16th Vermont Themed Patriotic Envelope
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This is neat! The back of this envelope is impressed with an engraved image of the US Capitol building and "16th Regiment Vermont Volunteers, Col. W.G. Veazey". Addressed on front to John Boulwell in Gayville, Vt. Unfortunately, the stamp was cut from front long ago, taking the postmark with it. Col. Veazey's people were at Gettysburg.
Mailed Civil War Era Patriotic Envelope
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This is a Civil War Patriotic envelope sent from Washington, DC in October 1862 to a Mr. Sleifer in Millport, N.Y. It bears image of American Eagle and banner "Union Forever." Opened along side. No letter in it. Traces of hinging on back. flap intact. It bears a Scott #65 three cent rose CW era stamp on it.
Patriotic Envelope: Troops watching a young lady
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Patriotic envelopes were extemseively published in the North from the start of the war onwards. They usually were bold patriotic statements or farcical images that mocked the enemy. But occasionally, they referred to more mundane aspects of life in camp or at home. This one, printed in violet ink with red asccents, shows a company of Union soldiers oogling a young lady who lifts her skirts to get across some mud. Their officer is helpless to win their attention. Such distractions with young ladies is a universal theme for troops across the reaches of time. Occasionally, paper would be sold with the same design at the top of the pages. Camp following "sutlers" or merchants often would supply troops with paper, envelopes, stamps, ink... anything for a fee. Troops on both sides wrote home extensively and loved getting letters from relatives. It was a constant vexation to keep their stamps dry while on the march through rain, fog, mud, rivers and sleet.
Union Patriotic Envelope showing prototype US Capitol
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The current United State Capitol building was under construction during the Civil War. This Union patriotic envelope shows a prototype image of the Capitol Building in purple inks. Interestingly, the design for the dome changed, being much bigger in reality than is seen on this envelope. It is fascinating to see what they thought would occur, when we now know what did occur. 5 1/2" by 3"
Confederate General Mocked on Union Envelope!
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Union Patriotic envelopes often scalded and poked mean fun at the upstart rebels who so angered the North by daring to succeed from the Union. Parody was already a fine art in the 1860's demonstrating fantastic cutting-edge senses-of-humor to our citizens in the 1860's, both North and South. The Confederate Generasl Beauregard caught heaps of flack at the onset of the war, with many patriotic Union envelopes mocking him by way of caricatures and plays-on-words. Here is a classic example: A wild pig or "boar" tosses its cookies, with the wise-cracking motto: "Boar-egard Throwing Up Intrenchments." A cool jest!!!
The Flower of the South : Satirical Union Envelope
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An unused Union envelope printed in purple ink shows a Jackass in a suit with a tophat and longette, the pithy motto reading: "The Flower of the South" Printed by "King & Baird, Prs. Sansom St. Philada." Both sides liked to mock the other during a war in which anger and spite played as big a role as bullets and sabers.
Civil War Period Student Certificates of Merit
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These CDV sized cars were awarded by a teacher to student who excelled at certain studies. They bear a patriotic motto, a colorful lithograph, and the written-in name of student and teacher. As dads and uncles fought and died at Gettysburg and Cold Harbor, kids at home got these... From teacher M.E. Conant to student Rebecca J. Sinch.
Liberty Leading Union Troop to Heaven
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This Civil War period patriotic Union envelope has a very interesting image: Lady Liberty flies alongside the Union eagle, guiding a Union troop (Zouave) through the clouds toward Heaven, depicted as a serene camp of Union tents.... Touching idea.
Soldier and Sweetheart Stationary
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There were many styles of "Patriotic" envelopes produced by Union printers during the Civil War: Political and Military, both Wildly Comic and Severely Serious... but none touches the heart so directly as those showing husbands, fathers, siblings & Sweethearts marching away to war. In some instances, envelopes were sold along with sheets of writing paper inside that also had similar designs and mottos. This envelope shows a Union troop, ready to deploy, tenderly stroking the hair of his saddened Lady Liberty sweetheart. There is a sentimental poem "The Girl I Left Behind Me" beside the image... The design on the inner letterhead shows the same Lady Liberty resting her head on the armed trooper's shoulder outside the quaint Northern town which he intends to defend. Imagine if such a pognaint letter were to come back unopened and marked "Returned due to the Death of Addressee" This indeed happened to normal American families hundreds of thousands of times during the War of 1861. They were severe times of utter glory and grief. Produced by the "Union Stationary, Depot 103, Fulton St. NY"
CDV of both Victory and Peace
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There were many items that demonstrated both a patriotic fervor toward "Victory" while still hoping for "Peace"... As the bloody war dragged on longer & longer, the initial enthusiasm to fight and win gradually yielded to a sincere hope on bothv sides that it would soon simply end.
National Elixir of Liberty
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This colorful, comic patriotic cover shows a male Unionist using various elixirs and medications to heal & preserve the Union. We can clearly see the good sense of wise political satire which was present at the time. Like now, people were quite "wise" to all the issues but did not know how to solve their problems with people of differing opinions & beliefs... On the shelves of this apothacary's shop are seen: Preserved Grape in Canisters; Hot Drops; Scott's Extirpation Powders /Sure Cure for Snake Bite; Schenkl's Volatile pills for purification of the blood; Nitre Carbon Sulphur; Butler's Mineral pills; Metallic Soap for erasing stains; Renowned Rebel Exterminator Wanted...
Philadelphia Inquirer: Battle of the Monitor & Merrimac
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This is an original issue of the March 11th, 1862 Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper that recounts the battle of the Southern ironclad warship Merrimac as it wreaked havoc on the standard-wooden Union blockade warships when it was confronted by the plucky little Union "submarine" the Monitor. Technically, the Monitor was not actually submerged but rode so low in the water that only its heavily iron-clad turrent and flat sheathed-decking were exposed to enemy fire. It could thus stand-up against the shells of the iron-covered Southern vessel. Both tossed shells into one another's thick iron plating. A new era in Naval warfare had arrived! And by intimidating the bold Merrimac back into port, the Monitor saved many of the wooden Union frigates that found themselves so suddenly "unprotected" from such iron-vested assault ships... It is so interesting to read the excited "fresh" reports of the Northern newspaper correspondants concerning something that to us is now a quite famous pivotal moment in history: The actual Battle of the Monitor & Merrimac. The days of the wooden sailing ship were quickly coming to an end!
Old Porcelain Doll's Leg from Charleston
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This is a white porcelain doll's leg from a construction site in Charleston, South Carolina. Can see traces of paint for a red slipper on it. No markings. Probably late Victorian to early 1900's. About 1 1/2" long. It has a little of that "burned Southern city" feel to it.... like "Gone With The Wind".
September 1863 Sunday School Advocate Paper
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This is a small 4 page newspaper the "Sunday School Advocate" that was published "for Sunday-School Teachers, Bible Class Scholars, and Younf People" during the Civil War. It was released twice a month, and cost twenty-five cents a year! It has nice steel engraving pictures in it. It has short articles about faith, life, civilization from an American Christian standpoint at that time. In a way, like modern Highlights Magazine but with a religious twist of gentle, encouraging "guidance" toward a better life. There are faint brown foxing spots. Sturdy, not crumbling. Left Margin is slighly tattered due to having been once bound in a volume and later separated back out. This is a cool item. About 13 1/2" by 10 1/2". This issue is: September 26 th, 1863, soon after Gettysburg.
CW Sanitary Fair Bronze Souvenir Medal
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This is a bronze medal that was sold at the Sanitary Fair. Very detailed and lovely work. Sanitary Fairs were held in many Northern Cities to support the charities related to soldiers and their families.
Brass Property Stencil from 24 th Maine trooper
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Civil War soldiers often had custom brass stencils made, listing their name and regiment in order to mark their belongings. A swipe of pain over the stencil and a trunk is marked with one's identity. This shows an original stencil from: O. Sidensparker of Company B in the 24 th Maine regiment. Excellent condition!
Super CW era Union & Liberty silver sash buckle
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This is an ornately carved sterling silver Patriotic sash buckle from the Civil War era. It shows Miss Liberty and Lady Justice on either side. There is a cherub near motto "Union" as well as a neat War Eagle on bottom. Just a lovely accoutrement for a Northern upper class lady's "showy" garb. Maybe her husband was an officer... Length 2 5/8". Width 1 3/4". Weight 27.8 grams. Photo donated to our Museum by eBay Seller "SF Gold Buyer".
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