Eli Brown Drum Sells at eBay Auction

Okay sports fans. Yesterday an eBay auction closed on a terrific relic - an Eli Brown drum, ca. 1810-1820 (dating based on comparison of the label remnants with an intact label dated 1809, shown below).

(Source: 1809 Eli Brown Drum Hits the Market," this blog, June 20, 2009)


COMMENTS FROM SUSAN CIFALDI (BROWN DRUM HISTORIAN AND EXPERT):

Hi, this is gorgeous.

I would leave this just the way it is. What remains is early if not original, and sure, you can make it prettier, but would it then tell such a powerful story? I see some square-head nails on some of the views, the cutout for the gut is perfect, and the vernacular vent hole "repair" is precious! The shield design is quite early and probably done very shortly after purchase, and even though a careful restorer could keep the original shellac, (s)he could not keep the original finish (it could be re-distributed over the drum via a French-polish technique, but you would lose the cracking and crazing and parts if not all of what lay underneath). I would worry about the risk of losing that early shield. . . besides, the crazing and alligatoring alone betray the age of this drum beautifully and in a way nothing else can.

I would not be adverse to a gentle cleaning. Shellac likes to collect dust, which darkens things beneath it, but I would consult a fine furniture museum to see how that might be done without disturbing what remains of the finish. Lucky you living so close to New York City and having access to all the great museums there!

I think there are many more Brown drums to come, and maybe one that is not quite this early might be the one to restore to playing condition. We really have so few early Browns (the first partnership seemed to work around farming chores, coopering, and other occupations and was short-lived besides), so it's probably important to keep what we can find from this period. What turns up more frequently are the Eli and Son drums, ca. 1835 and later. These are larger and more durable than the early-period ones and thus are more likely to withstand refurbishing into a playable instruments.

Whatever you decide to do, I hope you take clear pictures (with lots of closeups) that document any changes you make. Also, save and label anything that comes off the drum.

FURTHER COMMENTS FROM SUSAN CIFALDI:

The size of this drum (the shell is 15" OD x 13.5 H), in my opinion, places it within the early period of construction. This ran from c. 1809 until 1815, when the drums were made by Benjamin (a cooper by trade), his son, Moses, and nephew Eli. They used a preprinted label, assigning a number and date in manuscript, like [the above drum label dated 1809 on drum no. 26 and] this one on a drum dated 1810, number 108:

[Note: The seller of the 1809 Brown drum no. 26 described that drum as being 16"x16" but that could include the counterhoops and might not be the dimensions of the shell. I have left a message for Leo Brennan, purchaser of Brown drum no. 26, asking that he measure the shell and inform me of the shell's dimensions.]

I think what's left of the label on your drum once looked like this one.

The labels did change, but it took a while. After Moses went out west, Benjamin and Eli continued making drums, sometimes individually and sometimes in partnership. They also took in a new partner, Moses' younger brother William. They used the same label, probably until the stock ran out, and simply crossed out (and on one example, cut out) the "B. E. & M." and wrote in the correct identification of the makers. In any event, by the late '20s/early 30s and definitely by 1835, a "new" Brown label was designed, identifying Eli and then Eli and Son as the manufacturers. They were much more prolific and produced the larger "square" drums that we are so used to seeing.

Regarding the painted shield on your drum. I would doubt that it originated within the drum shop. Decorative paintings on these drums are rare, and the ones I've seen, save yours, the 1810 drum, and one other dated 1809, tend to postdate the drums by at least a decade, if not more. Yours, though, along with the other two I mentioned, looks like it was done very close to the date of origin and as such warrants protection as a historical document.

Oh, I love this drum! ;-) especially the vernacular "repair" on the vent hole! [Meaning the use of locally available resources and traditions to address local needs and circumstances.]

Civil War Era Drum and Fife

Lot 173:

Civil War Era Drum and Fife Drum has military motif stenciled on side, complete with all tensioners. Includes a set of drumsticks. Rosewood fife with silver fittings and 9TH Maine Infantry markings.
Realized : $1,265
Cowan's Auctions: Cincinnati, OH, USA
Auction Date: April 28, 2010

1824 ELI BROWN LABELED TIGER MAPLE PARADE SNARE DRUM

Lot 93: 1824 ELI BROWN LABELED TIGER MAPLE PARADE SNARE DRUM
Auction House: The Gallery at Knotty Pine
Auction Location: West Swanzey, NH, USA
Auction Title: Antiques & Decorative Arts Auction
Auction Date: November 1, 2009
Realized : $1,500
Description: 1824 ELI BROWN LABELED TIGER MAPLE PARADE SNARE DRUM - STRONG TIGER MAPLE DRUM IN NATURAL FINISH W/ OXIDIZED BRASS TACKS DECORATION, RED PAINTED COLLARS, LEATHER TABS & CORDAGE W/ INTERIOR LABEL "ELI BROWN DRUM MANUFACTURER HAS CONSTANTLY FOR SALE BASS & SNARE DRUMS & TAMBOURINES MADE IN THE NEATEST & BEST MANNER WINDSOR CT 1824 -#1395" & RED, WHITE & BLUE DRUM STRAP/SLING W/ BRASS DECORATED LEATHER TAB & IRON CLIP (18 3/4" T X 19" DIA.)
Condition: DRUM HEAD SKINS DAMAGED, RIM WEAR, SMALL LOSSES, SOILING, IMPERFECTIONS

