Bullet and Shell Civil War Projectiles Forum

Author Topic: Gold and black painted Read shell  (Read 2191 times)

emike123

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2348
    • Bullet and Shell
    • Email
Gold and black painted Read shell
« on: December 08, 2018, 09:13:31 AM »
I have had this nice Read shell for some time.  It is in great condition and painted with the "1863" date on it.  We see a lot of styles of souvenirs from the early days and I was wondering if anyone had seen similar ones and knew anymore about them.  I think I have seen some GAR display pieces like this, but I just went through Woodenhead's Gettysburg Battlefield Relics and Souvenirs book and didn't see any like it in there.


Woodenhead

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 182
    • Email
Re: Gold and black painted Read shell
« Reply #1 on: December 09, 2018, 01:03:35 PM »
Most of the 1,000 or so G.A.R. halls organized after the war had relic displays. A majority have been disbanded and their relics disbursed. I suspect that was the origin of your shell. I have seen others similarly painted. When I find a photo, I'll post it. I have learned from examining the many painted canteens that a large number of private individuals had small in-house collections. No way to be certain unless others similarly marked turn up on the market. One thing we can say about your fine shell is that it was a common VA style made in late 1862 prior to the requirement of copper fuze plugs in Dec. 1862.

I've included photos of a late war "CS James" (actually a short 3 inch Broun) bearing the markings of the great A. E. Brooks  Collection (circa 1890s) followed by MOLLUS (Massachusetts) circa 1900-15.

Woodenhead

scottfromgeorgia

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 384
    • Email
Re: Gold and black painted Read shell
« Reply #2 on: December 09, 2018, 08:26:42 PM »
I have a Whitworth with older paintings on the sides: