Misc. Dug Items
Misc. Non-Dug Items
Civil War Misc. Excavated Items
This page last updated February 02, 2012
EMAIL Phone: 804-873-5462
virginiarelics@comcast.net
Plez Bagby
PO Box 6425
Charlottesville, VA 22906
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PC3951 Heavy Brass US Officer's Stirrup This heavy brass US officer's stirrup is in excellent condition and was excavated in Culpeper County, VA in the area of Brandy Station. It has a very nice green patina and has not been cleaned as there is a light layer of soil still present. Two examples of the same type of spur can be found pictured in the fourth printing of Stanley S. Phillip's book "Excavated Artifacts From Battlefields and Campsites of The Civil War" on page 78 as items #4 and 5. The spur has no cracks, breaks, bends, or repairs and will make an excellent addition to any excavated Civil War cavalry or general relic collection. Approximately 5 x 5 1/2 inches. $175.00 Order Information or Questions? |
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PC3438 Excavated Brass Relics These Civil War campsite relics, recovered from Caroline County, VA, are typical of what is recovered during a day of relic hunting. Included in this group is (from top left) a kepi buckle, toe plate, a suspender buckle, two percussion firing caps, an equipment buckle, a knapsack hanger buckle, a belt end retainer, a knapsack "J" hook and an eagle breast plate in the center. These relics will make an excellent addition to any excavated Civil War campsite relic collection. $65.00 Order Information or Questions? SALE PENDING |
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PC3946 Confederate Richmond Spur This excavated Confederate "Richmond" spur is in excellent condition and was recovered in the early 1990's off Lee's Ridge Road in Warrenton, VA. It is constructed of brass which now has a very pleasing green patina. There are also remnants of its iron rowel still present as can be seen in the additional picture enlargements by clicking on the thumbnail picture to the left. This brass spur has NO cracks, breaks, or repairs and will make an excellent addition to Civil War cavalry display or general relic collection. Approximately 5 inches in length and approximately 4 inches in width. $365.00 Order Information or Questions? SALE PENDING |
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PC3944 US Cavalry Spur - Marked "Frankford Arsenal" Here is a brass US cavalry spur that you don't see very often. It is marked "FRANKFORD ARSENAL" and, what I believe to be, the number "1" on one of its strap plates. The Frankford Arsenal was located in Philadelphia, PA and produced spurs, such as this one, and other military equipment used during the Civil War. The # "1" represents the spur size. Though the mark is light, it is definitely there and can be seen quite well with a light and magnifier. The spur has a very nice brown green patina and is complete with the exception of its neck and rowel. This spur has no cracks, repairs or other breaks and will make a very nice addition to any Civil War spur or cavalry collection. SOLD |
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PC3945 US Cavalry Spur This excavated solid brass US cavalry spur is in very good condition and has a very pleasing chocolate brown patina. The neck on this has the cast-in foliate design with its iron rowel missing as is typical. Recovered in the early 1990's off Lee's Ridge Road in Warrenton, VA., this example has no cracks, breaks, repairs, or unusual bends. Approximately 3 1/8 inches in width and 4 3/4 in length. SOLD |
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PC3940 Cavalry Watering Bit This excavated iron watering bit is in excellent condition and was recovered in the early 1990's off Lee's Ridge Road in Warrenton, VA. All parts, though rusty, move freely and are complete. According to Howard Crouch's book "Civil War Artifacts" on page 129, watering bits were used when the horse was at rest and were a specified part of the trooper's gear. This example will be an excellent addition to any cavalry or general excavated relic collection. Measures approximately 11 1/8 inches in length and its ring diameter is approximately 2 3/4 inches. $45.00 Order Information or Questions? |
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PC3867 Excavated Brass Relics These campsite relics, recovered from Caroline County, VA, are typical of what is recovered during a day of relic hunting. Included in this group is (from top left) a knapsack "J" hook, a triangle knapsack hook, a knapsack equipment hook, a brass throat to possibly either an oil lamp or powder flask, a knapsack equipment ring, a brass toe plate for shoe, an equipment buckle, a stopper, (middle two items) a brass key, an artillery igniter. These relics will make an excellent addition to any excavated Civil War campsite relic collection. $45.00 Order Information or Questions? |
