Large soldier carved Civil War folk art laurel root pipe, medium brown in color with nicely grained wood, with silver mountings and hinged silver lid on pipe bowl. Although the pipe may possibly have been commercially purchased, the carving style is distinctly quaint. Decorative, long leaf or branch-like carving encircling most of the top of the bowl with large relief lettering in two lines (semi-circular) at upper front of bowl Fredericksburg / VA., and just below that in a small wreath (relief carved) panel similar carved large date, Dec. 13th / 1862. Right side of bowl with relief carved, large fouled anchor interwoven with a scroll/leaf-like motif with left side of bowl in that same respective spot and large relief Christian cross (or corps insignia?) interwoven with relief leaf-like motif. Underside of bowl includes large oval panel with five deep carved full fluted motifs, while the lower section of the shank sides and underside decoratively carved with fluted leaf and branch and leaf relief motifs. Both the top of the shank and the entire top of the bowl are fancifully mounted in silver, with the original hinged lid of the bowl professionally inscribed in old English with name of the soldier who undoubtedly owned this pipe, C. F. Morse, and a small design of an open steel compass (the instrument for drawing or describing circles or measuring distances with two movable, rigid legs hinged in center). Over an upward pointing carpenter's square with a large capital letter G in its center. Maximum width of bowl and shank approx. 5 in.; bowl maximum height (not counting the hinged lid) 4.75 in., dia. 2.25 in. Quite heavy weight overall. C.F. Morse is most likely Charles F. Morse, who was a 28-year-old trader before he enlisted in the army as a 2nd lieutenant on July 16, 1861. He was commissioned into the 13th Massachusetts Infantry and fought at the Battle of Fredericksburg on December 13, 1862. He earned a promotion to 1st lieutenant on July 23, 1862, and was discharged for another promotion to captain in the US Volunteers Commissary Department on September 4, 1862. Morse remained with the Commissary Department until he resigned on May 10, 1865. Provenance: Property of N. Flayderman & Co. Condition: Few cracks, including a couple cracks underside of bowl. Some surface wear, a result of being well-used. Few scattered spots. Tarnish on silver mountings and lid.
Large soldier carved Civil War folk art laurel root pipe, medium brown in color with nicely grained wood, with silver mountings and hinged silver lid on pipe bowl. Although the pipe may possibly have been commercially purchased, the carving style is distinctly quaint. Decorative, long leaf or branch-like carving encircling most of the top of the bowl with large relief lettering in two lines (semi-circular) at upper front of bowl Fredericksburg / VA., and just below that in a small wreath (relief carved) panel similar carved large date, Dec. 13th / 1862. Right side of bowl with relief carved, large fouled anchor interwoven with a scroll/leaf-like motif with left side of bowl in that same respective spot and large relief Christian cross (or corps insignia?) interwoven with relief leaf-like motif. Underside of bowl includes large oval panel with five deep carved full fluted motifs, while the lower section of the shank sides and underside decoratively carved with fluted leaf and branch and leaf relief motifs. Both the top of the shank and the entire top of the bowl are fancifully mounted in silver, with the original hinged lid of the bowl professionally inscribed in old English with name of the soldier who undoubtedly owned this pipe, C. F. Morse, and a small design of an open steel compass (the instrument for drawing or describing circles or measuring distances with two movable, rigid legs hinged in center). Over an upward pointing carpenter's square with a large capital letter G in its center. Maximum width of bowl and shank approx. 5 in.; bowl maximum height (not counting the hinged lid) 4.75 in., dia. 2.25 in. Quite heavy weight overall. C.F. Morse is most likely Charles F. Morse, who was a 28-year-old trader before he enlisted in the army as a 2nd lieutenant on July 16, 1861. He was commissioned into the 13th Massachusetts Infantry and fought at the Battle of Fredericksburg on December 13, 1862. He earned a promotion to 1st lieutenant on July 23, 1862, and was discharged for another promotion to captain in the US Volunteers Commissary Department on September 4, 1862. Morse remained with the Commissary Department until he resigned on May 10, 1865. Provenance: Property of N. Flayderman & Co. Condition: Few cracks, including a couple cracks underside of bowl. Some surface wear, a result of being well-used. Few scattered spots. Tarnish on silver mountings and lid.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
