the Civil War era American South. This example is in excellent condition without the usual breaks and loose ends and is fashioned from the light palm frond indicative of the local palmetto. The basket measures approximately 5 ½ “ high and 6 1/2” in diameter at its’ widest point. A neat item hard to find in this condition! 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 our catalog!!

 

18th early 19th century iron bound GREASE HORNS Equally in their proper place on a Revolutionary War / War of 1812 Artillery Carriage or suspended from the side of a western bound prairie schooner, the 1700s early 1800s with use into the Civil War era grease horn was an integral utility used in the day to store and carry lubricant for applicant to the heavy wooden wheel hubs. Intact examples such as are offered here are seldom encountered on today’s collector market as discarded or stored horn pairs invited insect and animal damage all attracted by the grease once contained within. Hand crafted from steer horn and blacksmith bound in black iron with forged attachment suspension chain, the mouth of each horn was plugged with a small corked access hole for application and refilling. Stoutly made for rough usage and exposure to the elements this all original pair of grease horns measure 18 from tip to butt and remain as found with good evidence of period use and a deep natural age patina to iron and horn. The exceptional iron work with fancy integral chain will set this pair will set them in good stead in any 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! :


 

C. S. Lt. GEN. WADE HAMPTON’S SIGNED FREEMASON’S MONITOR Lt. Gen. Wade Hampton’s inscribed 1858, 1st edition copy of Webb’s Freemason’s Monitor. Entering the war on July 12,1861as Colonel of "Hampton's South Carolina Legion" (which he equipped at his own expense), Wade Hampton would be wounded at 1st Manassas and would command an Infantry Brigade in the Peninsula Campaign. He was soon be promoted to Brig. General and assigned to brigade commander in J. E. B. Stuarts Cavalry Corps (7/18/1862). General Hampton participated in Stuart’s operations from 1862 to 1864, again suffering severe wounds at Gettysburg. Hampton succeeded to command General J. E. B. Stuart’s corps upon Stuart’s death at Yellow Tavern. At the close of the war this hard fought patriot of the Confederacy would hold the rank of Lt. General in command of the Cavalry of the Army of Northern Virginia. Gen. Wade Hampton’s signed Masonic volume remains in excellent condition with a good tight binding and minimal period wear. It’s deeply embossed cover with gold guilt Masonic embellishment offer lots of eye appeal. A most desirable signature and an outstanding personal item of one of the Confederacies most renowned patriots. Thanks for visiting Gunsight Antiques!!

Manufacturer: Webb’s Freemason’s Monitor  

Rare TURNER SOCIETY Civil War BUCKLE / 8th MARYLAND INFANTRY The beautifully engraved nickel-silver waist belt plate of William Eckhardt as a member of the German American TURNER SOCIETY. (An organization of German immigrants founded in this country in 1848, based on the political and cultural Turner societies that had existed in Germany since the Napoleonic Wars.) We will let the plate speak for itself through our illustrations leaving the bulk of our comment to the history. Rare though they rare, there are sufficient 0if these plates to indicate that each is unique. While they offer common society mottoes and signs with common construction, material and style, each seem to have been individually designed to the liking of the wearer. A common feature though is the identification of the specific society member. In this instance the plate offers the script engraved identification ofWilliam Eckhardt who is listed in the 1858 Baltimore directory as a tavern owner at 13 Second Street. He enlisted on October 29, 1862 to serve as a private of Co. K 8th Maryland Infantry. (His Co. K of the 8th was composed of drafted men and substitutes.) By the 1850s the Turner Society was operating in major American cities with Baltimore as a hub of their influence. Expansion spawned formation of the American Know-Nothing party and ultimately led to violent clashes between the two groups. As strong minded Unionists, Turners served in the Civil War Federal military in such numbers that many chapters became inactive or were disbanded because of the number serving in the army. Existing period images of members wearing these distinctive belt plates and at least one example of a battlefield recovery serves to document Civil War military use by Unionist German immigrants. See Thomas Rentschler’s work on German American service in the Civil War and O’Donnell & Campbell’s work on American Military Belt Plates offering an identified Shiloh battlefield recovery. Referred to by specialist collectors as Clear the road !! or Get out of the way!! waist belt plates for the ever present German ’Bahn Frei’ motto, existing examples are prized by specialty collectors. Thanks for visiting Gunsight Antiques!


