Posted 8 years ago
SpiritBear
(813 items)
The GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) veterans put things like this by Civil War soldiers' graves to honour them. Some say the post number, some say the dates of the Civil War, and some are more simple. I didn't see one identical to this up, though.
I'd just like to know the approximate time this one was produced. I can't find that.
Now to find a mini period flag to stick in it....
Are you raiding old cemeteries now ? LOL !!
No, I picked this one up from a small military-related collection. I like GAR stuff.
Growing up, I saw many old markers in cemeteries marked "Unknown Confederate Soldier", "Unknown Soldier - C.S.A." etc.. Many were marble or granite.
Just look around & you can see both sides lost that war.
I have part of a headstone in my pond. One of the local cemeteries had a portion demolished and cleared. Part of a mausoleum, several head-stones, many urns and such-- all thrown into piles. Brought it home on my bicycle. LOL.
Not a fan of cemetery items-- as trade in these tends to create what buss mentioned!
scott
I find them fascinating. But we're all on different levels. Many archaeologists are on the extreme, saying that the removal of an arrowhead a kid found in the woods behind his house is theft of state property and history. Others decide that grave-robbing is acceptable.
As for this, who knows where it came from. Perhaps a cemetery like the one I mentioned. It doesn't look to have 120 years of weathering on it.
"Others decide that grave- robbing is acceptable"-- Not the crowd that I hang out with! I think that most folks would agree that grave robbing is not acceptable.
Because the origin of this piece is unknown many auction houses/ antique dealers won't touch this stuff. Many states have codes making these illegal to buy/ sell.
scott
"Others" refers to another end of the spectrum. You're in the middle. It is acceptable to dig items, but not from protected sites/graveyards. Standard thought.
Some think that any pursuit of archaeology or collecting historical items without proper documentation is a terrible sin.
Some don't care how an item is gotten, so long as they can get it.
As culture changes, too, people's thoughts on that change.
I do not intend to sell, so I will be alright in that respect. I can also assure you my dealer bought it, and had not robbed a graveyard. There weren't any other items related to graveyards, either. Just lots of American/Japanese/British army/navy history ranging from the Civil War to WW2.
I always liked the way the Antique Roadshow handled an appraisal for one of these many years ago.
They gave a value of Zero-- and made the point that these are grave markers are not something that the appraiser condoned owning/ buying/ selling since an active market might encourage folks to steal them from graves.
scott
In AL, the creeks in the S. part of the state are loaded with petrified Megalodon shark's teeth & all sorts of fossils. I talked to somebody down that way some yrs. ago & they told me that the State passed a law against removing these from the creeks & creek banks. The creeks are sandy & any fossils that are washed out by the water, probably are sandblasted to nothing within miles ! Why would a State, or anybody pass such a stupid law ? Well, Alabama for one !! I have a megalodon tooth that I posted several yrs. ago from that area.
I have a detailed record of all my dig-finds-- where I found them, what they are, and expected age.
I just started restoring a couple of these!Mine have a copper strip with the post number in the center. But not to ruffle feathers,I am the sexton of 2 cemeteries!