The Star Drums of the 12th Corps of the Army of the Potomac

I have a drum in my collection that I've always known is special but I haven't, until now, been able to decode the clues. Here is the drum, and here are the clues:


1861-62 Star Drum by C.C. Clapp, Boston
Collection of E. Mirsky
Label: handwritten in India ink script as follows:


C.C. Clapp & Co.
69 Court St
Boston
C.C. Clapp had contracts in 1861 to 1862 to supply several Massachusetts militia units with bugles and drum heads (per American Military Goods Dealers and Makers, 1785-1915, p. 24).

Insignia: a five-pointed gold star with a metal numeral "5" in the center.


Snare Mechanism: a thumbscrew operated hinged clamp on one end, and a leather butt plate secured by a metal plate screwed into the counterhoop.




Other Features: the bottom counterhoop has two small pieces of filler wood at 180 degrees from each other and 90 degrees from the existing snare cut-outs, suggesting that the original design may have lacked the mechanical snare mechanism and that the mechanism was installed afterward (to improve the drummer's ability to tighten the snares). [Note: drums without snare mechanisms were not uncommon, especially early, as discussed below under the posting "Civil War or Earlier "Porter Blanchard" of Concord, New Hampshire".]



Unraveling the Mystery: In searching through images on the Internet I noticed a drum with a large five-pointed star surrounding a metal numeral "2" on the West Coast Civil War Collectors' ("WCCWC") website. That connection was obvious. This drum has a five-pointed painted star surrounding a metal number. My drum has a gold star with a "5" in it; this drum has a white star with a "2" in it. In addition, the WCCWC's drum was attribted to the 20th Corps., 2nd Div. That was the additional piece of information I needed.


Earl Robinson's Drum
(which he attributes to the 20th Corps (successor to the 12th Corps), 2nd Division)
West Coast Civil War Collectors ("WCCWC")
See the WCCWC's drums.

I emailed the contact persons mentioned on the website and within hours received a terrific reply from Earl Robinson who owns the White Star ("2") drum pictured on the website.

Earl wrote: "I found this drum [with star and numeral "2"] in Bunker Hill, West Virginia about 15 years ago without any history. It has no maker's label inside. The 12th Corps served in that area in 1862 and the star was their corps badge (migrating to the 20th Corps when they were reassigned to the Army of the West). Since red indicates first division and white second, and blue third, it was a reasonable assumption of mine that the drum, white star, numeral two and Bunker Hill locale added up as described."

The 12th Corps used the star as its corps badge! Off I went searching for information about the 12th Corps and, in particular, the 5th Division.

THE STAR IS THE BADGE OR EMBLEM OF THE 12TH CORPS:

Confirming that the star was the badge of the 12th corps, see UNION ARMY 12TH CORPS (from Fox's Regimental Losses, Chap. VIII), which talks also of the Fifth Connecticut regiment of the 12th Corps -- BINGO!:

"The Twelfth Corps was small, but was composed of excellent material. Among its regiments were the Second Massachusetts, Seventh Ohio, Fifth Connecticut, One Hundred and Seventh New York, Twenty-eighth Pennsylvania, Third Wisconsin, and others equally famous as crack regiments; all of them with names familiar as household words in the communities from which they were recruited."

See also "East Meets West, A Study in Soldierly Contrasts" citing as Source: "Jottings by a 15th Corps Boy," The Ohio Soldier, vol.2, no. 16, December 1, 1888. See also Echoes of Battle: The Struggle for Chattanooga under the heading Battles & Campaigns].; and
also see the distinctive unit insignia and the coat of arms of the 18th Field Artillery Regiment on the website of the Insitute of Heraldry, U.S. Army for official confirmation of the fact that the corps badge of Slocum's 12th Corps was a star.

That article also mentions the "White Stars" division (the star on Earl's drum is white, not gold like the star on my drum), and says that the 12th corps was composed of the Second Massachusetts regiment, the Fifth Connecticut regiment, and others. And, it confirms the red and white for first and second, respectively. Another clue -- the Fifth Connecticut. Not far fetched for a drum made in Boston to be used by the Fifth Connecticut regiment.

Apparently the star was adopted March 21, 1863, and the 12th corps was merged into the 20th corps, per "Designs of Civil War Corps Badges" which also states that badges were colored as follows:

"Red First Division of Corps
"White Second Division of Corps
"Blue Third Division of Corps
"Green Fourth Divsion of 6th, 9th and 20th Corps
"Yellow Fourth Division of 15th Corps
"Multicolor Headquarter or Artillery Elements (certain Corps)

"The Twelfth Army Corps of the Army of the Potomac was directed to wear a star as a corps badge by order of Major General Hooker issued on March 21, 1863. On September 23, 1863, the Eleventh and Twelfth corps were ordered detached from the Army of the Potomac and sent to Tennessee as reinforcements for Rosecrans' Army of the Cumberland. On April 3, 1864, the Eleventh and Twelfth Army Corps were consolidated into a new corps designated the Twentieth and the star badge formerly of the Twelfth Army Corps adopted for the new corps. In part this was done because of the blemished record of the Eleventh Corps [a whole other story]. The Fourth Division of the corps was detached to continue service in the District of Tennessee and did not operate with the bulk of the corps in Georgia and the Carolinas." Source: Union Army Uniforms and Insignia of the Civil War, Twelfth and Twentieth Army Corps Badge.

Also, see Union Army Uniforms and Insignia of the Civil War , Unit Insignia for similar brass regimental numbers.

WHAT WE KNOW NOW: My drum appears to have been used by the 12th corps, 5th Regiment (possibly Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, "C.V.I."). The Fifth Regiment Infantry (Connecticut) served as part of the 12th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, from September, 1862 to April, 1864. "The Civil War Archive", "Union Regimental Histories" citing as Source - "A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion" by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3).

"Bunker Hill" Drum Raises Questions -- 1775?, 1776?, 1825?, or What?

An email arrived recently with a couple of photos of a rope drum and a simple request: "Is it possible to tell from the photo who might have made this drum and roughly when it might have been made?"

The photos (see below) are interesting. One showed a beautiful, apparently old, rope drum with a painted Union Shield design and banners reading "BUNKER HILL" and "1776".


The other photo showed a label (possibly from a commemorative envelope) with a red, white and blue American Flag (36 stars, approximately) and the words, "A double immortality for April 19th LEXINGTON and BALTIMORE".


Here follows the thread of emails exchanged on this drum.

Please feel free to add any information you believe useful.

--------------

EMAIL NO. 1

From: John Shaw
Sent: Tue 2/5/2008 4:57 PM
To: Ellis Mirsky
Subject: A Question on a Rope Tension Drum

"Ellis:

"Greetings. Joe MacSweeney [Eames Drum Company] suggested I write you regarding the possible maker and date of manufacture of a rope tension drum. The drum belongs to a colleague who provided me the two photos attached with this e-mail.

"One photos is of the drum, indicating "Bunker Hill 1776". Of course, the battle of Bunker Hill took place in June 1775, but possibly the drum refers to a ceremony that occurred in 1776 or refers to Fort Bunker Hill in NY, which came into existence in 1776.

