Need help identifying/ authenticating/ valuing items

[tarhee]

I bought a couple large lots of items at a recent auction in order to have a couple things from each lot. So, I have lots of extra Civil War era items that I'm not familiar with and would like to properly identify, authenticate, and value. Is this the proper forum to ask for that? My first post here. Coolest item, in my opinion, is this soldier id tag. "W.H. Hunt 55 Mass. G" stamped into the front of a 1 1/16" diameter bronze token/ coin. On the reverse is stamped "Pearson" at the top left, then am unable to read some letters at the top right- ends in "N" & Co.". "Boots & Shoes" visible at the bottom. There is a faint American eagle with shield and arrows in its claws at the center- looks like the same emblem I have on some coat buttons that were in the same lot. Was this possibly made from a coat button? I've looked at the NPS site and verified a William Hunt served in the 55th Massachusetts Infantry- which was formed after the 54th Mass. "colored" unit received an excess of volunteers. Also a George Wostenholm, Sheffield England, large Bowie knife with "Death" and floral decorations etched into the blade. A spear or pike that doesn't have any markings on it, a tent stove, some buckets whose purpose I can't determine, etc. Thanks for looking and for sharing your opinions.

 

[mofederal]

Hello and welcome to the talk forum from Southeast Missouri located on the banks of the muddy Mississippi River. It looks like you got a mix of items. I know the Sibley Stove, powder horn, candle mold, folding camp chair, crutch, and a few other items. The medal looks like a Sons of Union Veterans medal, but hard to say from a distance. Pickaxe, axe, and good mix, others can better identify the items. Good luck. More pictures would help, thank you for posting these.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

Hello @tarhee.

Welcome to CWT.

You have some interesting items !

 

[tarhee]

More pics!

 

[tarhee]

Thank you both for being so kind. I'm fairly new to 1800s gear, but am enjoying learning. The powder horn is one of the reasons I bought the entire lot. "Pea Patch, 1863, Island of Death" "Don't Tread on Me, GA, CSA" with coiled Gadsden flag snake. Possible prisoner art? Or maybe done after release? Can't imagine they'd have a knife and horn and the inclination to carve that while jammed in with thousands of others. Ever seen anything like that?

 

[Deleted User CS]

Welcome from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. You should contact the Horse Soldier Shop in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. They are experts in anything civil war related miliaria and are very nice people to deal with. I am sure they could answer any of your questions regarding your collection. David.

 

[tarhee]

Welcome from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. You should contact the Horse Soldier Shop in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. They are experts in anything civil war related miliaria and are very nice people to deal with. I am sure they could answer any of your questions regarding your collection. David.

Will do. Thank you, sir.

 

[captaindrew]

Welcome from South Florida, cool stuff

 

[UCVRelics]

Welcome From The Heart Of Dixie. The ID tag is made from a merchants token as the one below. These were often shaved down and used as Id tags as your is. The US Navy powder flask should have a makers name and date on the top. NP Ames was a major producer of these pre war flask. There is also a rare artillery sponge bucket (the one with the lid) The knife and powder horn are suspect and its hard to tell from the photos. There should be a makers mark on the Death knife up near the guard. Also, what is on the other side of the knife?

 

[zburkett]

Nice collection. Congratulations. To me some of it looks more western. BTW a knife was considered necessary and at Camp Douglas prisoners were allowed to have a knife with a blade under four inches.

 

[tarhee]

Welcome From The Heart Of Dixie. The ID tag is made from a merchants token as the one below. These were often shaved down and used as Id tags as your is. The US Navy powder flask should have a makers name and date on the top. NP Ames was a major producer of these pre war flask. There is also a rare artillery sponge bucket (the one with the lid) The knife and powder horn are suspect and its hard to tell from the photos. There should be a makers mark on the Death knife up near the guard. Also, what is on the other side of the knife?

Thank you so much for sharing your token. It's absolutely what mine was originally. I'm amazed that anyone has one and in such nice shape. I'm intrigued as to how a guy from a Massachusetts unit ended up with a retailer token from Chicago. Although I've read that they had 200+ from Ohio in the 55th Mass. So, I suppose Hunt could have travelled from Illinois. The powder flask is marked 1843 with a "B" stamped below. On the other side of the spout is N.P. Ames. And some knife detail pics.

