Hard rubber personal items

Kirk Womack

Private
Joined
Jun 29, 2019
Location
Brookville, Indiana
It seems to me that hard rubber is a largely ignored material among reenactors and living historians today. I think that's a shame, because you can still find original, period items for relatively little money. Here are some pieces that I have in my collection, that I carry on occasion at reenactments and living histories. I can positively date only one, the Goodyear patent matchsafe, to the civil war era, the others are unmarked. But all of these would have been items that were available during the war. The collapsible dip pen/propelling pencil combination is particularly handy! I would love to see what hard rubber items you all have in your collections, and what you use when you're recreating history for the public. Looking forward to it!
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It seems to me that hard rubber is a largely ignored material among reenactors and living historians today. I think that's a shame, because you can still find original, period items for relatively little money. Here are some pieces that I have in my collection, that I carry on occasion at reenactments and living histories. I can positively date only one, the Goodyear patent matchsafe, to the civil war era, the others are unmarked. But all of these would have been items that were available during the war. The collapsible dip pen/propelling pencil combination is particularly handy! I would love to see what hard rubber items you all have in your collections, and what you use when you're recreating history for the public. Looking forward to it!View attachment 338262View attachment 338263View attachment 338264View attachment 338265View attachment 338266View attachment 338270View attachment 338272View attachment 338273
Here's a Goodyear Patent Hard Rubber button I found in a Union encampment in Vicksburg, MS.
My understanding is that sharpshooters wore them because they didn't reflect sunlight like the brass buttons.
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