"The other photo is of a label pasted inside of the drum, across from the hole in the barrel, which unfortunately is right where I think the manufacturer's label would have been (were there one originally). The label appears to have come from an envelope used during the Civil war. From what I can find out, there were thousands of different designs made during that time for "patriotic envelopes". In any event, the handwriting on the label reads "This drum was beat on Bunker Hill in 1776". Of course, we don't know whether the writer was making a conjecture 90 years after the battle, or recording some oral history that had been handed down from one generation to the next.

"The diameter of the drum is 16.75", while the height is 14.25".

"Is it possible to tell from the photo who might have made this drum and roughly when it might have been made?

"All the best.

"John Shaw"


EMAIL NO. 2

From: Ellis Mirsky
Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2008 05:54:37 -0500
To: Shaw, John J
Subject: RE: A Question on a Rope Tension Drum

John,

Thanks for writing. I'll do my best with this. I don't have much at this point.

First, nice drum. This is the first time I've seen such artwork. As you point out, the Battle of Bunker Hill was fought June 17, 1775. But fighting in the Boston area certainly continued into 1776 when the British evacuated Boston (March 17, 1776). Source Source The artwork on the drum says "Bunker Hill" and "1776". And, the pasted paper inside the shell says that the drum was beaten at Bunker Hill in 1776. It's possible, but there are other possibilities.

First, though, assuming the label was not someone's idea of a joke or someone's error in interpreting the outside shell's beautiful artwork, a drum looking somewhat like that drum (approximate size or aspect ratio -- diameter to height -- and top counter hoop) is William Diamond's drum, beaten in 1758 (more on that below).

And, assuming that the outside artwork has some significance and was not just someone's idea of dressing up a drum, for example to evoke patriotic emotion, it might be that the purpose of the artwork was to commemorate the Revolution against England and the fighting in the Boston area, highlighted by the Battle of Bunker Hill which, together with the fighting in April, 1775 at Lexington and Concord, was one of the early battles of the Revolutionary War. The battle was significant for many reasons, including that it dispelled the notion that the American volunteers could not fight or stand up to the British regulars. So, Bunker Hill would have been something to commemorate.

Indeed, "[i]n 1843 a monument, 221 ft. high, in the form of an obelisk, of Quincy granite, was completed on Breed's Hill (now Bunker Hill) to commemorate the battle, when an address was delivered by Daniel Webster, who had also delivered the famous dedicatory oration at the laying of the corner-stone in 1825. Bunker Hill day is a state holiday." Source

So, efforts to memorialize the battle began as early as 1825 (50th anniversary). The drum could date from that time.

As you note there was also a Fort Bunker Hill in lower New York County (Manhattan) built in April 1776 as one of some fourteen emplacements set up to help the Continental Army defend Manhattan. Source Source

"Fort Bunker Hill,(1776) was first called the Independent Battery and Bayard's Hill Redoubt, it was located on Bayard's Hill (or Bayard's Mount) which extended between Grand and Broome from Mott to Centre, this part of the patriots fortification stretched as far as Broadway. The Americans defensive line went across NYC. To the east of Bunker Hill it rose between Grand and Broome Streets to Fort Pitt on Grand between Ridge and Pitt, and then to Jones Hill Fort at Grand and Columbia Steets. West of Broadway it continued northwest to another forbidding stronghold (name unknown) at Thompson and Spring Streets. " Source

However, the label says that the drum was beat "on" or "in" Bunker Hill, not "at" "Fort" Bunker Hill. I'd say the greater likelihood is the more obvious of the two possibilities -- Bunker Hill in Massachusetts, rather that Fort Bunker Hill in what is now New York City.

The large diameter (16-3/4") is certainly good in terms of dating it to the mid-1800s. Larger diameter drums beat louder, lower tones capable of being heard farther and of cutting through battle clatter.

Note the discoloration around the vent hole, indicative of there once having been a grommet, possibly white bone (which I might replace -- Jim Ellis at Cooperman Drum Company in Vermont can do/supply that).

The top counter hoop is similar to that in a drum in the Fort Ticonderoga Museum.
Unfortunately, I don't know much more about that drum at this point but assume it's from the 1700s. The lapped and tacked joint is similar and the drilled holes are also similar on that drum and on your drum.

Also, see a similar counter hoop configuration viz. drilled holes in a drum dating to 1758, and being the drum beaten by William Diamond at the Battle of Lexington.

The photo of William Diamond's drum does not show any snare mechanism hardware (but it could be hidden). Early drums did not have any snare mechanism hardware, such as that on your drum. Gut snares were simply pulled through and tightened along with the heads all at one time -- some job!

Of course, your drum could be early from the 1700s with an after-added snare mechanism, possibly mid-1800s.

So, the bottom line is that I don't know. But, unless there's good reason to doubt the clues, it is certainly possible that the drum was beaten at Bunker Hill in 1776 (or 1775 during the famous battle).

***
Thanks.

Best.

Ellis Mirsky


EMAIL NO. 3

On 2/8/08 5:28 PM, Ellis Mirsky wrote:

John,

More as to the label – the link between Lexington and Baltimore as to April 19 is that early fighting began in those places in the War for Independence (Lexington) and in the War Between the States (Baltimore):

April 19, 1775: On April 19, 1775, British and American soldiers exchanged fire in the Massachusetts towns of Lexington and Concord. On the night of April 18, the royal governor of Massachusetts, General Thomas Gage, commanded by King George III to suppress the rebellious Americans, had ordered 700 British soldiers, under Lieutenant Colonel Francis Smith and Marine Major John Pitcairn, to seize the colonists' military stores in Concord, some 20 miles west of Boston.

April 19, 1861: A clash between pro-South civilians and Union troops in Maryland's largest city resulted in what is commonly accepted to be the first bloodshed of the Civil War. Secessionist sympathy was strong in Baltimore, a border state metropolis.

Hence the words "A double immortality for April 19th LEXINGTON and BALTIMORE" on the label.

So, the label was printed after 4/19/1861. The Bunker Hill drum could be from earlier times, but the label is from 1861.

My earlier email re the number of stars (looks like 36) could pin down the label, at least, to the period 10/31/1864 to 3/1/1867.

Interestingly, on May 13, 1861 Federal Troops (including the 6th Regiment, Massachusetts Militia, that was attacked April 19th, 1861 by a mob in Baltimore as they travelled to Washington DC to protect the city) occupied Baltimore and martial law was declared, squelching most subsequent pro-Confederate activities. Federal forces continued to maintain an occupying presence in Baltimore for the remainder of the war.

So, there is a definite connection between Massachusetts (not just Lexington) and Baltimore. Note that during the April, 1861 riots, the 6th Regiment's band was unable to get out of Baltimore so replacement band instruments could have been needed for the May occupation of Baltimore.

A guess: I wonder whether the Bunker Hill Drum came down from Massachusetts with the 6th Regiment for the May, 1861 occupation force in Baltimore. The pro-Union inside label is consistent with such a hypothesis. Certainly makes things interesting. That would mean that the drum might also have been beaten in Baltimore. And, I could imagine such a drum being used in Baltimore to "stick it to the rebels" there and remind people of the Battle of Bunker Hill and the Revolution in order to reinforce the notion that these boys from Massachusetts won't cut and run, but that they are there for the duration. And they were.