 

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!


 

exceptional ! high profile Civil War era Zouave Fez In a collecting field steeped with variations requiring a specialized appreciation of those variations, there is likely someone out there that will recognize this attractive Zouave fez as indicative to a particular regiment but we will leave that to the experts. With that said our photos will offer the best description of this wonderful crimson red fez. Fashioned from that classic period wool felt that it seems was most desirable to hungry moths, original examples seldom survive in any kind of condition yet while this example exhibits some minor moth tracking as evidence of age and originality it is solid with no holes and retains its original bright crimson coloration with no fading. An especially nice, high profile Zouave fez complete with its original leather sweat band and false bullion regimental number, this early Civil War fez will go well on its own or in any period headgear collection. 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 Cannon PULL TOY Untouched and as found after decades of attic storage, this wooden cannon pull toy offers lots of eye appeal with a pleasing complement of its original gold paint finish with good evidence of age and originality while remaining in pleasing condition. Measure approximately 14 inches in total length and standing about 5 inches from floor to tip of the muzzle, this piece offers will offer an attractive representation of a classic Civil War era toy type. (see: Jefferson Davis home White House of the Confederacy museum collection) A nice addition to any Civil War 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!

 

7th South Carolina Cavalry ‘Holcombe’s Legion’ - Stirrup with forged Iron Bit Of interest to the Confederate Cavalry enthusiast, this crudely made make dostirrup bears an obviously period ink notation Picked up at Holcombe’s Legion camp Peter and comes with an iron bit of hand forged black iron. (While the bit could be considered as incidental to the stirrups as they were not acquired together, the crudity of bit is so complementary we are bound to offer the two as a pair.) While not easy to read and more difficult to photograph, the period ink script is discernable under close inspection and is bolstered by a later paper tag noting the original text with the notation ’ Diascund Bridge’ Our research found that , Holcombe's Cavalry was camped above Cole's Ferry at Camp Peter near Diascund Bridge in January and February of 1863. A really eye appealing pair that will fit well in any quality Confederate Cavalry 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!


 

Lady with ‘Red-Coats’ - painted LANTERN SLIDE Best described here by our illustrations, such wood mounted Magic Lantern slides saw considerable use through the mid 1860’s though the type actually predate the wet plate generated photo slides popular in the Civil War era. This one offers a colorfully hand colored and artist rendered Revolutionary War view of a of a young maiden chatting with British soldiers.
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 era TEAR BOTTLE This tear bottle measures approximately 5 1/8 inches in length and is in fine condition with its original gold fired decoration and retaining its period seal . A desirable item for the Victorian era mourning collector, the tear bottle was an especially popular personal memento among the ladies of the Civil War South. An example may be found in the Museum of the Confederacy collection in Richmond, Virginia. This example remains in especially nice condition and will make a most attractive companion piece with any quality Civil War ladies 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!

 

Massachusetts Civil War Vet’s - G. A. R. Membership Medal An especially nice Grand Army of the Republic membership medal with a Massachusetts Device remains in especially nice throughout retaining its original fine condition ribbon and early T-back post officers suspension bar. This especially attractive Civil War veteran medal is offered here direct from years of storage and is untouched with, sharp edges, a rich natural age patina and original suspension ribbon. Per G. A. R. requirements, these handsome medals were cast from the bronze of Confederate cannon. ( This medal will come with a nice color facsimile of an original issue envelope face attesting to use of captured Confederate cannon metal.) An attractive memento from a time when the G.A.R. was the most influential group in the country. 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!