Civil War Brass Infantry Snare Drum
Item #: AA3356
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This is a Civil War Snare Drum made by an unknown manufacturer. This snare drum is 14 1/2" tall and 16 1/4" across the head. This one has a brass body with wooden hoops. The original top head is still on the drum and has no damage. The bottom head is no longer with the drum. The brass body of the drum has taken on a dark chocolate patina and is in very good condition. There are several repairs that have been performed on the body, mostly solder where the brass has cracked for whatever reason. All the repairs have been executed from the inside, and are not visible from the outside of the drum. The original bent wooden hoops are still present and in good condition. They are dark blue on the outside and dark red on the inside of the hoop. It appears the tension rope may be an early replacement, but the leather tugs are original to the drum. The air vent hole ring is securely in place. There is no makers label on the inside of the drum, and I believe it to be an import from a European country. Although there were over 32,000 regulation drums manufactured from 1861 to 1865 for the Union Army, these don't become available very often. Drums were made primarily in the industrialized centers of the Northeast: Boston, New York and Philadelphia. Though there were no governmental standards for drum construction, snare drums were generally 15″ to 16″ in diameter and 10″ to 12″ deep. Calfskin or sheepskin heads were tensioned by rope, laced either through holes in the wood hoops or through cast hooks clasped over the hoops. Tension was applied by sliding the tugs or braces down. The decorative braid also provided an extra supply of rope should it break. Snares were usually made of catgut, though rawhide was sometimes used. The crowning glory of many of these drums was their hand painted decorations. Normally the drummer boy would receive his drum with the painting on the shell of the drum. Again, although there were no standards, a blue background was designated for an infantry unit, while a red background signified artillery. An American bald eagle most commonly emblazoned the Federal Army drums but sometimes the Confederates used it as well. Federal drums were also decorated with 13 stars for each of their 13 states. Confederate states were represented with 11 stars. With these beautiful decorations, it is no wonder that these drums were treasured long after the passionate sentiment of America’s bloodiest battle had abated. Here is an opportunity to own a rare but very iconic item from the American Civil War. If you have a dedicated war room, this piece will fit right in!
Shipping Weight:
10 lbs
Item # AA3356
(Sold)
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