EMAIL NO. 4

From: Ellis Mirsky
Sent: Friday, February 08, 2008 11:31 AM
To: 'John Shaw'
Subject: Further to A Question on a Rope Tension Drum

John,
***
I'm not sure we can make much of the label in the Bunker Hill drum, but I'll try. The flag in the label looks like it shows 6 rows of 6 stars or 36 stars altogether (if I am not mistaken). The U.S. flag sported 36 stars from 10/31/1864 to 3/1/1867 although the layout was not a rectangular array – it was rows of 8,6,8,6 and 8 stars. The flag on the label could have been intended to show 36 stars and artistic license taken as to the array arrangement.

Also, *** I looked for a snare mechanism that looks like the one on the Bunker Hill drum. I have a drum by John Lowell ca. 1850 inscribed on a paper label:

John Lowell
Manufacturer and
Dealer in all kinds of
Musical Instruments
No. 4 Maine St.
Bangor

Compare similar handwriting on the label in the Bunker Hill drum.

But, more interesting is the snare mechanism which looks pretty similar on both drums.

Also the lapped and tacked upper counter hoop with drilled holes (8 on the John Lowell drum, 10 on the Bunker Hill drum) are very similar.

Bottom line: There are similarities between your "Bunker Hill drum" and one by John Lowell, ca. 1850 (pictured below).


EMAIL NO. 5

"Ellis:

"***
"Your narrative of the Mass 6th Regiment engaged in Baltimore in 1861 is quite intriguing, and inspired me to search for other information on that regiment. I've only started (now that I have some breathing time), but did locate an interesting article on that regiment at "The Continental Line" web site. According to that article, "The core of the officer corps had begun service with the Lexington Alarm in April of 1775" with the officer core officially coming into existence in November 1776.

"Another site () goes on to say:

"SIXTH REGIMENT -- COL. PARSONS' -- 1775 [Raised on the first call for troops in April-May, 1775. Recruited from New London, Hartford, and present Middlesex Counties. Two companies, including Capt. Coit's, marched at once to Boston, and Capt. Mott's was ordered to the Northern Dept. The other companies remained on duty at New London until June 17, when they were ordered by the Governor's Council to the Boston camps. There the regiment took post at Roxbury in Gen. Spencer's Brigade, and remained until the expiration of term of service, Dec. 10 75. Adopted as Continental. Regiment re-organized under Col. Parsons for service in 76

"A conjecture: could this drum have been with the original Massachusetts Old Sixth, with "Bunker Hill" possibly signifying an early battle (perhaps its first), and '1776' signifying when the regiment was officially formed up?

"More to research here!!
"***
"All the best.

"John

William F. Ludwig, II Passes

The Chief
William F. Ludwig II
1917-2008
"It is with deep regret that we report the passing of the patriarch of the Ludwig Drum Company, William F. Ludwig II, respectfully known as “The Chief.” Bill was 91 years old and has been in declining health for a few years. The Chief passed from this Earth to his position as principal timpanist in heaven’s orchestra on Saturday, March 22nd, 2008. We can hear that thunderous roll now.

"Bill Ludwig lived a long and productive life and was a mentor to so many percussionists and the music industry. He was a true leader that developed so many percussion products and marketing concepts to promote music and percussion education and further along the advancement of percussion instruments and performance throughout the world.

"We are so blessed to have known and worked with this powerhouse of a man for his vision, dedication and passion for percussion. It is said that the greatest legacy that anyone can leave in this world is “making a difference.” Well, Bill Ludwig made a difference in our world of drums and percussion that is legendary and we are all the heirs to his accomplishments.

"Thank you Chief. You inspired us to carry on from here. You will be missed, but always remembered and honored.

"Respectfully,

"Jim Catalano - Ludwig"

Source: http://www.ludwig-drums.com/thechief/


Three Generations of Ludwigs
William Ludwig, Sr., II, and III


The Chief's Autograph on
1911 Rope Field Snare Drum(manufacturer uncertain)
Collection of E. Mirsky



William F. Ludwig, II plays "Three Camps"

Other Tributes:

"Hail to 'The Chief', In memory of William F. Ludwig II, 1916-2008" by Michael Boo, on DCI's website.

"William F Ludwig II – A Personal Tribute" on ADC Drums and Percussion's website.

"William F Ludwig II, September 13, 1916–March 22, 2008" by Rob Cook.

1841 Porter Blanchard Snare Drum on eBay is Talking, But What is it Saying?

Handwritten Inscriptions on Drum Head:
This 16-1/2" diameter x 17" tall pre-Civil War snare drum currently offered on eBay as item #260222582719 has an India ink inscription in fancy script on the batter head reading, ""- - - t Canterbury / New Hampshire / April 20, 1841", and another reading, "John Wheeler".



Label is Familiar:
The seller reports being able to see a partial label, "Manufactured and for Sale by Porter Blanc[???] / Concord, New Hampshire." Well, readers of this blog will readily recognize those clues. This is a Porter Blanchard, for sure.


The label on another Porter Blanchard drum:
Porter Blanchard drums have been the subject of a previous posting in this blog at "Civil War or Earlier "Porter Blanchard" of Concord, New Hampshire" And there can be seen a small photo of a label that looks like it might be the same vintage as the label in this drum.

"Bass and Tenor Drums / Ebony Drum-sticks / B and C FIFES / Manufactured / and For Sale / by / Porter Blancard. / A few rods north of the State-House / Concord New Hamshire.
That label is from another Porter Blanchard drum described at eBay #220210748329. That drum, reported to be 16" diam. x 18" tall, sold at eBay auction March 16, 2008 for $786.00 to ebayer "horncollector", a collector and dealer in brass instruments with 1001 eBay evaluations under his belt. See horncollector's webpage.

Chalk Markings Inside Shell:
The auctioneer also reports two appearances of chalk numbers "41". Just a guess here, but when I was in Basel two years ago, I learned that Swiss drums come in several sizes, including 41, 42 and 45 cm in diameter. Is it possible that Porter Blanchard was using the metric system in 1841? Note that 41 centimeters @ 2.54 cm/in. is 16.14 inches. The auctioneer reports the diameter as 16.5 inches (let's assume that is the counterhoops' outer diameter). Assuming counterhoops were 3/8" in thickness, that would be twice 3/8 or .75 inches, plus 16.14 inches equals 16.89 inches. Add a slight clearance and we have a Bingo at 17 inches. But the auctioneer reports only 16.5 inches. The George Castanza answer is "shrinkage; what, you never heard of shrinkage?"

Auctioneer's Comments:
"THE WOOD DRUM BODY AND UPPER AND LOWER DRUMHEAD RIMS ARE IN SOLID SHAPE, AS IS THE UPPER CALFSKIN DRUMHEAD. SEVERAL OF THE SNARE CORDS ON THE SIDES HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND REPAIRED AT SOMETIME IN IT'S LONG HISTORY, AS HAVE SOME OF THE LEATHER TIGHTNING STRAPS ON THE SNARES. A HANGER STRAP OF WHITE AND BLUE CORD FABRIC IS ATTACHED TO TWO SNARES WITH A LEATHER BUCKLE & STRAP. THIS FABRIC HANGER STRAP HAS BEEN TORN AND IS CLOSED WITH AN OLD SAFTY PIN. VERY SIMILAR SNARE DRUMS CAN BE SEEN IN SHAW'S "THE CIVIL WAR CATALOG" Pg. 153. THE CONSIGNER ADVISES THAT THIS DRUM WAS IN THE POSSESSION OF THEIR LONG DECEASED PARENTS FOR MANY YEARS AND HAS BEEN RESIDING IN AN ATTIC FOR MANY MANY MORE!"