The Green Drum

The Green Drum
From The Arlington Historical Society Archives
The accession page reads: “Drum carried by Jos. Dickson, 1862, Civil War. Donor George H. Shirley.”
This was written by Doreen Stevens. Posted on Friday, August 6, 2010 to ARLINGTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY BLOG, OFFICIAL BLOG OF THE ARLINGTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY, ARLINGTON, MA

This beautiful drum, from The Arlington Historical Society archives, pictured here, is a lovely soft green with blue undertones. Wooden bands of a soft, sad red anchor the main green body of the artifact on either end, held together with neat rows of rivets. Emblazoned on one side is a painting of a ship and a sunrise. This circular central motif on the drum’s exterior is the 1784 New Hampshire seal—a ship, flying American banners, resting on wooden supports, with a rising sun. The scene celebrates New Hampshire’s role as a major ship-building center during the Revolutionary War period. The seal is surrounded by laurel leaves and the Latin phrase: “Sigilium Reipublicae Neo Hantoniensis.” (the commonwealth of New Hampshire). Inside, written in a neat hand is the number “23” set at an angle. We are on solid ground interpreting the drum’s physical attributes. But, who owned this beautiful thing; who used it, and why?

The Dickson family has deep roots in Puritan Cambridge and Charlestown. There were Dicksons on Brattle Square in the 1640’s, and Jason Russell’s mother was Elizabeth Dickson. Although the accession information states that Joseph Dickson carried the drum in the Civil War, there is no conclusive evidence that an Arlington man owned this artifact.

Like the drum itself the chain of evidence circles in on itself: Arlington Vital Records contain one entry for “Joseph Dickson,” stating that he married Phebe L. Russell in 1833. That life event would make this Joseph quite old to be a Civil War “drummer boy” in 1862. In the 1865 census for West Cambridge, there is one Joseph Dickson listed: male, white,72 years old, born in Massachusetts, and (sadly) with an asterisked line adding a one-word description of “Idiotic.” Civil War records show a “Joseph Dickson” to have served in the Civil War from Massachusetts, but I haven’t yet been able to track down his hometown—most probably Charlestown. There are no “Joseph Dicksons” listed in New Hampshire Civil War records. But why would a Massachusetts boy—from West Cambridge or Charlestown– be carrying a drum with the New Hampshire state seal on it?

Hints on Tucking a Drum Head

George Kubicek wrote with the URL

to this information in Vintage Drum Forum.

How an 1827 (no. 1582) Brown Drum Got to Montana

Jim Doolittle of Montana wrote to us recently with these photos of his family’s 1827 Eli Brown drum. He included some family history:

The Doolittles settled in the Milford-Woodmont area of Connecticut in the late 1600’s to early 1700’s. Early family members were farmers, ice “harvesters” and deliverers and general handymen.

Jim’s grandfather, Trubee Doolittle, was a banker in Woodmont from the late 1800’s until about 1955. (There is a Trubee Doolittle Park in Woodmont. Also, see Families of Early Milford, Connecticut By Susan Emma Woodruff Abbott.)

Jim’s father, Charles Doolittle, was born in Woodmont in 1921, attended Columbia University Medical School, graduating in 1952, and moved to California with his wife Nancy.

When Trubee died in 1974 the contents of his home on Mark Street were distributed to family members and/or auctioned.

Charles Doolittle acquired the Brown drum at that time from Trubee’s estate. Jim reports that the drum has been in his family for more than 100 years. He does not know, however, how the drum came to be in his family.

When Charles retired in 1963 and moved to Florence, Montana to be near his son Jim, he brought the Brown drum.

Jim reports that the heads and ropes were replaced by Drum Brothers in Arlee, Montana using deerskin (not exactly traditional but easily corrected) and hemp.

Jim inherited the Brown drum from his father when he passed in October, 2009.

Restoration of a Mid-19th Century Field Snare Drum

I received this article today from Randolph ("Randy") Davis, a drummer and drum refurbisher. Compare some features of Randy's drum with those on my "Drum by John Lowell," this blog, March 5, 2008.

