A local family was doing some Fall cleaning and came across this beauty. It is a wonderful Model 1850 Naval Officers Sword with a presentation to H Smith USN. The brass is wonderful with a super patina. The scabbard is in very good condition though there is a weak spot just above the drag. Over all the leather is very nice. The blade is beautifully engraved with anchor and rope as well as USN and the oak leaves which are indicative of naval service. The blade is stamped W H Horstmann & Sons Philadelphia. This is just a super Civil War Naval artifact. I don't know who H Smith was but someone thought enough of him to have an engraved sword made for him.
$2500

Civil War Tompion. If you don't have one of these, your collection is not complete.
$50

Here is an interesting find. This bayonet has a socket that fits an 1816 musket (or any similar one) as the bore is .813 inches. But there the similarity ends as the shank and blade are blacksmith forged and forge welded to the socket. The shank is is a thick, short 1 inch long. The blade 1 1/8th inches at the widest and a 1/2 inch thick. It is 16 5/8th inches long. I smell grits and side meat because I can't imagine why a Federal blacksmith would make a bayonet when they had so many available. While I am not saying that this is Confederate, it only makes sense that it would be. This little gem would look great in a Southern display.
$295

Here is an item that you don't see everyday. This is a Civil War Cavalry insignia that was, like the item below, dug on private property near the Chickamauga battlefield. It is in great condition especially considering what the cavalryman who wore it went though.
$250

Here is a dug relic from the 'old days'. Dug in the early 1970's on private property near the Chickamauga battlefield, this U.S. breastplate has it all. The patina is fantastic, the lead is full and both of the wire attachments a present and ready for duty. Chickamauga was the second bloodiest battle of the War. The man who wore this definitely "saw the elephant". The is a great relic that you need to have.
$225
 

Here is a nice piece of Confederate currency. It's in great condition especially considering the age. It's a $20.00 note of September 2nd 1861. The engraving on these notes is really unbelievable. A great addition to your collection.
$80.00

Here is a really cool Belt Plate. It is a Militia Panel Plate and according to American Military Belt Plates it was originally struck during the 1850s. These plates were certainly used during the Civil War and are dug in camps. This particular version is very similar to one advertised by Horstmann during the war. This is just a great example of a type of detail and craftsmanship in militaria that reached it's apex during the lead up to the Civil War. The patina is fantastic and this plate would look great in any collection.
$350
(Hey Charlie, this one is for you)

You know that you love this relic hunting when four people are willing to dig when the temperature gets near triple digits. Larry, Nita and my favorite relic hunting buddy and I spent a few hours digging in the Ranger Camp. Among the horse shoes and bits of camp cast-offs were two Confederate bullets and an Eagle I coat button. I've got what looks an awful lot like a belt plate soaking right now. Updates to follow.

Here is a great relic. This is a Model 1849 Colt Pocket Pistol. This particular one dates via serial number to 1859. The 1859 date is important because there were large numbers of these little jewels that went South at that time. This one still has very nice cylinder scene, a nice patina and fair amount of silver wash on the trigger guard. The wood is in very good condition and the metal to wood fit is tight. There is a thin sliver of wood missing from the left side of the grip but our Southern boys were hard on their horses as well. I am including an original and complete box of cartridges containing 5 envelope cartridges made of Hazard's powder expressly for the Colt Revolving Pocket Pistol. Both items would look great in any collection.
$1350
(the cartridges alone are $395)

Here is an interesting relic. This is an N.Starr marked Cavalry Saber. There were pre-War contract weapons that probably saw use in both the Mexican War and the Civil War. Sometimes those Southern Boys took whatever they could get their hands on when they enlisted. In the case of something like this it would have been the saber that dad or an uncle carried when they fought the Mexicans. The N Starr is faint but it is there. A great saber at a nice price.
$625

Just out of the Camp today: Dropped in 1862 here is a nifty .36 cal Colt pistol bullet.

And just a few minutes later another Colt bullet.

So my buddy Larry and I spend a very nice afternoon and early evening digging relics. The weather was perfect, the ground was soft and the bullets were just about leaping out of the ground. Here are three Colt pistol bullets, a Confederate German Suhl and a .69 round ball. The Ranger Camp was giving up the treasures today and Larry and I had a blast.

My favorite Relic Hunting Buddy and her Confederate 3 ringer.

Up in the Yankee camp a few minutes later we pulled this Federal officer's coat button back out of the ground.

My favorite girl swingin' a coil.