A Restored Porter Blanchard Drum:
James D. Julia auctioned this beauty, restored by Bill Reamer of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, for a reported $230 (including the buyer's premium; I could not determine the date of sale). Yikes, someone got a buy!


"PRE-CIVIL WAR NEW HAMPSHIRE ROPE-TENSION SNARE DRUM. This is a very nice, orig, late 1850s-style, American, plain-sided, maple, rope-tension snare drum with an orig affixed label for a well-known Concord, NH manufacturer. Drum is 17-1/4” tall x 16-1/2” wide. There are no decorations painted or otherwise applied to the exterior of the drum shell. It has bright red drum hoops. Drum has on orig period label fixed to the interior of the drum shell body that has been covered with a clear, acid-free sheet as part of the restoration/preservative process. Period printed label reads, “Bass & Tenor Drums / Ebony Drum-Sticks / B & C Fifes / Manufactured / and for sale by / Porter Blanchard / Concord, New-Hampshire”. This drum was restored (new antiqued ropes and leather tighteners, repainted orig hoops) by William Reamer of Lancaster, PA, in 2004, and is marked as such on the interior. This drum would add charm and display very nicely in any living space or gun/collection room. CONDITION: Good. 4-32932 JS267 (700-1,000)"

More Interesting Stuff on Porter Blanchard:
Porter Blanchard, b. 16 Aug 1788, d. 25 May 1871; m. Ann Stickney Souther, per "History & Geneology, Merrimack, Hillsborough County, N.H." The date of Porter's marriage to Ann appears to have been 4 Nov 1810, per "History of an American Family.

According to Sherry Gould posting to rootsweb, Porter Blanchard "...furnished drums and fifes for the militia in New Hampshire as found in old record books in the Adjunct General Archives office in Concord, NH from an account book dated July 20, 1835 - 1836; pg 89. There were several other entries; I only copied this one where he furnished 78 drums at $5.00 each for $390.00 and 78 fifes @ .75 each for $58.50."

Yet More Interesting Stuff:
Blanchard butter-worker, The
Chronicle of the Early American Industries Association, Inc., The, Sep 2003 by Hall, Elton W.

The Blanchard Butter Churn:
"This is an example of a Blanchard butter churn. It was made by Porter Blanchard's Sons Company. Porter Blanchard was a craftsman in Concord, New Hampshire who started in business in 1818. His sons, George and Charles, joined him in the business and then Porter passed away in 1871. George and Charles continued the company under the name Porter Blanchard's Sons. On June 4, 1878 George was granted a patent for this butter churn. The patent dealt with the design of the dasher blades. In the patent papers George said his patent was for an improvement in the well-known Blanchard churn. He implied that the Blanchard churn had already been available for sale and well accepted. In fact an 1876 catalog of the International Exhibition in Philadelphia had a claim that the celebrated Blanchard churn had been proved for over a quarter of a century and over 100,000 were in successful operation." Doug & Linda's Dairy Antique Site. More than 100,000! I guess the Blanchards didn't need to make drums any more.

Thompson & Odell Co. Drums

Currently up for auction on eBay as item #280211000591 is a drum described as "Thompson & Odell Co. Indian War Period Drum".

Boston's Thompson & Odell operated from 1872 to 1905. See American Banjo Makers by Stuart Cohen, Mugwumps magazine, Vol. 7, No. 1.

According to mugwumps "Thompson & Odell were Boston instrument manufacturers and music dealers in business 1872-1905. Founded by I.H. Odell in 1872 who took in C.W. Thompson as a partner the following year, they made a diverse line of instruments using the "Artist" and "Crescent" brand names, and were an important part of the Boston musical scene for many years. They incorporated in 1891 and Odell left the business the next year; Thompson died in 1903 and the company was forced into bankruptcy in 1905." See Mugwumps FAQs.

And, according to "Lew" posting on TubNet BBS, 9/21/2002, "Thompson & Odell is listed in the Langwill directory. The business was founded in 1874 as a music store and publishing business. In 1884 they took over the 'Quinby Brothers' facilities and began manufacturing brass instruments, mainly using the name 'Standard Band Instrument Co.' Quinby brothers, also Hall & Quinby and Hall, Quinby, & Wright, Co. were one of the better brass instrument makers of their time (1861-1884). E.G. Wright was one of the principals of the Boston Musical Instrument Manufactory before joining Quinby. In 1900 Carl Fischer bought out the music publishing part of the business and in 1909 instrument production was taken over by the Vega Co. Most of their instruments had the Standard Band Instrument Co. name on them, although some were made with the Thompson & Odell label."

All of which brings us to this Thompson & Odell Co. drum now on eBay.

[Note, kudos to the auctioneer, Homestead Auctions, 6825 Wales Ave NW, North Canton, OH United States 44720, 330.966.0854. The drum was previously described on eBay as "Civil War" which we pointed out was incorrect. Homestead Auctions listened and corrected the posting promptly.]






Other Thompson & Odell Drums:

The National Music Museum has a Thompson & Odell in its collection.



See "Portrait view of snare drum by J. B. Treat, Boston, 1905" The museum's website describes the drum:

"NMM 10045. Snare drum by J. B. Treat for Thompson and Odell, Boston, 1905. Paper label affixed inside shell, visible through vent hole: THE CELEBRATED / "ARTIST DRUM." / MADE BY / J.B. TREAT., followed by a long advertisement by Thompson and Odell, dated November 1905. Wood shell with natural finish, 225mm (8-7/8") x 421mm (16-9/16"). Twelve leather tugs. Wood rims with the outside edge painted black, with twelve metal hooks through which the rope passes. Brass snare adjuster. Ex coll.: Armand Zildjian. William F. Ludwig II Collection, 2001."

"Lit.: Jayson Dobney, Innovations in American Snare Drums 1850-1920, M.M. Thesis (Vermillion: University of South Dakota, 2003), pp. 140-141."

Another Thompson & Odell Drum:

This drum is in my collection.

The Perfectionists, The History of Rudimental Snare Drumming from Military Code to Field Competition

Ken Mazur's terrific article titled "The Perfectionists, The History of Rudimental Snare Drumming from Military Code to Field Competition", from the April, 2005 edition of Percussive Notes, p. 10, et seq., published by the Persussive Arts Society, is available at CADRE's (Canadian Associates Drumming Rudimental Excellence) on-line library. CADRE's website is an excellent source of authoritative information on rudimental drumming.

[Note: My father, Joe Mirsky (now age 86 and pictured below in a recent jam session playing a 1986 Cooperman Fife & Drum Co. 6-ply rosewood 18"x18" snare drum), 1939 NYS VFW Junior Snare Drum Champion, is quoted in the Mazur article.]


The Perfectionists -- The History of Rudimental Snare Drumming

Historic Drum of the First Corps of Cadets, Massachusetts

[Note: A few pretty offerings emerged this week to be auctioned at Mike Kent Auctions' "Civil War & Military Artifacts" auction to be held March 29, 2008 in Dalton, Georgia. Among those items is the below-discussed drum of the First Corps of Cadets.

Post-Auction Follow-up: According to a telephone interview with the auctioneer, the auction of this drum drew substantial interest, including three eBay bidders, one floor bidder and two telephone bidders. See eBay for additional information.]