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PC3853 Heavy Brass Stirrup This excavated heavy brass stirrup, recovered in LaGrange, TN., is in excellent condition and is from the recently released Civil War relic collection of longtime Tennessee relic hunter John A. Marks. It is one of the best documented relics that I have had the opportunity to offer, and it is with great pleasure that I can make it available on this website. Mr. Marks relic hunted over a span 33 years beginning on January 11, 1967 and recovered a copious amount of relics during that time. The meticulous Mr. Marks managed to document each relic he recovered by marking it with its date of recovery and his letter and number code indicating area of recovery. Many of the relics Mr. Marks pulled out of the ground were pristine in condition. Mr. Marks passed away on March 13, 2000 but what he left the Civil War relic collecting community, as well as Civil War historians, will be forever appreciated. DESCRIPTION: This stirrup has a smooth surface with an even lightly glossed brown patina. Looking closely, I was able to detect Mr. Mark's original marking indicating its recovery location and date hand written in fading black ink on the side of the footrest rim. This mark, which reads "LaGrange 7th Ill. Cav +5", can be seen in the additional images by clicking on the thumbnail image to the left. On the bottom of the footrest is the date of "1-1-71" and his more exact recovery location code of "LG+5" with the "LG" indicating LaGrange and the "+5" indicating a more specific area of LaGrange where this fine relic was recovered. Mr. Marks included this find in his first journal which is dated "11 Jan. 1967 to 24 Oct. 1983". In the picture enlargements of this piece, I have included a copy the page from his journal that includes the entry he made for this particular find on 1-1-71. A copy of this page, along with a copy of the North South Trader article titled "The Way It Was" by John A. Marks will be included with this relic. Click the highlighted link in the preceding sentence to read the article now. This very nice stirrup will be an excellent addition to any excavated Civil War cavalry or general relic collection. Approx. 49 x 66 mm. $275.00 Order Information or Questions? |
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PC3754 Jeff Davis Hat Insignia This excavated Jeff Davis hat insignia is in very good condition and has a very nice dusty brown-green patina. Its face is near perfect and shows a well defined eagle clutching arrows in its left talon and an olive branch in its right. The high resolution picture of the front shows a tiny bit of surface wear to the left of the eagles lower neck where there is a very small area where there is surface wear. This is not a hole or a repair and is mentioned for exactness. The rear is in very good condition and is missing its two attachment loops. It has no cracks, bends, or repairs and was recovered by a Virginia relic hunter in Charles City County, VA. where General George B. McClellan had his headquarters. It was this location, in June and July of 1862, that supplied 140,000 Union troops. This very handsome Civil War relic, direct from the digger, will make an excellent addition to any Civil War insignia or general relic collection. Approx. 1 7/8 x 2 1/2 inches. $195.00 Order Information or Questions? |
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PC3467 Allegheny Arsenal Marked US Cavalry Spur This US cavalry spur is in excellent condition and its brass has aged into a very pleasing brown patina. One of its strap plates is crisply marked "ALLEGHENY ARSENAL" and also with the number "2" indicating size. The original rowels for these spurs were typically made of iron and configured differently from the rowel on this spur. This spur includes a replacement rowel which is made of brass and appears to have been added long ago due to evidence of wear at the area of the rowel hole. This spur has no cracks, breaks, or major bends and will make an excellent relic to add to any Civil War cavalry or general relic collection. Measures approximately 3 3/8 in width x 5 inches in length. $175.00 Order Information or Questions? |
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PC3682 Iron & Brass Chain with Hook This unusual iron and brass link chain with hook device is a handsome relic that was recovered from Wilderness, Va. many years ago by local relic hunter Henry Foster. I am not sure exactly what its purpose was or, whether it was simply ornamental, but its hook must have held onto something. The iron links are plain in design and the brass links are slightly ornate as you will see in the additional pictures. When it's arranged into a near even circle, its diameter measures approximately 3 inches. This interesting relic will make an nice addition to any Civil War campsite or general relic collection. $55.00 Order Information or Questions? |
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PC3474 US Officer's Spur This excavated US officer's spur is in very good condition. Ornately designed with ribs and stippling, the brass of this example has aged into a very pleasing even chocolate brown patina. The iron rowel has rusted away but the remainder of the spur is intact, has no cracks, breaks, bends, or repairs. This relic will make an excellent addition to any Civil War cavalry or general excavated relic collection. Approx. 3 3/8 x 4 3/4 inches. $165.00 Order Information or Questions? |
