Field Drums

Dedicated to research, study and comparisons of old field drums. Our purpose is to collect information about historical U.S. drums (manufacture, preservation, conservancy, repair, market) for use by scholars, collectors and others. Photographs of drums, and anything related, together with educational and informative narratives, are welcome. If it's on the web, it should be here. Interested readers will find archived postings a good resource. Bookmark the blog URL for easy return.

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Hand-painted Wooden Militia Bass Drum

Information from Cowan's Auction Website:
Price Realized Including Buyer's Premium: $2,300.00
Auction: 2005, Historic Americana / June 9-10

1046. HAND-PAINTED WOODEN MILITIA BASS DRUM, front side presents a gold-painted medallion-shaped painted image of a fierce eagle clutching a flag in its talons rendered in brown, black, gold and red. Another similar eagle placed adjacent is depicted on a smaller scale without gold medallion periphery. Both upper and lower wood headbands painted red. Complete with 13 black leather tension mounts attached to the original braided ropes. Side of drum with black leather carrying strap connected by two pieces of brass furniture. Brown leather pad attached to drum by domed brass tacks aligned in heart outline complete with waist-belt connector hook.

Interior of drum marked with inked date 1828 visible through ivory peephole. 26" height x 24" diameter. Top drumhead severed at the edges. Bottom drumhead with expected dark toning. Painted images are both very muted. One of the tensions severed in half. Part of wood rim severed from body. Some alligatoring forming on the wood in various areas. Fragment of wood rim detached. VG.

(EST $6000-$8000)
Provenance: Ex John Armiger Collection
Price Realized: $2,300.00
Price includes buyer's premium.

Cowan's Auctions, Inc.
6270 Este Ave
Cincinnati, OH United States 45232
513-871-1670

Labels: Armiger Collection, Bass Drum, Civil War, Eagle, Painted, Provenance, Rope Drum

Regimental U.S. Infantry Eagle Drum

Information from Cowan's Auction Website:
Price Realized Including Buyer's Premium: $3,450.00
Auction: 2005, Historic Americana / June 9-10

1044. HAND-PAINTED WOODEN MILITIA SNARE DRUM, front with eagle with red banner with white shading in its beak Reg U.S. Infantry. Eagle bearing a patriotic shield on its breast with arrows in its left talon and an olive branch in its right. Stylized crenulated sunrays above with a star-filled blue sky. Painting is rendered in red, white, blue, yellow, green and brown. Domed brass tacks geometrically aligned to fasten the seam. Ten brown buff leather tensions with corresponding braided rope. Top and bottom headbands painted red. Bottom headband with device with tension screws for altering tautness of drumhead by six strings. 17" height x 17" diameter.Both drumheads with expected toning from aging, eagle has refreshed paint, mild paint loss along headbands. VG+.

(EST $1500-$2500)
Provenance: Ex John Armiger Collection
Price Realized: $3,450.00
Price includes buyer's premium.

Cowan's Auctions, Inc.
6270 Este Ave
Cincinnati, OH United States 45232
513-871-1670

Labels: Armiger Collection, Civil War, Eagle, Painted, Rope Drum, Snare

Militia Snare Drum with Initials D.C.B.

Information from Cowan's Auction Website:
Price Realized Including Buyer's Premium: $900.00
Auction: 2006, Spring Decorative Arts, June 17

787. HAND-PAINTED MILITIA SNARE DRUM,front presents image of an eagle perched upon an oval device with a national shield inside. Background with a panoply of flags and military trophies, resting upon flourished scrolls. Right side of image is flanked by a vertical shield with the initials D.C.B. with intricate scrollwork border. Drum paintings rendered in orange, blue, red, white, brown and gold. Twelve buff leather tensions with corresponding braided rope. Top and bottom wood headbands painted dark brown. Bottom headband with tension screw device and ten wires for altering tautness of drumhead. With pair of 17" drumsticks. 14" high x 17.5" diameter.Orange paint ca 95%. Alligatoring present throughout.

(EST $3000-$6000)
Provenance: Ex John Armiger Collection
Price Realized: $900.00
Price includes buyer's premium.

Cowan's
Auctions, Inc.
6270 Este Ave
Cincinnati, OH United States 45232
513-871-1670

Labels: Armiger Collection, Eagle, Painted, Rope Drum, Snare

Website Stuff

This website is a non-commercial, non-profit, non-revenue-generating work developed and maintained by Ellis Mirsky, an attorney working in New York, solely for the purpose of gathering information about field drums for use by hobbiests, researchers, reenactors, students, collectors and enthusiasts. Any suggestion or information that you may have is welcome.

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Legal Stuff

For the lawyers out there, this is not a scholarly journal. It's an amateur collection of information about field drums, a subject given precious little attention. On the theory that the "fair use" doctrine of copyright law allows such use for non-commercial educational purposes, we've taken photographs and text freely and without express permission from various sources on the Internet. Whenever possible, work created by others is set in italics so as to distinguish it from original writing. However, if at times we fail to do so, there is no intent to take credit for someone else's work. It is merely the result of a lack of perfection, something which we readily admit. Photographs and italicized text should be considered attributed to the sources identified near them, even if not expressly so stated. If you believe that anything written here is incorrect or if you can add to our learning, please feel free to email us. We guarantee a prompt and courteous reply as well as express attribution for any information or photographs provided.

"I have gon, and rid, and wrote, and sought and search'd with my own and friends' Eyes, to make what Discoveries I could therein. * * * I stand ready with a pencel in one hand, and a Spunge in the other, to add, alter, insert, expunge, enlarge, and delete, according to better information. And if these my pains shall be found worthy to passe a second Impression, my faults I will confess with shame, and amend with thankfulnesse, to such as will contribute clearer Intellence unto me." Fuller's "Worthies of England," 1662. Increase Blake of Boston, His Ancestors and Descendants, etc., Blake, Francis E., Boston, Mass., 1898, Press of David Clapp & Son.

The drums on these pages were here long before we arrived and, with care, should be around long after we've departed. We have the privilege of taking care of them for a short period. As such, we are self-appointed caretakers of a small slice of our country's rich heritage. By sharing knowledge and information, we will all be better suited to discharge our responsibilities with skill and good judgment. Ellis R. Mirsky, Blogmaster@FieldDrums.com

Field Drums

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Hand-painted Wooden Militia Bass Drum

Regimental U.S. Infantry Eagle Drum

Militia Snare Drum with Initials D.C.B.

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