First Corps of Cadets, Organized 1726:
18" x 17" drum with painted seal of the First Corps of Cadets organized in 1726 as a bodyguard unit to the royal governor of the Province of Massachusetts.


What is the First Corps of Cadets?
"The First Corps of Cadets is the oldest military unit in continuous existence in the United States; it was chartered in 1741 as the bodyguard of the Governor of the province of Massachusetts Bay and took active part in the War for Independence, the Civil War and both World Wars. *** As the personal bodyguard of the British governor, it was called upon to protect life and property during the Stamp Act upheavals and the Hutchinson Riots. When in 1774 a quarrel arose between Governor Gage and Corps Commander John Hancock, the unit severed its connection with the British government, and its members joined the American forces." Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center. The First Corps of Cadets was organized in 1741 as an outgrowth of the Governor's Company of Cadets, part of the militia before and since the Revolution. "History of the Town of Hingham, Massachusetts", published by the Town, 1893, p. 373, digitized by Google.


The Armory of the First Corps of Cadets is an Historic Landmark (located at 97-105 Arlington St. and 130 Columbus Ave., Boston, Massachusetts). And the First Corps of Cadets Museum is located at 227 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, Massachusetts. For an extensive history of the First Corps of Cadets see "History of Forty-Fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, The Cadet Regiment", compiled by Albert W. Mann, Historian of the Regiment, 1908, digitized by Google.



"The First Corps of Cadets is now designated as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 211th Military Police Battalion. It has been one of the premier organizations of the Massachusetts National Guard serving in five wars. Its primary contribution to the Commonwealth and nation has been as an officer producing institution for new regiments from the Revolutionary War through World War II." Source: GlobalSecurity.org

"A six-pointed mullet of rays, one point up charged with a bezant bearing a cross Gules encircled with a garter Azure inscribed 'MONSTRAT VIAM 1741' (It Points The Way) of the first." Source: The Institute of Heraldry, Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army.

Label Inside Attributes the Drum to Prentiss of Boston:
A label inside the drum reportedly reads: "M[possibly H?] Prentiss / 33 Court St / Boston" (we will soon have additional information on this label).

H. Prentiss was Henry H. Prentiss (b. Roxbury, 25 June 1801; d. Boston, 1860), per “The Keyed Bugle”, Second Edition, Dudgeon, Ralph T., Scarecrow Press, Inc.,1993, Chapter 8, “Keyed Bugle Makers and Sellers, p. 291.

Another Prentiss Drum Sits in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston:
Another Prentiss drum is in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The MFA describes the drum as "probably 1834", distributed by: Henry H. Prentiss, American, 1801–1860, Boston, Massachusetts, United States, height 35.5 cm, diameter 42 cm (height 14 in., diameter 16 9/16 in.), maple.



And, Who Knows Where This One (below) Went? Militaria and Americana by Northeast Auctions, sold this drum (below) of a similiar genre (no attribution, as far as I am aware, to a particular maker, but the artist is identified) as part of its sale of the Guthman Collection, but where is it now? [if you know, please email us]:


Photo Source: Antiques and Fine Art website.
Northeast Auctions' 2006 auction of the William H. Guthman Collection provides the following information:

"William H. Guthman Collection, Oct 12, 2006
"Lot # 612
"IMPORTANT 'BOSTON CITY GUARDS' MILITIA DRUM, PAINTED BY CHARLES HUBBARD, CIRCA 1824.
"Sold: 29,250.00

"Painted with an adaptation of the Seal of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts within flags and trumpets, the banners inscribed 'City Guards' and "Instituted Sept. 1821,' the red and black striped sides within black bands, appears to retain its original skins and hoops, signed and dated beneath the shield "Chs. Hubbard./ Boston/ 1824.' Height 17 1/2 inches, diameter 17 inches. Charles Hubbard (1801-76) worked in Boston from the mid-1820's until 1869. In 1834 he advertised as a sign and ornamental painter, and painter of military standards and masonic regalia. This drum was painted for the volunteer militia regiment Boston City Guards, using their insignia adapted from the seal of Massachusetts as the decoration. Literature: Discussed and illustrated in William Guthman, 'American Militia Drums, 1775-1845,' THE MAGAZINE ANTIQUES, July 1982, p. 155, fig. 12."

See brochure from Guthman auction.

Guthman Articles:
If you have a copy of either of these articles written by William H. Guthman and published in The Magazine Antiques, I'd appreciate an email from you.:

July, 1982, Page 148-155. American militia drums, 1775-1845.
July, 1984, Page 124-133. Decorated American militia equipment.

And see October 22, 1881 New York Times article about the First Corps of Cadets escorting the Governor of Massachusetts in New York City en route home from the centenial celebration in Yorktown, Virginia.

The Civil War Drums of Edward Baack

Drum maker, flute maker, politico, scoundrel? -- Who was Edward Baack?
Terry McGee reports in the "Chiff & Fipple" blog under the topic "Edward Baack Flute":"Edward Baack rates as one of the more interesting characters in flute making history. Born Hamburg in June 1809, died NY 14 Dec 1893. Flourished NY 1837-1893. According to an unsubstantiated family tradition, he went to the US as a deserter from the German army in 1832. Set up as an importer and dealer with Paulus from 1837, then listed as a maker 1864-1872. Then retired insolvent due to wartime debts and economic crises. His premises included the retail downstairs, manufactory upstairs, and his home, wife and 12 children."

The New York Times for June 23, 1858, p. 5, reported that an Edward Baack (possibly the same person as the drum and flute maker) was one of many supporters of Hon. John B. Haskin, Representative to Congress from the 9th Congressional District who met at the principal hall in Morrisania (now part of the Bronx) to support the congressman. And the Times for November 16, 1871, p. 1, reported that an Edward Baack, Jr. ran (but lost) for Receiver of Taxes as an Independent Democrat from the Town of West Farms (also now part of the Bronx but apparently part of Westchester County at the time).

Interestingly, the "Annual Report of the State Engineer & Surveyor of the State of New York", etc. for the year ending September 30, 1868 (p. 684) reports that Edward Baack was President of the Harlem Bridge, Morrisania and Fordham Railway Company as of December 15, 1868 and both Baack and the same John B. Haskin (both of Fordham, New York, now part of the Bronx), were listed among the directors.

And "Thomas" reports in his blog "I Wear Tight Genes":
"I've found a few obits so far, but this little bit from Jan 12, 1871, caught my eye:

'Judge Blatchford, of the United States Court, has granted the motion of the plantiffs in the case of the Manufacturer's National Bank of Chicago vs. EDWARD BAACK and EDWARD BAACK, Sr., of this City, for the appointment of a receiver and for an injunction, holding that the court had full jurisdiction in the case.'

"Interesting, eh? At the time, the Baack clan was living in West Farms, Westchester Co. (for the most part), and 2 years after this notice, Ed Jr. loses an election to become the county receiver of taxes. G.E. Valley Jr. did a lot of research regarding a family legend centering around the Baack dynasty: That H. Edward Sr. had gained quite a lot of money, but then lost most of it after the Civil War due to having sold bugles to the Confederates. His research eventually turned up nothing surrounding this legend, but this little hit in the NY Times may be some indication that the family was going through financial troubles anyway at around the same time period."