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PC3495 Ohio Breast Plate This Ohio breast plate is a rare find as these plates were only issued to a limited number of troops. Ohio was the only northern state to issue a shoulder strap plate with its state seal. Recovered in Culpeper County, VA from in the area of the Battle of Cedar Mountain. The plate, with its battle torn appearance, is nearly complete with solid solder and both brass attachment loops. Its brass face has aged into an handsome green patina as typically found in the red clay soil of Culpeper County. Stamped into the brass is the informal state coat of arms which depicts symbols of industry, agriculture, and transportation along with a sunrise in the mountains all surrounded by a wreath of laurels What is exceptional about the brass face of the plate is the amount of fine detail that still remains visible. The background lines and bricks all visible along with the arrows, canal boat, and plant. The plate is basically complete with the exception of the upper left section of the rim and a couple of areas of missing solder in the rear. This plate has not been repaired. Though this difficult to find plate has field recovered issues, it is still in remarkably good condition for its age of 150 years. Another example of this plate is pictured in the second edition of O'Donnell and Campbell's "American Military Belt Plates", as plate 471 on page 294. The plate offered in this listing measures approximately 64 mm in diameter. $1,295.00 Order Information or Questions? SALE PENDING |
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PC3466 Confederate Mississippi Spur This excavated Confederate Mississippi spur is in fair condition and has a dirty brown-green patina. Constructed of solid brass, the spur is complete with the exception of a one inch side portion of the stem, near the rowel, as well as the rowel itself. This one inch section actually supported the rowel and may explain why the rowel is missing. There are no cracks, repairs, unusual bends, or other breaks in this spur. An example of this spur may be found in the following reference books: "Civil War Artifacts" by Howard Crouch on page 125, item #5, "Historic American Spurs" by Howard Crouch on page 54, item CS 7, and "Excavated Artifacts From Battlefields and Campsites of The Civil War" by Stanley S. Phillip on page 76 as item #12 This example will display nicely in any Civil War cavalry or general excavated relic collection. Approx. 2 3/4 x 5 inches. SOLD |
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PC3462 US Artillery Horse Bit This US artillery horse bit is in good condition and appears to be an early excavated example. It has plain bit bosses and is brass plated. Both rings and curb chain are present. This relic will make a excellent example to add to any Civil War cavalry or general excavated relic collection. $275.00 Order Information or Questions? |
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PC3093 Hand Cuffs These iron hand cuffs were recovered decades ago by Gene Cooley in the Varina area of Virginia just east of Richmond. This locked pair is complete and were clear coated by Mr. Cooley so as to prevent further deterioration. Hand cuffs of this same style have been recovered from other Civil War sites in Virginia. An example of this same style hand cuff can be found in Howard Crouch's book "Civil War Artifacts" on page 144, item # 4. Another like example can be found pictured in the fourth printing of Stanley S. Phillip's book "Excavated Artifacts From Battlefields and Campsites of The Civil War" on page 169 as item #1. This pair is in remarkably good shape and will display beautifully in any excavated campsite or general relic collection. $295.00 Order Information or Questions? |
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PC891 Allegheny Arsenal Marked US Spur This US "Allegheny Arsenal" marked cavalry spur is in very good condition and was excavated in Fredericksburg, VA. It has a very pleasing brown-green patina and the outer strap plate is strongly marked "ALLEGHENY ARSENAL" and also with the number "2" which indicates size. This excavated marked spur has no cracks, breaks, bends, or repairs but the thin iron rowel has long since disintegrated. These marked spurs are somewhat hard to come by and this one will make for a great addition to your collection. Approx. 3.25 x 4.50 inches. $240.00 Order Information or Questions? |
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PC2982 Excavated R. Ibbotson Sheffield Saw Emblem This period brass saw emblem measures approximately 1.1 inch in diameter and was once affixed to the side of a saw perhaps used by soldiers for any number of campsite purposes. It was included in a group of recently acquired excavated buttons and it is my belief that the digger mistakenly believed it to be another type of button. The design on its face is that of a centered shield with a diagonal design and perhaps livestock to either above and below it. To one side of the shield is the letter "R" and the other side is the letter "I". Surrounding the letters and shield is a solid circle with a dotted border. In-between the solid circle and dotted border is the manufacturer's name and location "R. IBBOTSON SHEFFIELD". Examples of similar type disks can be found on page 60 of Howard Crouch's book "Civil War Artifacts" which is also available on this website under "Books". This emblem was recovered in the Richmond, VA area. $35.00 Order Information or Questions? |
