Another Gettysburg Relic

[cannon sitter]

I just acquired this in a small sale here in England. Feels right as an object with seemingly Confederate fuse plug and M&M bullets. The patina of it all hangs together and the lettering harkens of an earlier moment. It's a great ponderable......any thoughts from ya'll out there. Thanks, Cannon Sitter

 

[Wartime Collectables]

Gettysburg was a 'tourist attraction' seemingly beginning July 5th.
Locals made these souvenirs as momento's and to sell to visitors.
Love the look of yours! Thank you for sharing it.

 

[mofederal]

I like it very much, thanks for posting it. Taking battlefield souvenirs/pickups and turning them into a useful item. Early Trench Art from the Civil War, Gettysburg in this case. It makes for a unique Pen and Inkwell set.

 

[Cavalier]

To add to what's already been said, and as an ink well and dip pen fan and Gettysburg buff, I am really impressed with that. Thanks for the photos.

John

 

[James N.]

I just acquired this in a small sale here in England. Feels right as an object with seemingly Confederate fuse plug and M&M bullets. The patina of it all hangs together and the lettering harkens of an earlier moment. It's a great ponderable......any thoughts from ya'll out there. Thanks, Cannon Sitter

View attachment 370535

View attachment 370536

Gettysburg was a 'tourist attraction' seemingly beginning July 5th.
Locals made these souvenirs as momento's and to sell to visitors.
Love the look of yours! Thank you for sharing it.

Welcome both of you to the forums from the host of the Stonewall Jackson Forum and a long-time collector of all things Civil War!

 

[cannon sitter]

Thanks for the feedback, all !! I thought it quite fortuitous to find this kicking around in Kent, U.K.

 

[relichound]

I used to collect these Gettysburg relic desk sets about 1980-1990, and as I often visited the battlefield then
I was often able to find these at local shops. They were expensive then, but since have become much more so.
I sold off all mine long ago, and the only one I have today is one of a block of wood with an ink well embedded into
the top, and it says "Jennie Wade" on it. There is an ancient fired Civil War bullet seen embedded in the front.
I placed a photo of mine up on this site, some time ago, and I expect it is still here.
I expect that the bullet is from the battle, but it was put together otherwise long ago. I would estimate 1890-1900.
Some of these have several dropped bullets, and maybe a portion of a shell, or bayonet, and even relic buttons on them.

Yours with "Little Round Top" is a very nice one, and a bit unusual. Also a very old one.

 

[cannon sitter]

I used to collect these Gettysburg relic desk sets about 1980-1990, and as I often visited the battlefield then
I was often able to find these at local shops. They were expensive then, but since have become much more so.
I sold off all mine long ago, and the only one I have today is one of a block of wood with an ink well embedded into
the top, and it says "Jennie Wade" on it. There is an ancient fired Civil War bullet seen embedded in the front.
I placed a photo of mine up on this site, some time ago, and I expect it is still here.
I expect that the bullet is from the battle, but it was put together otherwise long ago. I would estimate 1890-1900.
Some of these have several dropped bullets, and maybe a portion of a shell, or bayonet, and even relic buttons on them.

Yours with "Little Round Top" is a very nice one, and a bit unusual. Also a very old one.

Thanks, Relichound I thought is also interesting that the fuse is a Confederate one so maybe these three bits (the fuse and the 2 bullets) were actually found on Little Round Top at some point not long after the event. One wouldn't find a Union fuse element on top of Little Round Top, would one? Lovely to hear from you. C

 

[relichound]

Yes, it is to be hoped that the relics were original to the location stated on the desk set.
One thing to mention, in case you purchase another desk set some time....
The buttons placed on these desk sets some times were very expensive and hard to locate even
in the late 19th century, and sometimes "relic" buttons found on these sets, like from Texas,
were not original Civil War relics, but often perhaps old post war examples. Because the originals
were just too hard to locate. This has been my experience.

 

[James N.]

I used to collect these Gettysburg relic desk sets about 1980-1990, and as I often visited the battlefield then
I was often able to find these at local shops. They were expensive then, but since have become much more so.
I sold off all mine long ago, and the only one I have today is one of a block of wood with an ink well embedded into
the top, and it says "Jennie Wade" on it. There is an ancient fired Civil War bullet seen embedded in the front.
I placed a photo of mine up on this site, some time ago, and I expect it is still here.
I expect that the bullet is from the battle, but it was put together otherwise long ago. I would estimate 1890-1900.
Some of these have several dropped bullets, and maybe a portion of a shell, or bayonet, and even relic buttons on them.