Analysis:
So, were there two Edward Baack's? Yes, father and son. Were there three? Who knows? Seems unlikely that the politico from West Farms (now part of the Bronx) would have been able to maintain a shop to make drums on Fulton Street (downtown Manhattan) and commute daily in pre-subway times. Also, the obit referred to above indicates that he lived with his family in the same building as his "manufactory" which appears to have been on Fulton Street (decidedly not West Farms). And although musical instrument makers are generally skilled people, the thought of Edward Baack the German-born drum-, flute- (and oboe-) maker moonlighting as (or becoming) President of a railway is just too far fetched to be probable. So, my conclusion is that Edward Baack the musical instrument maker and Edward Baack the railroad president were two different people, but possibly father and son.

Eric Totman (www.horncollector.com) generously posted photos of his 1860s restored Edward Baack drum for the world to see.








Another Baack Drum:



The Dec. 7, 2006 sale for $3,500 by Cowan's in its Fall Historic Americana and Militaria auction of another Baack drum (the eagle drum pictured above) was reported by LiveAuctioneers.com and described as follows:

"121st Regiment U.S. Infantry Painted Snare Drum, brown wood drum with typical hand-painted patriotic eagle bearing a US shield and banner in its beak that reads 121st Reg. U.S. Infantry. Stylized sunrays with white painted stars scattered against the blue background. Red painted top and bottom wood rims. Nine brown leather tension mounts. Bottom drumhead with stenciled black letters D.C. Connely, Stewart's Run, PA. Green paper label on inside of drum reads Edward Baack No. 87 Fulton Street New York Manufacturers and Importers of Drums, Banjos and Tamborines and All Kinds of Brass and Wooden Instruments. Bands Supplied on the Most Reasonable Terms. 15" height, 16.5" diameter. Complete with pair of 17" black painted wood drumsticks. The generic eagle drum with regulation military symbols is not specifically identified to a particular state and the high-numbered 121st painted banner could pertain to a volunteer regiment from Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, or USCT. The cryptic reference to Steward's Run, PA is a good starting point for further research.
Condition report: Rope is a replacement. Both drumheads are in good condition, but soiled and showing water stains. Hand-painted eagle with numerous regions of severe paint loss. Rims retain ca 90% original red paint."

And a Baack Bass Drum:


Images on Prices4Antiques.com website courtesy of Garth's Auctions.

Described by Garth's as follows:

"CAMPAIGN DRUM FOR GROVER CLEVELAND. An early Civil War era drum by "Edward Baack, 87 Fulton St., New York" with worn original paint and an inlaid star on the side. The hand painted bust of Cleveland and banners, "Grover Cleveland", "Our Next President" are on one side only and have areas of wear. Cleveland was elected in 1884 and then again in 1892. Died in 1908. Restoration to one head and a tear on the other. 36 1/2"d. 18 1/4"h."

Also, Kovel's (www.kovels.com) auctioneers lists having sold an Eagle Baack with red hoops and a New York label and stencil in 2000 for a mere $795.

In addition to making drums, Baack made flutes. See three examples in the Dayton C. Miller Flute Collection Here they are:




And Baack flutes (plus many Civil War drums) are reported to be part of the collection of the MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY (Maine History Gallery, Wadsworth-Longfellow House), 485 Congress Street, 04101 (207-879-0427) FAX (207-775-4301).

Wait, there's more -- Baaack oboes: "The Oboe", by Geoffrey Burgess and Bruce Haynes, Yale Musical Instrument Series, p. 169 refers to "[A]n oboe bearing the name of Edward Baack (1802 - p.1871), who ... operated out of New York ...."

Boy Size "John C. Haynes" Rope Drum Has Clean Label But Poor Artwork

Although the "artwork" and "eagle" on this drum are hideous, the label inside this little drum is almost worth the price asked -- an intact clean readable John C. Haynes printed label.




A good-looking brass snare mechanism and oversized leather ears (probably stock intended for full-size drums), add to this drum's alure.



"Fine Civil War Drummer Boy size drum, excellent as they come along! Crisp example with original skins, pulls, ropes and Massachusetts maker label inside! This superb little item measures 10 ¾” wide and about 9” tall and is a perfect scaled down example of the full size military issue eagle drum. The body has a fine Infantry eagle motif painted on the side, too. $1,750." See eBay #220212331993. See Civil War Shop.



Will & Lynn Gorges
Civil War
Battleground Antiques Inc.
dba CivilWarShop.com
3910 U.S. Hwy 70 East
New Bern, N.C. 28560
Phone (252) 636-3039
Fax (252) 637-1862
tarheelrebel2000@aol.com

Confederate Drum Draws $18,000 at James D. Julia Auction

In an auction March 11 by James D. Julia, Civil War rope drums drew mixed interest. This confederate drum was far and away the winner, going out at $18,000. The inscribed head and provenance no doubt did a lot for its value, the drum being otherwise relatively unexceptional.

Another good specimen, a Horstmann eagle drum (discussed below), did fairly well. It was knocked down at $6,500 (against a pre-auction estimate of $7,000 to $9,000).

However, the depth of the market was surely tested (and found to be relatively shallow this week) when three other specimens drew no interest (discussed below -- See "A [Not So] Hot Week in Eagle Rope Drums", posted March 10, 2008) and appear to have been sold to a lucky floor bidder for $1 each.




"CAPTURED CONFEDERATE DRUM. You are bidding on possibly the only confederate used drum ever offered at an auction. We can find no record of another drum with such provenance as this one. Similar identified drums are in institutional collections including, The Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond Virginia, and the Atlanta Historical Society. This drum is intact and is in as found condition. Drum is a standard military drum used both North and South; 16" X 14" with about 2" high red painted hoops, a natural wood body with a geometric design, a bone vent hole plug, and orig tied on carrying strap. The drum is consigned by a direct descendant of the soldier who captured this drum and carried it home as a souvenir. There is a 15 line ink inscription on the top head which is no doubt contemporary to the capture of the drum. Because of their bulk, a drum would have been a difficult souvenir for a soldier to obtain, unless he was stationed on a ship such as soldiers fighting at Port Royal, at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, where other large souvenirs have known to have been collected. The inscription though worn and weathered, is still mostly discernible as follows. "This drum was found 3 miles from Fort Walker, Hilton Head, S.C. on the 8th of November 1861, by WM. Car.... the Steward of Steamship Manion. The drum was left in that spot by one of the drummers of the Berry Infantry of ... 7th day of ... Georgia on the named month..... after their defeat in the battle for Port Royal. The drummer ... in the hand during his... was on the drumm...SECESSION DRUM FROM PORT ROYAL, S.C." If you ever wanted a confederate used drum you better buy this one, I doubt another with iron clad provenance will ever turn up. Accompanied by copy of article from Brooklyn, NY newspaper, cs 1948-1950, in which previous owner states, "he wouldn't let anyone play my Civil War Drum...it was given to me by a friend several years ago." CONDITION: Drum appears uncleaned and untolled since the war. Surfaces of heads, hoops, and body have numerous scratches, soiled areas, and scuffs. Drum head has stain marks which could be blood. The two hoops retain most of their orig red paint. Both heads have several age cracks measuring from 1/2" to 2" long. Roping is completely original and intact though worn at high spots. Only one original leather tightener is present and it has contemporary string repair, and is quite fragile. A second retained tightener is made from a loose piece of cloth with a small civil war era buckle. The original drum strap is frayed, but mostly complete though lacking most all of it's leather attachment. The original roller buckle is retained by a safety pin. 4-31692 JS9 (10,000-15,000)." See James D. Julia, Inc. See eBay #140211734514.

