Civil War Regulation Eagle Drum Carved Identification on Bottom Rim “L.S. Porter” / SOLD
Civil War Regulation Eagle Drum Carved Identification on Bottom Rim “L.S. Porter” - Inventory Number: MUS 135 / SOLD
A very good-looking regulation Civil War painted eagle drum, measuring about 14 inches tall and 16 ¼ inches in diameter, including the rims, with muted colors, some paint loss through the regions with raised woodgrain and no in-painting. The interior retains the original maker’s label, with manufacturers information scratched off, visible through the vent hole, reading in black ink on a crème background: “Drums - Made and Sold by ---”. This is a great example of an undisturbed regulation eagle drum.
This is constructed in the standard fashion, with a wood body fastened at the overlapping seam by brass tacks arranged in two vertical rows with a decorative pattern in between, centered around the vent hole, with a circle of tacks and a arrowhead arrangement above and below. The wood is excellent, with no chips, cracks, or abrasions and nice color. The painting follows the regulations in portraying the arms of the United States: an eagle with spread wings clutching arrows and an olive branch in its talons, with overhead a yellow and orange-red sunburst “glory” of the sun’s rays coming up from behind an arched bank of clouds, which frame white six-pointed stars above the eagle’s shoulders and wings. The eagle has a yellow bordered, red, white and blue United States shield on its chest and a long, white-edged red banner scroll with forked ends floats behind the eagle’s end and extends to either side, reading “REGt. // U.S. // INFANTRY” with the numerical designation left blank.
The eagle is painted in white/cream, brown, and yellow, with the olive branch in greens and red, and the arrows in white/cream. The ground is blue, correct for an infantry drum, showing somewhat greenish, as almost always the case, from the aging of the varnish. The paint is good. What losses there are, are narrow striations and along the wood grain, again typical for Civil War painted drums. The rims are good, show wear consistent with being battered by sticks. The rope and tighteners are correct, but possibly replacement. The flesh hoops and heads are complete and in place with tears as seen.
This is a great looking drum that could be the centerpiece of a display with strong eye-appeal.