A Civil War drum carried by Orestes H. Porter, Company I, 21st Maine Volunteer Infantry

From Bonhams Website:

A Civil War drum carried by Orestes H. Porter, Company I, 21st Maine Volunteer Infantry

14 Nov 2006 10:00 PST San Francisco

Antique Arms and Armor and Modern Sporting Guns

Auction Item no. 3114

The interior with paper label reading:

Massachusetts Drums

Made and Sold by

Chandler & Peabody

Marlborough Street-Salem

Ash shell. Wooden rims painted red and drilled for the ropes. Rope tension retaining five leather tugs. Original heads. Cord and sinew snare adjuster. Complete with original red worsted strap piped in blue and tan and with original pair of drumsticks. With letter stating family provenance.

Condition: Showing wear and scattered marks. Upper rim chipped. Rope tension an old replacement. Strap showing wear and losses, the leather strap broken.

See Illustration

Estimate: US$ 1,500 - 2,500

£940 - 1,600

€1,100 - 1,800

Footnotes:

Provenance: By family descent to the present owner.

Note: The 21st Maine Infantry was a nine month regiment enlisted in November of 1862. They were active in the Port Hudson campaign and suffered considerable losses, mainly due to disease. Orestes Porter died on March 8, 1863 and the drum was returned to his family.