Civil War or Earlier "Porter Blanchard" of Concord, New Hampshire

First, Who was Porter Blanchard?
According to "American Military Goods Dealers and Makers, 1785-1915" (p. 13), Porter Blanchard of Concord, New Hampshire, was born in 1788 in Amherst and was a cabinet maker from 1809 until his death in 1871 (he would have been 83 years of age at death). "Along with furniture he made churns and military drums. His sons continued the churn business thru the 1890's. The surviving drums date from the Civil War era. In 1864 he is listed as drum & churn maker h 211 Main along with sons, Chas. P. and Thomas. In 1849 the 'New England Mercantile Union Directory' shows Blanchard under 'drums' indicating a business in this type of manufacture at an earlier date. A label in a drum in NH Hist. Soc. collections shows bass & tenor drums, ebony sticks, B & C fifes manufactured by Porter Blanchard, Concord, NH."

What the Seller Said About This Drum:
"An early pre war drum by Porter Blanchard of Concord N.H. Drum has been restored, new ropes, tugs and heads. This is a nice rare label which dates 1850. Size 18" high 16 wide.

"Bass and Tenor Drums / Ebony Drum-sticks / B and C FIFES / Manufactured / and For Sale / by / Porter Blancard. / A few rods north of the State-House / Concord New Hamshire.
"There is no snare hardware, just indents in bottom hoops."

See eBay #220210748329. [This drum sold at eBay auction March 16, 2008 for $786.00 to ebayer "horncollector", a collector and dealer in brass instruments with 1001 eBay evaluations under his belt. See horncollector's webpage.]

Note that the absence of a brass snare mechanism is not fatal to authenticity. See, e.g,. the 1862 Wm. S. Tompkins drum discussed in our Feb. 27, 2008 posting, "Tompkins 1860-1863 Masterpiece Drums -- Where Are They Now?" and pictured below. There was no snare mechanism there either. The snares were tightened up at the same time at the heads but pulling down on the leather tugs.





BRS Militaria
P.O. Box 178
24 School Street
Kennebunkport, ME 04046
Phone: 207 967-2906
FAX: 207 967-2997
Shop hours 10am-5pm On-line 24 hours
Email: cleartheway@roadrunner.com

----------
Field Drum collector Bob Benton writes:

"Hi Ellis:

"I own an early Porter Blanchard Snare Drum that is currently under restoration (see attached photos taken prior to restoration). The drum has several nasty splits on the shell as you can see in the photos. Like the Porter Blanchard currently on eBay, my drum has no evidence of ever having snare hardware mounted. However, I can see where the shell and rims were hand carved (the snare bed) to make clearance for the gut so the snares could be tucked in place. My label is in place and in fine shape for the age. The label speaks of Porter Blanchard, furniture maker. My drum's label is somewhat different from that on the Porter Blanchard drum on eBay. No date is listed on my label. My restoration is about 75% complete. When finished I will post photos to the FieldDrums.com blog.

"Thanks,

"Bob Benton

Printed Label in Bob Benton's Porter Blanchard Drum:





----------

Compare with the 1862 Wm. S. Tompkins drum that also lacks snare hardware: As shown in the photographs below of another drum by a different maker (Wm. S. Tompkins of Yonkers, NY), there is no snare hardware at all on that drum either. The snares were tucked in and pulled down along with the heads. Imagine how difficult that was to perform.

A [Not So] Hot Week in Eagle Rope Drums

This week Civil War eagle drums seem to be coming out of the attics and hitting the auction houses (or James D. Julia, Inc. at any rate).

This sampling looks good and is sure to test the depth of the market by offering three relatively good (but not the best) quality drums at the same time. In the past, at the eBay level, an abundance of rope drums at auction at any one time has tended to drive prices down as the buying portion of the market has only so much appetite (remember supply and demand). Let's see whether that holds true at this level as well.

[Note: All quotes below are the seller's descriptions.]

Eagle Drum by Horstmann, Philadelphia
Sold at $6,500 to a floor bidder, March 11, 2008 (below original estimte of $7,000 to $9,000)

"CIVIL WAR EAGLE DRUM. You are bidding on a beautiful Civil War Eagle Drum about 13" t, 16-1/2" across. A similar painted drum is pictured in Mark Elrod's book, A Pictoral History of Civil War Era Musical Instruments and Military Bands. That drum has a label noting manufacture by Horstmann of PA. This drum is full-sized and not cut down as so many were for later service. Upper head, rope, and leather braces may be restorations, as is usually the case, but now have appropriate age look. Upper rim considerably worn perhaps from too many rim shots where the drummer rests one stick on the rim while he strikes it with the other. Drum still has its original gut snares. The body of the drum is tiger-eye maple. An old coat of varnish has preserved the painting, but has darkened with age. Colors underneath are strikingly vivid worth[y] of professional cleaning. CONDITION: Overall, very good. Top head is restored as are tighteners; otherwise, drum is in as-found condition. Paint is very good and bright with scattered scratches, scrapes, and soiling. Top hoop is broken and separated, but sits on drum well, and does not affect aesthetics. 87566 (7,000-9,000)." See James D. Julia, Inc. See eBay #140211734523.



Eagle Drum by John D. McCarthy, Lewiston, Maine
No bids (per conversation 3/14/08 with Bill of James D. Julia) at March 11, 2008 auction (original estimate was $5,000 to $8,000)

"MAINE-MADE CIVIL WAR ERA DRUM. This eagle-and-shield hand decorated drum is labeled on the interior "John D. McCarthy Drums...Lewiston Maine". The fierce eagle decoration with "E Pluribus Unum" banner in beak, peace branch and arrows in its talons, all on a red, white, and blue shield. Thirteen gold rays and stars are arrayed over the wings. All but one of the original tighteners are present, skin on the top appears original, the bottom one an old replacement. CONDITION: Drum side has a split radiating the entire circumference of the drum, painted eagle is strong, two retaining bands on top and bottom appear to be repainted. 4-32242 JJ15 (5,000-8,000)." See James D. Julia, Inc. See eBay #140211734332.



Eagle Drum by John F. Stratton, New York City
No bids (per conversation 3/14/08 with Bill of James D. Julia) at March 11, 2008 auction (original estimate was $4,500 to $6,500)

"CIVIL WAR ERA NEW YORK MADE DRUM. Eagle and banner decorated regulation infantry drum retaining maker's label on inside: "John F. Stratton Military Drums, 105 East 22nd Street, New York". Drum retains all but one of the leather tighteners, the cord a later replacement. Both at top and bottom have old but possibly not original skins (top with a split along the edge). CONDITION: We do not guarantee how old paint and and eagle is, otherwise generally good condition. 4-32243 JJ16 (4,500-6,500)." See James D. Julia, Inc. See eBay #140211734250.



