bassooneroo
New member
Hi all,
First things first, here's your disclaimer that I'm a newbie posting from a hotel room late at night.
Second, I come to you because I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to Civil War artifacts.
Here's the question:
Yesterday, I bought a silver plated bugle mouthpiece from a trustworthy shop in Gettysburg that sells artifacts from the Civil War. Most of their artifacts are documented, but this mouthpiece was not and thus listed for only a couple bucks. The women who own the shop couldn't tell me where it was found or verify that it was definitely 1800s, but the man trying to sell it was an established civil war artifact collector trying to sell his Gettysburg artifacts before he dies of cancer. The women told me that his past record inidcated it was authentic, but it was also very possible that it wasn't actually 1800s or from Gettysburg.
Now, I bought it interested in the mystery behind it, and understand that it can never really be authenticated. However, I've come to you hoping somebody with knowledge of Civil War artifacts could point out any immediate indicators that it isn't authentic or note any reason it may actually be (for example: is it a manufacturer that was popular then?)
Anything would be helpful at this point!
Here are the details:
(presuming I trust that this is really a silver plated bugle mouthpiece)
- ARTCRAFT is etched just below the cup-like opening (sorry, I'm a bassoonist, not a brass player)
- 7-C is etched the same way, just on the other side (the mouthpiece size?)
- below the 7-C it says "made in Western-Germany" (is this good or very bad?)
Pictures to follow when I get to a computer. I'm sorry to be so vague. It does have heavy tarnish, but parts are rather shiny for being supposedly so old. Is it normal for silver to stay in good shape? Did they even use silver on their bugles during this time?
Anyway, Thanks!
First things first, here's your disclaimer that I'm a newbie posting from a hotel room late at night.
Second, I come to you because I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to Civil War artifacts.
Here's the question:
Yesterday, I bought a silver plated bugle mouthpiece from a trustworthy shop in Gettysburg that sells artifacts from the Civil War. Most of their artifacts are documented, but this mouthpiece was not and thus listed for only a couple bucks. The women who own the shop couldn't tell me where it was found or verify that it was definitely 1800s, but the man trying to sell it was an established civil war artifact collector trying to sell his Gettysburg artifacts before he dies of cancer. The women told me that his past record inidcated it was authentic, but it was also very possible that it wasn't actually 1800s or from Gettysburg.
Now, I bought it interested in the mystery behind it, and understand that it can never really be authenticated. However, I've come to you hoping somebody with knowledge of Civil War artifacts could point out any immediate indicators that it isn't authentic or note any reason it may actually be (for example: is it a manufacturer that was popular then?)
Anything would be helpful at this point!
Here are the details:
(presuming I trust that this is really a silver plated bugle mouthpiece)
- ARTCRAFT is etched just below the cup-like opening (sorry, I'm a bassoonist, not a brass player)
- 7-C is etched the same way, just on the other side (the mouthpiece size?)
- below the 7-C it says "made in Western-Germany" (is this good or very bad?)
Pictures to follow when I get to a computer. I'm sorry to be so vague. It does have heavy tarnish, but parts are rather shiny for being supposedly so old. Is it normal for silver to stay in good shape? Did they even use silver on their bugles during this time?
Anyway, Thanks!