My New Player
2011/11/10
Article Contributed by Randolph Davis
Baltimore, MD
Friends,

Having just now tied off the drag rope, I’d like to share my newest toy which I bought at the Baltimore Gun Show last year (2009). There I found a cracked shell and counterhoops form a mid-19th century drum, and some old heads sans flesh hoops artfully displayed across the open ends of the shell. The shell had a crazed unidentified surface finish, and all-in-all, it looked like hell. I decided I wanted it, so my friend, Jim Kochan, lent me the cash to buy it. I recall it costing $250.00 (after a $50 talk-down). It is now sturdy player of which I am very proud.

I gave the shell a quick surface clean with a damp cloth and found several cracks spanning the length of the shell along the grain, one spanning the entire length of the shell. That was bad news for a drum that I wished to transform into a player.

I bought some 1/8” white oak strips, soaked them in water for about ½ hour, bent them around the shell to dry, and then I glued them across the cracks on the inside of the shell using Old Brown Glue. That stuff is a truly amazing organic hide glue with urea added to lengthen the working time. A simple warming makes the glue workable for several hours. This stuff is heaven, and I can recommend it without hesitation. I also used it to reglue the shell support hoops and loosening scarf joints on the counterhoops. It worked to great effect and, as advertised, simply bonded with the old glue. Other than a little spotting from the iron traces in Baltimore tap water reacting with the tannic acid in the oak (which I was able to correct with oxalic acid), there were no real issues.

View of oak reinforcement strips through vent hole.

Next I scraped the surface finish off using a water-based varnish remover which worked well after two applications. I used a flexible plastic putty knife because I wanted to retain the planer marks on the outer shell. I gave the shell a denatured alcohol bath and it cleaned nicely. I first attempted to shellac the drum, but I felt that this would not be a sufficiently sturdy finish for an outdoor drum. (I have since learned that the Noble Cooley 150th anniversary drums are using shellac and apparently this is the historic finish for Noble Cooley drums.) So I removed the shellac and hand rubbed the shell (first with my bare hands and then with the grain, using 0000 steel wool) using a 50/50 refined linseed oil/turpentine finish. I applied about seven coats which did a nice job to create a slurry to fill the cracks and other imperfections. I used Gamblin refined linseed oil which is said to use a refining process that is 150 years old. The final touch was wheat pasting a hand-made label inked by my good friend Fred Rickard.

Compare an original label that reads “John Lowell, Manufactor and dealer in all kinds of Musical Instruments No.[1] 4 Maine St Bangor

Reproduction label, reads “Randolph Davis Manufactor and dealer in all kinds of Musical Instruments No. 2105 Hargrove Alley Baltimore”.

With the shell and counterhoops complete, I ordered rope, heads, snares, strainer, and custom cut and bent flesh hoop blanks from Cooperman Drum Company. I sized flesh hoops to the shell, and glued them using the same Old Brown Glue. I nailed them with carpet tacks based on contextual examples in my own collection. I tucked the heads and dyed the rope overnight in a batch of strong English breakfast tea (Cooperman sells a sort of bleached linen rope.) The Cooperman linen rope is four strands, as is typical for drum rope on American drums of the period. Unfortunately, it is not spun as tightly as other original rope I have seen, and I wanted “drum rope”. I have heard other drummers speak favorably of hemp linen rope available in Eastern European markets, but I don’t know of any four-strand rope of this type, and I felt that the tea-dyed linen rope was the right decision for this restoration.

I made the ears, copying an original example on another drum in my collection. I used an antique pinking iron to punch the ends, and seven-cord hand waxed linen thread to tie the ears.

I mounted the Cooperman reproduction Civil War style strainer. But after roping the drum together, it occurred to me that this design would not work, for the rope hole was too close to the strainer side snare gate. There was no room for the upright thumbscrew to function. This posed a problem that might have prevented the result I wanted. But not so! I inquired with Noble and Cooley, who is embarking on a reproduction drum project in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the war, concurrently with contacting the one and only George Carroll of Carroll’s Drum Service. George gave me a different but common style (of which I have a couple on drums in my collection) counterhoop-mounted hinge-style strainer, which works excellently in the above mentioned situation. His casting apparently comes directly from an original dug at Brandy Station battlefield. I came to find out that Noble and Cooley is using the same strainer supplied by George for their restorations.

So I soaked and mounted the snares, and plugged a few small holes in the counterhoops where previous appliances had been mounted (a carry on the batter counterhoop, and previous strainers on the snare side). That was an afterthought, but something I could do without dismantling the drum.

And just a listing of my friends who helped me along the way: my wife for dealing with insanity on a regular basis; George Carroll for keeping this fife and drum business alive south of the Mason Dixon, and reproducing this strainer; Jim Ellis at Cooperman, who is the embodiment of kindness and sage; George Hardy for his magical tea-dying recipe; Jim Kochan for spotting me the money initially; Fred Rickard for the best label any drum ever had; and Al Saguto for teaching me now to make thread.

So there you have it. And it sounds great!

# # #

One Man Band - Drum Kit by Lyon & Healy