Compare the artwork on this drum by "Ernest Vogt, Phila. Pa., contract Dec. 29, 1864," J. Craig Nannos Collection, pictured at p. 50 of "A Pictorial History of Civil War Era Musical Instruments & Military Bands":



Eagle Bass Drum
No bids (per conversation 3/14/08 with Bill of James D. Julia) at March 11, 2008 auction (original estimate was $8,000 to $12,000)

"LARGE PRE-CIVIL WAR EAGLE DECORATED DRUM. This large period drum in original old paint and decoration features a large wonderful folk art spread-wing eagle with flag and a round wreath of foliate design. Also a second painted spread-wing eagle on the opposite side of the drum. CONDITION: Many of the original leather tensioners are present. Original cord has at some time been replaced with later cord. Drum includes its original leather harness. Skins are intact, but each has a small split. Wooden retainer bands at top and bottom feature the original old red paint; both have age splits, one reinforced with four early handmade raisin-head nails. 4-32241 JJ14 (8,000-12,000)." See James D. Julia, Inc. See eBay #140211734250.

The Real Deal Heavily Tacked Drum on eBay Auction

"Genuine Original Civil War Drum

[3/16/08 Update: eBayer "horncollector" snagged this beauty in a hotly contested bidding war with 39 bids, winning the drum at $860. "horncollector" sniped in 6 seconds before the whistle blew (possibly using ezsniper.com), making his first and only appearance in this auction really count.

He cleverly hung back, staying out of the frey as other bidders punched themselves out in real time, including four other bidders who entered their offers manually within 2-1/2 minutes of the gavel, contributing to an almost $500 run-up in the price as the end of the auction drew near.

"horncollector" seems to know value, having also spent $786 to win the Porter Blanchard drum which was the subject of a March 10, 2008 posting to this blog. In that auction, his technique was the same -- hanging back, staying out of the bidding until the last 6 seconds then striking with a snipe outbidding a manual eBayer by $10.

So, eBay rope drum bidders beware, we have a new player in the game and he appears to have money to spend and knows how to bid. Welcome "horncollector".]

"Fresh from a local upstate NY estate comes this genuine period Civil War drum measuring just under 17" wide by 11.5" tall. The drum has brass tack design and an ivory or bone inspection hole along with all of it's original leather tensioners, gut snares and red painted hoops. Also included are the original 12.5" sticks the drum was found with. The bottom head bears the letters "CAW" stenciled in faded black ink or paint. The top head does have a couple of rips but is still quite intact. The wood is in fantastic condition overall with a few minor nicks and scrapes and superficial cracking to the overlapping ply at the tacked seam. All in all, a very nice example of a true Civil War period drum."

Unremarkable Alleged "Civil War" Drum Sells for $285.13 in Quiet eBay Auction

The eBay Auction:
Not much interest shown in this little beauty. Only three bidders throwing money at this one. slick-58 (664; a Civil War collector) hung in from the start after opening with an automatic bid that went all the way home. Valiant efforts by m***m (115; a Civil War collector) were insufficient to stave off slick-58's check-mate opening. One last test of the water by 1***s (467; an art collector) six hours before bidding ended, and slick-58 was the winner.

Seller's Description:
"THIS IS A GREAT OLD ANTIQUE SNARE DRUM I KNOW WAS PAST DOWN TO THERE GENERATIONS, I WAS TOLD DRUM WAS AROUND 150 YEARS OLD! AND COULD HAVE BEEN USED, IN THE CIVIL WAR, OTHER CIVIL WAR ITEMS WERE FOUND WITH IT.THE STCKS WERE ALSO FOUND IN BOX WITH DRUM. THERE ARE STARS ON THE LEATHER PIECES ON THE ROPES, HARD TO SEE BUT THERE, STORED VERY WELL FOR ALL THESE YEARS IN SUPER NICE ORIGINAL CONDITION, LIGHT DUST ONLY! DRUM HAS NOT BEEN CLEANED MEASURES, 8 1/2'' DEEP, TOP MEASURES, 14'' ACROSS TOP."

Eagle Drum Goes for $1,380 on eBay

A good price on a so-so Civil War eagle drum. Why just so-so?

What's Not So Hot About This Drum? The art work is just fair, nothing great. And the blue background does not extend the full length of the shell (the top margin might be hidden if the heads were pulled down tight, but then the bottom of the eagle's claws and the arrows would be cut off).

Speaking of which (cut-off) the misplacement of the painting viz. the vertical axis of the drum suggests that the drum was once taller and has been cut down to 11-3/4 inches.

And, not to be picky, the rope and leather snare stop look to be relatively new.

Also, the placement of the snare mechanism near the drummer's right hand for tightening while the drum is slung is wrong (should be by the drummer's left hand (higher) so whomever was assembling (or reassembling) this drum might not have been thinking about wearing and using the drum (you can tell where the strainer is from the placement of the leather snare stop -- the adjustment mechanism, if any, would be 180 degrees opposite which would be to the drummer's right [thanks Terry, good observation -- see comment below]).

Finally, the roping job is poor -- a knot? -- and no drag line. If the rope is a replacement, why not do the job right?

What's Pretty Good About This Drum? The pulls look old enough (but they could be new and artificially "aged") and the hooks and snare mechanism look vintage Civil War.

So, "dptydog" (eBay name of winning bidder), not a bad price if you had to have an eagle drum in your collection. But it appears that the pros stayed away from this one for a reason, actually probably many reasons (as above).

Any comments or other perspectives are always welcome.

The seller wrote:

"... A GREAT CIVIL WAR PAINTED DRUM. DRUM IS IN GREAT CONDTION WITH ONE OF THE RAWHIDE STRECTED SKINS REPLACED WITH A ROUND PIECE OF WOOD. YOU COULD TAKE IT TO A DRUM STORE AND HAVE A NEW PIECE STRECTED BACK ON IT. LOOKING THROUGH A LITTLE PEEP HOLE THERE IS A MAKERS STAMP INSIDE THE DRUM BUT I CAN'T MAKE IT OUT DUE TO POOR EYE SIGHT. DRUM IS ALL ORIGINAL AND FROM THE CIVIL WAR PERIOD .... LOOKING THROUGH THE PEEP HOLE I CAN MAKE OUT HARTFORD CONN. ALSO THE DRUM MEASURE'S 11 3/4 INCHES IN HEIGHT AND 17 INCHES WIDE."

Drum by John Lowell of Bangor, Maine

Believed to have been manufactured in 1850 (substantiating information to follow), this drum arrived at my office in 2006 in pretty rough condition: essentially just a lot of parts. But so many things about the drum made it special and worthy of restoration, including the union shields on the pulls, the handwritten label, the tack line at the shell seam and counter hoop laps, the snare mechanism, and the vent hole grommet.

Thanks to Jim Ellis and his craftspersons at Cooperman Drum Company in Bellows Falls, Vermont for their superb restoration work.



Design Features Revealed in Photo
Note the vent hole grommet, tacked lapped counter hoops, snare mechanism and line of tacks at seam (second photo below). Also, note the light area below the leather pull/tug/ear indicative of wear caused by prior pulls.




Brass Union Shield on Each Ear
A fine decorative touch believed to be on the originals, each ear has one of these puppies on it (3/4" x 3/4"). I have two original brass shields. I was able to obtain replacements in pewter but plan to upgrade to brass.




Staples Soldered to Rear of Union Shield



Handwritten Label in Drum
John Lowell / Manufacturer and / Dealer in all kinds of / Musical Instruments / No. 4 Maine St. / Bangor




Snare Mechanism