Golden Thread A photo of your favorite Civil War treasure or display

@Virginia Dave A great thread!! I enjoy looking at what other people have collected. One of my FaceBook friends has a similar request on FaceBook. I have a lot of military items in my collection---mostly WW2--- but I don't have room to display all of it. But I don't have any display for Civil War relics. I want to display some of my Civil War bullets but I'm not sure how I want to do that.

This thread challenged me to finish one display that I was working on that is somewhat related to the Civil War. I had gathered all the material and cut out the pieces but I didn't have it assembled. I decided I would finish this project and get it hanging on my wall before this thread had lost interest.

This is my 1850's .31 caliber Boot Pistol. I posted something about this in CampFire Chat so some may not have read about my search to identify this pistol and my test fire on the range. I obtained this pistol via FaceBook MarketPlace group, believe it or not. That post is at: Got a "new" pistol.

Here is my shadow box I just finished. It still needs some minor additions but it is ready to hang on the wall---without the pistol falling off. Since boot pistols were used by gamblers, I made the theme of the shadow box about gambling. I printed copies of old dollar bills in full size--as best as I could estimate. I plan to attach a replica coin of the period.

The shadow box hanging in my office above my books shelves.
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Interesting---in this photo you can't see how the pistol is "attached" to the green felt gambling table.
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I love it. How did you get the pistol attached? Great idea to copy the bills. Where did you find the pictures to copy.
 
How did you get the pistol attached? Great idea to copy the bills. Where did you find the pictures to copy.
First the $-bills and cards. That is where Google comes in handy. I googled the bills and their sizes as well as the cards. I had to include Hickock's "Dead Man's hand" of black aces and eights. I plan to reprint the cards individually.

Second, the construction.
The green felt is actually a mat used to lay your guns on during cleaning. It is strong and thick and has a plastic backing---and cheap. I had a hard time finding something that would allow me to glue it to a thin piece of Hobby-Lobby plywood. Finally, I found a 10-year old tube of epoxy sealer for brick or something that worked.
What is holding the pistol?
I drilled a hole into the plywood to epoxy a 1-inch long, 1/4-inch dowel. I cut a piece of the green mat material to wrap around the dowel. Before epoxying, I stripped off the plastic backing from the green felt. The felt was wrapped around the dowel, leaving extra material on one side and some to cover the end of the dowel. I had tested my idea to see if the Hammer of the pistol would grip a 1/4-inch dowel.
The pistol appears as if it was at half cock. But this gun doesn't have a half cock. Instead, the hammer gripping the felt-covered dowel. The extra felt is slightly pinched between the Hammer and the Nipple. (I forgot to add a percussion cap)
I had considered attaching a bent needle or small nail such that it would hold the tip of the barrel in this position. Didn't need it.
 
First the $-bills and cards. That is where Google comes in handy. I googled the bills and their sizes as well as the cards. I had to include Hickock's "Dead Man's hand" of black aces and eights. I plan to reprint the cards individually.

Second, the construction.
The green felt is actually a mat used to lay your guns on during cleaning. It is strong and thick and has a plastic backing---and cheap. I had a hard time finding something that would allow me to glue it to a thin piece of Hobby-Lobby plywood. Finally, I found a 10-year old tube of epoxy sealer for brick or something that worked.
What is holding the pistol?
I drilled a hole into the plywood to epoxy a 1-inch long, 1/4-inch dowel. I cut a piece of the green mat material to wrap around the dowel. Before epoxying, I stripped off the plastic backing from the green felt. The felt was wrapped around the dowel, leaving extra material on one side and some to cover the end of the dowel. I had tested my idea to see if the Hammer of the pistol would grip a 1/4-inch dowel.
The pistol appears as if it was at half cock. But this gun doesn't have a half cock. Instead, the hammer gripping the felt-covered dowel. The extra felt is slightly pinched between the Hammer and the Nipple. (I forgot to add a percussion cap)
I had considered attaching a bent needle or small nail such that it would hold the tip of the barrel in this position. Didn't need it.
Very creative. I will have to try that when I get a pistol.
 
The folding wood desk, the glass and pewter flask, and the prayer books are authentic. Everything else for my chaplain impression is reproduction. Got my eye on an authentic chaplain's
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saber...
 
Those are some great pieces. I love the certificate I would love to find something like that. WOW
These items along with his furlough papers, several letters, CS money, and his sword were kept by my grandfather. My grandfather's grandfather was the veteran and these items are family heirlooms that my grandfather passed down to me. After the war, he cut down the sword to about 18" so he could use it to cut corn and tobacco on the farm. When I was a child, there was a McClellan saddle hanging on a nail inside one of the out buildings at the farm.
 
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I just had and idea. Since many are spending more time at home. Why not take a photo of your favorite Civil War treasure or display. Here is mine. Now show us yours. Have a wonderful day.
What a great idea! I collect canes and will send a picture of my Civil War canes which have become my favorites. I've enjoyed seeing what everyone has here, wonderful items. We all share the collecting bug!
 
This is one of my most treasured Civil War pictures. This is Robert Gould Shaw Col. of the 54th Mass. My mother drew this for my wife who loved the movie Glory. My mom worked in the Animation industry and had worked for Disney, Hanna-Barbera, Marvel and many others. She’s gone now.
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I’ll play since my book launch got posted this morning. The highlight of my collection is an original letter written by Surgeon James D. Benton in 1864. He wrote letters home during his time with the 111th and 98th NY between 1862-1865. The descendants of Benton that I met with during the writing of the book sold the entire collection minus one and they were gracious enough to sell me the remaining letter.

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Great display on a very interesting soldier/surgeon who made important contributions to Civil War medical practices. I have read some of his letters in relation to the field hospital scene at Savage Station depicted in the photograph. Can't recall which book, but now I'll be anxious to purchase the entire collection. My great-grandfather, with Petitt's Battery B of the 1st NY Light Artillery, was wounded less than a 1/2 mile away as part of the II Corps, 1st Division's rear guard support during the withdrawal on June 29. The story of the medical corps and their systematic improvements by the Peninsula Campaign is perhaps underappreciated. Great display and thanks for sharing.
 
View attachment 351822

I just had and idea. Since many are spending more time at home. Why not take a photo of your favorite Civil War treasure or display. Here is mine. Now show us yours. Have a wonderful day.
I would post a photo, but I just moved and things are still packed away. However, I can tell you what I have. I have three swords, two cavalry and one NCO. The cavalry are Emerson and Silver (1865), and Roby (1864). The NCO is an Ames (1863] and still has the leather scabbard intact. I have a letter written by a soldier with the 8th Wisc. who died at Corinth a year after the letter was written. I have shrapnel from Gettysburg, various bullets also from Gettysburg including a buck and ball. As well as a piece of wood with a 58 cal. bullet imbedded in it that came from Culp’s Hill. Not to mention several bullets and a buckle from Antietam.
 
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