A reader asks:
Looking for some guidance on getting an appraisal on a civil war drum that has been handed down through the family.
The owner user was James W. Drake. There is a handwritten note from his immediate family on the skin. The drum manufacturer is A.G. Peters & Sons (stamped on the inside of the drum).
We have researched James Drakes military records through the U.S. National archives.
Thanks for any guidance you can offer.
Regards, Kevin
An appraisal would depend on a few things; What were the results of your search on the military records of James Drake? Did he serve during the Civil War? Was he a musician? What battles, if any, did he participate in? Identifying the drum is also important. Is it A.G Peters & Sons or is it A.C.? I find a listing for an A.C. Peters & Bro. from 1861-1865 and also just A.C. Peters listed alone in 1861 but no A.C. Peters & Sons. Is there any other information on the stamp? City, State or address etc.? Confirming the age of this drum through addresses and dates is important to determine if the drum is old enough to actually be a Civil War drum. Too many times I see drums listed on line for sale as Civil War drum with no information or "passed down through family" that are actually 20th century drums or turn of the century. I'm not saying your drum isn't what you say it is but it is very hard to determine a lot without seeing the actual label or stamp and more detailed pictures of the drum. Also, you have a rod tension drum, and that doesn't mean that it isn't a true Civil War drum but they are far more uncommon than their rope tension counterparts. I have seen pictures of Civil War soldiers with rod tension drums circa 1863-65, so they did exist but again, they are very rare. This also doesn't mean that that it's worth more per say, just a lot less common in this case. I can do professional appraisals for resale, replacement or insurance purposes if you are interested but would have to personally inspect the drum for condition and any other clues to its history. Good luck and I hope this helps.
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