UP1281.   beautiful Model 1851 officer's sword belt plate in excellent condition, the face has fantastic detail, it is the style with a three piece cast wreath and "clouds" at the eagle's wing tips, has a mellow brass patina, the reverse has the wider tongue that was adopted in 1863, has a good body curve, wonderful example

A891.   six pounder solid shot cannon ball in very good dug condition, the iron is strong and stable with only minimal, uniform surface pitting, like most relics these have become difficult to find

DR6000.   rare find, a Model 1840 artillery saber in good condition, the end of the blade was broken off, looks like the soldier attempted to sharpen the broken end, the blade now measures 25" long, it has uniform, slight surface pitting, U.S / A.D.K. / 1863 is still visible on the obverse of the ricasso, thye brass guard is in great shape, the knuckle bow is also inspector stamped A.D.K. will standout in a dug weapons display

DR5199.   the City Point Ordnance Warf was sabotaged by John Maxwell of the CS Secret Service on August 9, 1864, he planted a bomb aboard a ship successfully exploding it, ultimately sinking several ships and setting the warehouse on fire, included in the losses were several saddles, this shield still attached to a piece of leather was recovered from the James River, comes in a riker case ready to display 

DR5198.   here is a cool find I virtually never see anymore, a small officer's collar iron, measures 3.75" long x 1.9" wide, the handle is MIA, otherwise it is in great dug condition with only slight, surface pitting

EW1137.   Model 1855 Springfield bayonet in good condition, this went on Models 1855, 1861, and 1863 Springfield rifles, it is full length and still has a sharp point, the socket retains its shape, the shoulder has a clear U S mark, hs a medium / dark brown patina

DR5197.   a regulation 1859 Federal cavalry spur dug many years ago at Camp Stanley in Murfreesboro, TN, it is in very good condition, it is just as dug with no damage or repairs, the iron rowel has rusted away

DR5196.   iron camp candle holder dug from a C S camp near Mulberry, TN, it is in very good dug condition, it is the style with a single spike on the base

DR5195.   Enfield lock plate with hammer dug many years ago in the Shiloh, TN area, it is in good condition, strong and stable, the reverse still has the mechanicals attached

M1154.   rosewood fife with silver ferules in very good condition, unmarked, coolest thing is that it has a period "cheater" attached, this aligns with the hole you blow into, I would have had to have one of these because without I can't hardly get a sound from a fife but these make it where anyone can, cool instrument

M1153.   period Wade & Butcher straight razor in very good condition, measures 9.8" when open with a 4" blade which is marked WADE & BUTCHER / FOR BARBERS USE, this may have been intended for professional use as it has the thickest blade I can recall seeing on a straight razor, the thermoplastic handle is in good shape, it comes with a CHARLES EMERSON'S ELASTIC RAZOR STROP in its original case, cool find

CP609.   "true" snake connector from a three piece buckle, this style of Confederate buckle is always referred to as a snake buckle, but most are two headed ducks or something similar, the true snake connectors are much rarer to find, this example has strong detail with scales and large eyes on the top, and true belly scales on the underside, it measures just shy of two inches long, cool find

UP1280.   beautiful U S cartridge box plate dug in the late 1970's in Murfreesboro, TN, the face has an even, slick, medium brown patina, it is damage free other than a few small dings from service, the reverse has full slick lead, there is one area where the patina is MIA, it retains both attachment loops that are bent slightly outward to secure it on the box, fantastic plate

DR5194.   pommel cap from an officer's sword in very good condition, it looks to me to be Confederate, cool find

DR5193.   U S bridle boss in great dug condition, it has an even medium brown patina, it is the style with the period between the letters

F1305.   Colt Model 1860 Army revolver in good condition, the metal is smooth with a medium gray patina, the Colt address on top of the barrel is mostly worn way, it took many miles of hard riding to do this, the matching serial numbers of 141995 let us know it was made in 1863, the walnut grips are in very good shape, the action is crisp and functions perfectly, the cylinder scene is worn away, overall this is  well cared for Colt Army that no doubt saw much service 

EW1136.   Model 1840 light cavalry saber in great relic condition, it was found several years ago beneath a period log cabin that was being taken down in Pulaski, TN, the blade is full length with no damage, it has uniform, slight surface pitting, the leather washer is still present at the ricasso and is now rock hard, the brass guard is in fantastic shape and has a dark brass patina, amazingly the wood grip is still present and let's us know it was American made due to the grooves for the wire braid, the braid and leather are MIA, super example of a weapon most likely brought home by a Southern trooper and hid away

F1304.   Lafaucheux 9mm pinfire revolver in wonderful condition, the metal has a light gray patina and is highly decorated with scroll engraving, the left side of the barrel is marked E. LAFAUCHEUX / INVrBREVETE, it has a 3.75" barrel, it is a six shot model with a folding trigger, the two piece wood grips are in great shape, the double action is strong and works well, retains both the loading gate and ejector rod, very attractive weapon

A890.   three inch Schenkl shell in very good condition with a scarce Schenkl combination fuse, the iron is strong and stable, the shell is approx. 10" tall, the tail has seven raised ribs, the fuse is marked 10 SEC, it is also marked 1862 but it is faint, has been deactivated and ready to display

M1152.   bullet mold for a MOdel 1849, .31 caliber Colt Pocket revolver in great condition, it is a double cavity mold casting a round and conical bullet, comes with the bullets for display, has a clear COLT'S PATENT marking on the sprue cutter

M1151.   rifle "Peace Flask" in excellent condition, approx. 9.75" tall x 4" wide, it is damage free, all seams are intact, the spout is maker marked BATTY / SPRINGIELD, MASS and dated 1857, it is also inspector marked A.D.K.  it retains both suspension rings, it has a pleasing attic brass patina, you'd be hard pressed to ever find a better example

M1150.   here's a really cool find, a Lincoln / Johnson 1864 Putnam County, Ohio presidential ballot in excellent condition, it features Lady Liberty with rays and stars behind her, she is holding a sword marked UNION on the blade, the ballot measures 2.75" x 7.75", it is matted and framed measuring 6.25" x 10.2" tall, it has The Horse Soldiers description fixed on the back of the frame from when they originally sold it, cool relic

UP1279.   carbine sling buckle with the batwing that was dug many years ago at Camp Stanley in Murfreesboro, TN, it is in great dug condition with no bends or damage, both tongues move freely, the batwing still has all 4 brads in place

BC1090.   .69 Tower bullet recovered many years ago at Fort Fisher, NC it is in very good dropped condition

F1303.   Smith & Wesson Model 1.5 first issue .32 caliber revolver in very good condition, this was S & W's initial production of a .32 caliber weapon, there was approx. 26,300 mfg from 1865 - 1868, the 3.5" barrel has a good marking of SMITH & WESSON SPRINGFIELD US / PAT'D APR. 3, 1855 & JULY 5, 1859, the two piece rosewood grips are in good shape, the action works well

DR5192.   Confederate bridle cutter pike in very good dug condition, it is 18" long with a 12" main blade and the cutter blade extends 4" below the main blade, still has wood inside the socket, the iron is strong and stable with uniform surface pitting, we've come a long way in 150 years in our weaponry

UP1278.   Model 1839 waist belt plate in great dug condition, the face has an even medium brown patina, no damage other than one small chip to the rim, the reverse has arrow hooks, it has good lead with a few pock marks and slight loss at the rim, displays great

UP1277.   S N Y buckle, lead only, this was recovered from either the Governor or the Suwanee, both were side wheeled steamers and were lost approx. 29 miles off Little River Inlet. The Governor was a Federal transport lost during the Civil War, and the Suwanee was lost on December 4, 1866 carrying arms and equipment for the Mexican Republic, it is the earliest style of SNY that had wire attachment hooks circa 1840 - 1844, this example is in great shape, it has one small hole above the S

A889.   US 4.2", 30 pounder, Parrott flat top bolt in great shape, it was recovered many years ago in the Vicksburg area, the iron is strong and stable with very minimal surface pitting, it threw the ring sabot when fired and has a small chip in the base

DR5191.    U S marked martingale in good condition, the face has strong U S letters, unfortunately it has a small piece missing on the upper right, the reverse has full lead and retains all three attachment wires, these marked examples are very rare to find in any condition

F1302.   Starr Model 1863 SA Army revolver in good condition, these were produced from 1863 - 1865 with only approx. 32,000 being made, this was a simpler and less expensive successor to the double action Model 1858, it is easy to spot due to its longer 8 inch barrel, this example has smooth metal with a dark brown patina, the left side of the frame is marked STARR ARMS CO. NEW YORK, the right side is marked STARR'S PATENT JAN.15, 1856, this is an early mfg being serial number 28861 ( serial numbers continued from the Model 1858 beginning at around 23000 ) the walnut grips show wear but are in good shape, the left side shows a ghost of the inspector cartouche, the action works well but the mainspring is a little weak, overall a nice example that no doubt saw much action 

EW1135.   Ames Model 1835 dragoon saber in very good condition, the blade is full length and retains its bright finish, it has a few tiny nicks to the edge, the ricasso is engraved N.P. AMES / CUTLER / SPRINGFIELD 1835, and the inspector initials J.M., the obverse is engraved UNITED STATES above a simple floral engraving, the blade fits tight to the hilt with only a slight wiggle, the grip has the original leather wrap and wire braid, the leather shows wear, the brass guard is in great shape and has a mellow brass patina, the scabbard is also in good condition, it has a couple of large dents, probably intentional anti-rattle dents, and a few small dings, it also has a small split on the underside, the drag is inspector marked, this is a rare saber with only 6,100 produced

DC639.   Confederate infantry button in very good dug condition, it was dug by Kenny Banks in a 1862 / 63 CS winter camp in Tullahoma, TN, iron back with a strong, straight shank

M1149.   small Jennie Wade clay canteen, Jennie Wade was the only female fatality at Gettysburg, she was hit by a stray bullet as she kneaded dough in her kitchen, these souviner canteens were popular at Gettysburg in the 1940's, measures 1.25" in diameter, the front features a photo of Jennie and is marked  CORRECT PHOTO / JENNIE WADE, the reverse is marked JULY 2, 63 / THE ONLY LADY KILLED AT GETTYSBURG, the string "sling" is loose on one side  

CP608.   Confederate true snake buckle, while all of this style are referred to as snake buckles, most are two headed ducks, this is a true snake design with strong detail to the head and scales on it's back tapering to it's tail, the underside has accurate belly scales, the belt loops are heavily cast and stand 58mm tall, the snake is40mm long

UP1276.   U S waist belt plate in great dug condition, the face has strong letters, no damage other than a few small dings from service, has an even, dark brown patina, the reverse has full, slick lead, arrow hooks, the coolest thing is the soldier lightly carved PEACH TREE into the lead at the rim, cool buckle

A887.   U S Ordnance Dept. watercap fuse dated 1863 in great condition, the top is clearly marked ORD D / 1863 and with an anchor, this fine example was recovered at Fort Fisher, NC many years ago

DR5190.   approx. half of a U S plate and half of a U S bit boss, these were dug in a Confederate cavalry camp near Wartrace, TN, there were several U S plates recovered there with the lead melted out of them, there were also broken and whole U S bosses recovered there, the Confederates were melting the lead out to cast bullets and removing the U S bosses from captured bits, makes a cool display

M1148.   compact, pewter cased camp mirror in very good condition, measures three inches in diameter, top of the case has an attractive design, the case is hinged so that it can sit on a shelf or has a ring for hanging, the mirror is in good shape with a few spots and one small chip, it will look great in a camp or personal effects display

A886.   Confederate Archer bolt for a three inch rifle, it is the style with 3 grooves, the lead sabot as usual is MIA, the iron is strong and stable with only minimal surface pitting, nice bolt

UP1275.   Model 1851 sword belt plate in good dug condition, it was recovered many years ago in Murfreesboro, TN, it is the enlisted man's / NCO style that had the applied silver wreath, as usual it is mostly gone with just a small amount remaining by the wingtips, there is no damage, the reverse has the early style long, narrow tongue hook, displays well

EW1134.   French import short sword in very good condition, the blade is full length and free of nicks, it was period sharpened and is still very sharp, it has a mottled medium gray patina, the ricasso has a clear Paris armory mark, the blade fits tightly to the brass hilt with no wiggle, the grip has concentric circles and is in great shape, has a mellow brass patina 

DR5189.   here is a unique relic, a soldier modified skeleton key recovered many years ago at Fort Fisher NC, apparently the top of the key broke off and the soldier melted a large lead grip onto it to be able to continue using, it measures 4" x 1.5" and weighs 4 ounces, the Confederates were always under equipped and found ways to make do with what they had, cool relic

CP607.   South Carolina panel plate measuring 63 x 80 mm is in very good condition, the face has strong detail and a pleasing copper patina, the reverse retains the tongue hook and the belt bar with both tongues, really cool thing is that it came loose and the soldier did a field repair to continue using, he accomplished this by placing two small holes into the edge of the plate and inserted the bar through these and then peened the ends, great example of Southern ingenuity 

L488.   U S plate on its original regulation belt, the plate is in very good shape, it has a small push to the rim past the S, it has a pleasing mellow brass patina, the reverse has full, slick lead and arrow hooks, the leather belt remains strong and pliable with uniform crazing, you can see the outline of a maker's or inspector's mark but I can't make it out, there is one small split in the leather that has been reinforced with wire, has the brass keeper

DR5188.   crossed sabers cavalry insignia in good shape, they were dug many years ago in the Shiloh, TN area, 3.25" wide

DR5187.   dug bugle mouth piece recovered many years ago at Fort Fisher, NC, it is in good shape, 2.1" tall

M1147.   Hawksley rifle powder flask in very good condition, measures 8.5" tall x 4" wide, copper body has a few small dings, the cap is marked C & J W HAWSKLEY SHEFFIELD, many Southern boys carried these civilian flasks off to war