 

[UCVRelics]

The powder flask is marked 1843 with a "B" stamped below. On the other side of the spout is N.P. Ames. And some knife detail pics.

On the USN powder flask it worth between $1000 - $1200, The bowie is in the $1500 - $1800 range. The token is a difficult one as its hard to tell from the photos if it is indeed a period piece. The Sibley stove is in the $400 range and the artillery sponge bucket is in the $600 - $750 range. Could you post some close up photos of the powder horn inscription and the cap of it. Also some more photos of the pike and what is the length of the pike pole?

 

[tarhee]

You got me looking at buckets for artillery use. Is the one with the chain handle and lid a tar/ grease bucket (the inside diameter of the hole in the lid is 3.5") and is the one with the solid handle and no lid a sponge bucket? I found a water bucket lid on the horsesoldier.com site and it looks like it was designed for my bucket with the solid handle. And are the tongs for loading cannon balls? The tongs have a 5 1/2" diameter vertically and 4 1/2' diameter- both measurements when closed. A 12 pound cannon ball is 4.5". The bottom of the tongs are flat stock with the edges bent upward into a sort of cup shape. Would this have gone under the ball and cradled it in the tongs, or did some cannon balls have indents that would match this tong shape?

 

[UCVRelics]

http://www.civilwarartillery.com/equipment/artillerybuckets.htm

 

[tarhee]

So, from that site, it looks like I have both the tar bucket (with the lid) and a water bucket that is missing its lid. They certainly are solidly built! Is the tar bucket- the one with the lid- worth $600-750? What is the one without the lid worth? What is the braided rope with gold-colored fixtures in the last picture? Are the images of the powder horn what you need, or should I take ones from different angles? The metal loops that link the sling to the horn have some wear to them- nearly worn clear through on the bottom one. Would there have been a spout on the horn? There are a couple lines worn between the top sling loop and the end of the horn and a couple fasteners that stand proud of the horn that cause me to wonder about that. Not sure why the image orientations are all different than on my computer- sideways and upside down. How do I fix that? Thank you so much for your help.

 

[tarhee]

The pike overall length is 61 1/2", with the head being 6 1/8" long, 1 3/4" wide, and 3/4" thick at its base. The shaft is 1 1/4" diameter, with the last 3 1/4" tapered to fit inside the head and it extends 55 3/8" below the head. The head steel is about 0.07" thick and has a seam on one side where it was joined. I don't see any cross fasteners, so I'm not sure how the steel is fastened to the wood. It has a metal tack on the bottom of the shaft that isn't in focus in the pic. The shaft has a lighter area near the balance point and is noticeably darker outside that area.

 

[Billw12280]

Welcome to the forum from Central Ohio! Thanks for posting pictures from your collection. I would say you did well but I am not an expert so I am enjoying the responses and learning about these things with you.

 

[tarhee]

Welcome to the forum from Central Ohio! Thanks for posting pictures from your collection. I would say you did well but I am not an expert so I am enjoying the responses and learning about these things with you.

Thanks! It is interesting. I'm in Westerville, by the way.

 

[Billw12280]

Thanks! It is interesting. I'm in Westerville, by the way.

I'm in Columbus. It's always great to find people with similar interests that are so close. If you haven't already been, and you're not busy the first weekend in May, I would recommend going to the Ohio Civil War and Artillery show in Mansfield. It is an incredible event that I try to go to every year.

 

[Package4]

Thank you both for being so kind. I'm fairly new to 1800s gear, but am enjoying learning. The powder horn is one of the reasons I bought the entire lot. "Pea Patch, 1863, Island of Death" "Don't Tread on Me, GA, CSA" with coiled Gadsden flag snake. Possible prisoner art? Or maybe done after release? Can't imagine they'd have a knife and horn and the inclination to carve that while jammed in with thousands of others. Ever seen anything like that?

Pea Patch was the island where Ft Delaware was built.....please post more pictures of the bottom edge of the artillery buckets......where the rivet heads are.