Yours with "Little Round Top" is a very nice one, and a bit unusual. Also a very old one.

Of course these souvenir assemblages were very popular during the Victorian era and even the major battlefield collections like the famous Rosensteel Collection included them:

 

[cannon sitter]

I just finished a book entitled: A Strange and Blighted Land: Gettysburg, The Aftermath of the Battle by Greg. Coco. You have probably read it but what a wonderful account of the goings on in Gettysburg during this time. Anything to make a buck !!! I would imagine that a few years out and the site was scavenged to the point where they had to start getting creative to keep the souvenir thing going. I would imagine that things still come out of attics and basements in the area......keeps The Horse Soldier in business to an extent. I'm more of a kepi fanatic but it was really great to come across this here. Never thought I'd own one and the one that I do own seems to be a genuine Little Round Top souvenir. Can't lose them all I guess. Stay safe, C

 

[Beltplate53]

John Goode was a cabinet maker on Race Horse Alley who made desk sets and other wooden souvenirs at his shop circa 1870-1900. Yours resembles one of his but his desk sets tend to be on the darker side as far as finish goes, at least the ones I've seen. What's interesting on yours is that " Little Round Top " is written in the style thats found on the Danner's Museum relics that were sold during that time period. If it's a Danner Museum piece, it comes with a hefty premium.
Look up Danner Museum and check out how closely the writing matches.

 

[Beltplate53]

A Joel Danner desk set.

 

[JD Mayo]

I love Gettysburg relics.

 

[cannon sitter]

A Joel Danner desk set.View attachment 372069

A Joel Danner desk set.View attachment 372069

Yep. That's a dead ringer for the one here. Size, color, exact hand in the lettering and patination all are dead on. Same ink well also. Thanks, Beltplate. Such invaluable information that I would never have known otherwise.

 

[relichound]

The book you mentioned...The Blighted Land book about Gettysburg is a fine book for sure!
Years ago I bought something seen in that book, I believe, at a local Gettysburg auction.
It was an oval frame containing the remains of various types of small flowers, and other flora.
Written on the inside in old ink was "Gettysburg, July 1863". One of the first mementos of the battle,
I guess. There were two of them, and they were very pricey. If I had any sense I would have
kept those!

 

[cannon sitter]

The book you mentioned...The Blighted Land book about Gettysburg is a fine book for sure!
Years ago I bought something seen in that book, I believe, at a local Gettysburg auction.
It was an oval frame containing the remains of various types of small flowers, and other flora.
Written on the inside in old ink was "Gettysburg 1863". One of the first mementos of the battle,
I guess. There were two of them, and they were very pricey. If I had any sense I would have
kept those!

The book you mentioned...The Blighted Land book about Gettysburg is a fine book for sure!
Years ago I bought something seen in that book, I believe, at a local Gettysburg auction.
It was an oval frame containing the remains of various types of small flowers, and other flora.
Written on the inside in old ink was "Gettysburg 1863". One of the first mementos of the battle,
I guess. There were two of them, and they were very pricey. If I had any sense I would have
kept those!

It's always the ones that get away that are the most remembered and the most heart wrenching. "I remember when..........." !

 

[MarkTK36thIL]

Here's a nice John Good/John Woodward desk that just recently arrived. It's actually a match holder with inkwell, and is accompanied by a couple bullets and artillery round from the Plum Run area of the battlefield. I think the coolest part is the matchsafe holder- and that it is made from a fence post from the Codori Farm.

 

[Civilwarrior2]

I just acquired this in a small sale here in England. Feels right as an object with seemingly Confederate fuse plug and M&M bullets. The patina of it all hangs together and the lettering harkens of an earlier moment. It's a great ponderable......any thoughts from ya'll out there. Thanks, Cannon Sitter

View attachment 370535

View attachment 370536

Wow, I just found this on a search. Looks like mine! Then I scrolled further down and saw a picture of mine! I purchased from the Horse Soldier a few years ago. So cool to see another.

 

[Civilwarrior2]

A Joel Danner desk set.View attachment 372069

I OWN this piece! Purchased from Horse Soldier in Gettysburg awhile back.