A885.   James Type I bolt for a 14-pounder James rifle cannon in very good condition, this fine example of this scarce projectile was recovered in the Shiloh area several years ago, the iron is strong and solid with only slight surface pitting, the birdcage base is damage free, great artillery relic

F1301.   Manhattan Navy Revolver in very good condition, the metal is smooth with a medium brown patina, the 6.5" barrel has a clear MANHATTAN FIRE ARMS CO NEWARK, NJ / PATENTED MARCH 8, 1864 marking, five shot .36 caliber cylinder is marked PATENTED DEC. 27, 1859, the action works well, the walnut grips are in good shape, the right grip has three initials very lightly carved into it, matching serial numbers, these revolvers were a stiff competitor to Colt once Colt's patents had expired, and many were used in the war

DC638.   Confederate script I infantry button in great dug condition, the face has an even brown patina and no pushes or damage, the reverse is in equally fine condition with a straight shank and a good S Isaacs Campbell & Co / London / 71 Jermyn St back mark, it is a little faint but completely visible

DR5186.   very unique brass spur found in a Confederate camp, it is a very unique spur with Confederate characteristics, the end of the neck appears to have been an animal / bird head but the rowel has rusted into it, and I can't tell for sure, measures 5.75" from the strap boss to the rowel, one leg has a large M M lightly carved into it, cool spur

DR5185.    U S rosette recovered many years ago at Fort Clark, it is the larger size measuring 1.5" in diameter, it has strong letters with a dark brown patina that really stand out against a lighter brown background, the reverse has full lead, the attachment bar is MIA, the digger lightly marked it F C for Fort Clark, cool find

DR5184.   eight side umbrella inkwell dug many years ago from a trash pit at Fort Fisher, it is in great dug condition without cracks, chips, or breaks, it has only had the dirt rinsed out and has slight cloudiness, has a slight greenish hue, has a great open pontil mark on the base

F1300.    Savage Navy revolver in good condition, has a seven inch octagonal barrel with a brass bead front sight, the frave has a clear Savage address and patent info, these weapons had a unique action with double triggers inside a heart shaped trigger guard, the larger ring trigger would cock and index the cylinder, the smaller upper trigger would then fire it, this was a complicated action that usually doesn't work properly if at all, but this one is crisp and functions perfectly, the two piece walnut grips are in good shape, this is a rare weapon to find with only 20k ever made

EW1133.   French import short sword in an original scabbard in good condition, the blade is full length, it has some very minimal surface pitting, the tip is slightly blunted, the ricasso  has a good Paris marking, it fits tight to the brass hilt with no wiggle, the hilt is in great shape and has an attractive mellow brass patina, the scabbard is strong and the stitching is intact, the leather has some finish loss, the brass throat and drag are firmly attached, the drag has a small crack, very nice example of the sword that the Ames MOdel 1832 short artillery sword is patterned from

A884.   Confederate 12 pounder cannon ball in very good dug condition, the iron is strong and stable with a dark patina, it has only minimal surface pitting, it has a clear mold seam, it took a wood drive in fuse

CP606.    lion head with snake connector buckle in great dug condition, unfortunately only one of the lion heads were recovered, measures 87mm long overall, the snake is 40mm long, the lion head is 42mm tall, high relief being 15mm thick with a concave reverse, has an even bronze patina, a very rare find that will stand out in any collection

UP1274.   very nice U S waist belt plate that was dug back in the 80's in Murfreesboro, TN, the face still has the dirt on it, looks like it would clean up slickly if desired, has the slighest push on the rim left of the U, the reverse has slick lead with just a few flakes at the edge, "puppy paw" stud hooks, great plate

CP605.   solid cast C S clip corner waist belt plate in very good condition, measures approx. 45 x 72mm, the face has very well formed, large letters, has a raised rim, this style had black enamel paint on the back ground, face is near perfect except for a few tiny dings on the letters, the reverse has long, narrow hooks, the tongue hook was broken off, no doubt why it was lost, this fine buckle was purchased by Steve Mullinax from the digger and sold to a well known collector in the 1980's 

L487.   here's a way cool relic, an early U S waist belt plate with puppy paw hooks that has been crudely trimmed down removing the rim, it is on a well worn leather belt, oral history is that it was worn upside down by a Georgia trooper, I have no way to verify this, but I have no reason to doubt it, and it certainly has that look to it, the face has several dings from hard, extended service, the reverse has full lead except for a small area at the rim, just a super cool looking piece that was likely Confederate used

UP1273.   Federal drummers sling plate / drum stick carriage in very good condition, measures 80 x 92mm, brass clip corner plate with two ringed tubes attached for carrying the drum sticks, has a dark brown patina, the reverse has the wire hook firmly in place, great relic I seldom see anymore