CW Regimental Eagle Bass Drum -- A Significant Piece

[7/13/08 P.S. There's a new buyer in the eBay market for rope drums and it's weiljr074u (313). Having outbid veteran buyer j***j (402) whose $1,001 bid was just not enough to stave off weiljr074u determination, weiljr074u hung in and took this prize at $1,026.00. The winner did not snipe in at the last minute. Rather, eBay's recap of the bidding history shows that there was a stare-down during the last 20 minutes preceded by a days-long cat-and-mouse game as j***j continually tested weiljr074u's resolve and learned that weiljr074u was for real.]

(the photos of this drum in this post have been enhanced, color and contrast have been adjusted because the originals were overexposed)
This is rare -- the first one like it we've seen. eBay item no. 220254301124 is a Civil War Regimental Eagle Bass Drum described as follows:

CIVIL WAR BASS DRUM that was found in an attic of a victorian home, the drum has part of the skin on one side and no skin on the other. The outside is in stored condition with a few dry cracks and a small piece missing as seen in photo, I have not attempted to clean this drum, will leave that to the new owner. There is an EAGLE WITH WINGS SPREAD and a SHIELD on his chest, with RED-WHITE AND BLUE PAINT, this is very faded but can still be made out. The rope is still in good shape but one of the leather binders has broken but is still there. The drum needs to be totally restored. The drum measures about 16 3/4 inches wide, 29 inches tall and has a circumference of 7 feet 6 1/2 inches round. The inside is in good shape with no maker's mark or tag found, however when looking inside I found in pencil, written the words THIS DRUM HAS SERVED ITS TIME IN THE NORTHERN ARMEY 1861, notice army has an E in it.

We've seen regimental snare drums but this is the first regimental bass drum we've seen. Note the eagle, shield, rays of sunlight, red banner, blue background. And the provenance provided by the below handwritten pencil inscription is priceless. This is truly a significant piece.

"this drum has served its time in the northern armey 1861."
This is quite a drum -- a terrific companion to a regimental snare drum if you're lucky enough to have one.