Here is an interesting artifact. You have seen many non-regulation Officers Swords but this one was period altered to remove the eagle. The only part of the eagle that is left are his "bits and pieces". I'm sure that there was a good reason and an equally interesting story behind the modification. It is in great condition otherwise with etched U.S. and Eagle on the blade and a solid grip and wrapping. The blade is stamped F. Horsler Solingen.
$675

Here is a seriously cool paper relic. Sometimes things don't go according to plan and on the 8th of April, 1863 these Confederate soldiers had to take the "Oath." William Clark of the 9th Kentucky Cavalry and G.W. Crouch of the 5th Kentucky Cavalry swore to support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Kentucky and to not give aid to the rebellion. If you are a fan of Morgan's Raiders, then this is a must-have relic.
$250

From Demopolis Alabama March 4th 1864. Here is a very interesting document. This is a Surgeon's Certificate of Disability for F.W. Thomas of the famed 3rd KY Regiment. This Confederate soldier enlisted at Camp Boone, TN on 7/5/1861 as a private and was eventually promoted to 1st Sergeant.
$195

Here is a pretty cool paper relic. This is a Civil War Confederate Pass Request. It measures 5x5 and is from Lt.Col. Edward Palfrey. He writes to Confederate General John H. Winder and says: "My dear Genl. Will you be kind enough to give a pass to my friend Lt. Col. Ivy, who is here in leave to attend some  business & oblige." It is dated December 16, 1863 Richmond.
$195

The Ranger Camp during Christmas. This was about what the Camp looked like during the winter of '62-'63. This is the first white Christmas that the Camp has had in many years. The men who camped here were made of stern stuff to huddle, wet and cold, around meager fires so far from their homes.

Dug Federal Spur. This nifty cavalry relic is arsenal marked Allegheny 2. It has a great green-speckled patina and would look just right in a cavalry collection.
$125 

Here is a cool Civil War relic. This is a French pinfire revolver. It was one of the only metallic cartridge handguns during the war. This one is a hoss, using an 11mm externally primed cartridge. It also had a smaller caliber cousin which used a 9mm. Several Confederate officers preferred this pistol over the Colt due to ease of reloading. This one is particularly nice with plenty of nice floral engraving on both the cylinder and frame. It has a nice patina with both plum brown and dull metal along with some blue on the frame. It still has the rear sight and the lanyard ring. This has character and is a really cool Civil War handgun at half the price of a Colt.
$595 

My favorite relic hunter and I on the campus of University of the South. The Army of Tennessee moved up from the flat land below pursued by Ole Rosie. Federal troops wrote home about the same view that you are seeing now. 

Group of four Civil War buttons. This group includes two staff and two infantry buttons, as well as a glass display case.
$70

Group of six dug Civil War eagle buttons. Glass display case included
$70
Sold

Civil War Infantry Hunting Horn Insignia. This the large CW insignia with both loops still firmly attached. I have four of these beauties available. Three have both loops and one has a single loop. Save $5 by ordering the single loop.
$75 each

Another beautiful day for relic digging in Middle Tennessee.

Federal bullet right where it was dropped in 1863

My little rebel couldn't wait to pluck this out of the ground. You can still the impression where it used to be, right above her index finger.

A handful of cool relics from the edge of a cavalry camp.

U.S. Model 1840 NCO Sword. Stamped U.S. ADK 1864 on one side and Ames Chicopee on the other. The blade is nice. The color is dark. The grip and knuckle bow have a great patina and look just great. The scabbard is a good news/bad news thing. Bad news is there isn't one. The good news is that you don't have to pay for it.
$375

Excavated E.M.L&C. Richmond VA. Roman I. Just a good solid example
of a classic Civil War button with a rock solid address. Since there is
no shank, how about I pay the shipping.
$100

Ames Peace Flask. Marked Ames and dated 1838. This flask has a super patina and is just a great example of an early Ames product.
$550

Union Naval Pouch. With a stamp this deep, there is no doubt when or where this was made. Great condition.
$425

Civil War Cap Box. Do you think that this box saw service? The leather is in great condition minus the finish. The straps and flaps are all there and the stitching is solid.
$125

Non Regulation Civil War Officers Sword. Made by and marked Clauberg with the obverse marked Schuyler Hartley&Graham. The blade is in superb condition with fantastic etching as seen on the blade detail picture. The iron guard has a nice patina(the bright eagle is from the lighting) and is solid as the day it was made. The fish skin grip and wire wrap are complete and in great condition. The scabbard is solid with a rich dark patina. Did I mention the blade is a work of art? The officer who carried this sword was as proud to carry it as you will be to own it.
$1175