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PC896 A Relic From Brandy Station This excavated relic from Brandy Station, VA may be a portion of tin pitcher or coffee pot that has been marked "11 Brandy Station, VA". There are small holes grouped together in one area of the tin that I believe to be a strainer where a spout would have been attached. This is a great piece of Civil War campsite history from a significant battle of the war . It was very lightly clear coated many years ago and will make an excellent display piece for any Civil War campsite collection.. Approx. 6 1/2 x 7 inches. $25.00 Order Information or Questions? |
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PC2156 Sword Hanger This brass sword hanger is in excellent condition and has a very nice brown patina. A similar example of this sword hanger can be found on page 183 as illustration #8 in the book "Excavated Artifacts From Battlefields and Campsites of the civil War 1861-1865" by Stanley S. Phillips and also on page 191 in illustration #6 in the book "Civil War Artifacts: A guide for the Historian" by Howard R. Crouch. This hanger has no cracks, breaks, repairs or major bends and will make an excellent addition to any collection. $30.00 Ordering Information or Questions? |
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PC2489 Iron Round Ball Mold This iron mold for round ball is rusty and pitted but still complete. Locked into its current position from rusting, it is still open enough to view the size ball it would have produced. It appears to have made a ball about the size of a buckshot. The best measurement of the interior of the mold, I could obtain, was about .30 inches in diameter. This relic was recovered by Paul Irvin of Virginia. Paul Irvin and his brother, Dennis, hunted campsites in several areas in central Virginia with several important finds coming from the area of Brandy Station, VA. These particular finds, which were recovered on October 29, 1977, are documented in a chapter from Howard Crouches book "Relic Hunter" and the story of these finds can be read by clicking here. This bullet mold is an excellent piece to add to any excavated campsite relic collection. SOLD |
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PC2147 Heart Shaped Badge or Emblem This heart shaped badge or emblem was excavated from Harrison's Landing, VA by Brian Cooley. The device is made of brass and has two attachment clasps on the rear. It has a very pleasing chocolate brown patina with beveled edges and measures approximately 1 inch x 1 inch. It may have adorned a uniform, hat, saddle, some other equipment. This beautiful campsite find will make a wonderful addition to any collection. $165.00 Ordering Information or Questions? |
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PC1851 US Bridle Rosette This excavated US bridle rosette is an absolute beauty. The majority of the face has a very pleasing yellowish brown patina which beautifully highlights the letters "US". The rear is lead filled and the attachment hook is missing. A similar example of this rosette is pictured as #9 on page 80 in the book "Excavated Artifacts From Battlefields and Campsites of the Civil War 1861-1865" by Stanley S. Phillips. This rosette has no cracks, breaks, bends, or repairs and will make a excellent display piece. Approx. 49 mm. $225.00 Ordering Information or Questions |
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PC1780 Cape Pin "Unknown Soldier" This excavated cape pin is a rare piece. According to Howard Crouch's book "Civil War Artifacts" on page 173, item #1, this particular pin is that of the unknown soldier. This small relic of the war was proudly worn by a soldier who most likely had acquired it from a sutler as these were not government issue items. The overall condition of the pin is very good. On the front, angled under a good light, the details of the soldiers jacket are visible. The digger lightly clear coated the front and back, most likely, as a measure to preserve it. I believe the material to be brass as most of these pins I have encountered are. This fantastic little personal item was recovered by the late James Renfrow Sr. at Harrison's Landing in Charles City County, VA. James was a hunting buddy of the renowned relic hunter Gene Cooley. This device measures approximately 1.3 inches from top to bottom. $365.00 Ordering Information or Questions? |
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PC1601 Engineer Dividers These engineer dividers measure approximately 4 1/2 inches in length, are in good excavated condition, and are not functional. The action of the dividers is sealed closed due to rust. An example of these can be found as item 6 on page 60 of Howard Crouch's book "Civil War Artifacts". This relic was excavated, with permission, at Harrison's Landing (Berkeley Plantation) in Charles City County, VA., by Gene Cooley. Mr. Cooley is in his mid 80's and still relic hunts today. To read more about Mr. Cooley please click here. $75.00 Ordering Information or Questions? |
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PC1568 US Combination Gun Tools These two US combination gun tools are in very good condition. The bottom style is the open end style and, the top example, which can still move, is the closed end style. Both of these appear non-excavated but the bottom example does not move and is somewhat pitted. Both of these are from a collection out of New Market, Va. and are approximately 3.5 inches in length. $75.00 for both. Ordering Information or Questions? |
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