An intriguing and uncommon patented combination eating utensil featuring a cleverly integrated knife, fork, and spoon design. Constructed entirely of steel, this compact field utensil separates into two pieces, allowing the user to utilize the knife independently while the spoon and fork remain combined for practical dining in the field.  

The center section is stamped “PATENT APPLIED FOR”, reflecting its experimental or early production status. The ingenious design incorporates a spoon and fork in one section with a detachable knife that nests securely into the handle, creating a compact and portable dining set for camping, military use, travel, or outdoor pursuits.  

The utensil retains an attractive untouched surface with a dark age patina throughout. Wear and oxidation are consistent with age and use, adding to its authentic character. Combination eating utensils such as this were popular during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly among soldiers, sportsmen, campers, and travelers who valued lightweight, multifunctional equipment.  

A scarce and visually appealing example of early American ingenuity, combining practicality and innovative design in a single compact tool. 

Condition: Good antique condition with age-related patina, oxidation, and wear. Components separate and display well. Untouched surface with desirable antique character.  

Inventory Number: CAM 661 

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Original Civil War period U.S. regulation gray wool blanket in good condition, retaining the classic loosely woven construction and Chain-stitched “U.S” associated with wartime Federal issue examples. The blanket displays honest age and service wear throughout with scattered minor fraying along portions of the edges, entirely consistent with period use and storage.

A desirable and increasingly difficult-to-find piece of authentic Civil War field equipment, representative of the standard blankets carried by Union soldiers throughout the conflict. Displays well with a soft untouched appearance and strong overall eye appeal.

Inventory Number: PER 483

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This type of Gettysburg desk set / relic display originated with Edward Woodward, a British born gunsmith living in Baltimore when the war broke out, who reportedly refused Confederate offers to supervise a gun factory in favor of aiding wounded US soldiers as a member of a Union Relief Society and later moved to Gettysburg after the battle to aid the wounded as a member of the US Christian Commission. He remained in town and is known to have been selling similar desk sets as early as September 1866 and by 1870 was advertising his gunsmithing and his relic business from a shop on Carlisle Street near the train depot. After Woodward’s death in 1894 these popular desk sets continued to be made by John Good and Joel Danner, though in simpler form than Woodward’s. This set is a good example of an early battlefield souvenir that might be brought home even by a visiting veteran of the battle. See O’Donnell, Hazard and Boardman, Gettysburg Battlefield Relics and Souvenirs for the story of these and similar creations that often sought to create something combining the artistic, the historic, and the useful. 

Inventory Number: GET 551

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 by Wragg (Patentee Marked) 

A scarce and early example of the ingenious folding traveling knife and fork combination, bearing the desirable “W.H. WRAGG – PATENTEE” marking, indicating production prior to or at the time of patent issuance. These compact eating implements were designed for portability and saw practical use during the Civil War, commonly carried by officers and soldiers in the field who required personal mess equipment beyond standard issue. 

The knife retains a strong, honest surface with a smooth, untouched patina, the spine crisply stamped and fully legible. The handle is fashioned of hardwood, attractively inlaid with pewter bands—both decorative and functional—providing reinforcement and a distinctive early aesthetic. The construction remains tight and well-preserved, with pleasing age throughout. 

An increasingly difficult form to locate, particularly in this early “Patentee” marked configuration, and a tangible representation of mid-19th century field utility associated with Civil War use. 

Inventory Number: CAM 653

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Stafford County, Virginia

Excavated iron artillery hammer recovered from a Federal hut site in Stafford County, Virginia, an area associated with Union winter encampments of 1862–63.

The hammer measures approximately 9 1/4 inches in overall length, with a 4-inch head. It retains its original forged form, including a squared striking face and opposing peen. The piece remains solid and intact, exhibiting heavy but stable surface oxidation consistent with long-term burial.

Excavated camp tools are less commonly encountered than standard battlefield relics and offer a direct connection to daily military life during the winter encampments.

A solid, displayable Civil War camp artifact with clear regional attribution.

Inventory Number: REL 147

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A classic pair of Civil War era field glasses, complete with their original black leather carrying case featuring a rich red interior lining. The binoculars exhibit the traditional compact form associated with mid-19th century optics, retaining a smooth, dark finish with pleasing age and honest wear consistent with period use.

The accompanying case remains structurally sound, with intact lid, closure hardware, and interior lining, offering an attractive and functional display presentation. The bold red lining provides a striking contrast and is typical of quality cases of the period.

Field glasses such as these were essential equipment for officers on both sides, used for reconnaissance and battlefield observation. Surviving examples with their original cases are increasingly difficult to locate, particularly in such well-matched condition.

A desirable and display-ready set, representative of Civil War field equipment and ideal for both collectors and period displays.

Inventory Number: MIS 364

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George N. Harvey, 111th & 4th New York Infantry 

Civil War regulation tin mess plate later painted black during the veteran era for commemorative display, with the original tintype photograph of Private George N. Harvey mounted in the center and framed by decorative brass matting. The presentation suggests a veteran’s museum display. 

Accompanying the plate is Harvey’s original eagle masthead discharge, Handwritten Service History of Private George N. Harvey and Original pension papers. 

111th New York Infantry & 4th New York Infantry 

August 1864 – June 1865 

George N. Harvey enlisted on August 8, 1864, at Arcadia, New York, at twenty-four years of age, and mustered into Company F of the 111th New York Infantry on August 26, 1864. By the time Harvey joined its ranks, the 111th was a seasoned regiment of the VI Corps, Army of the Potomac, hardened by years of campaigning and deeply engaged in the Petersburg Campaign. 

Harvey entered the war at its most grueling phase. The regiment was entrenched before Petersburg, locked in constant siege warfare under General Grant’s relentless pressure on Lee’s army. Rather than the sweeping maneuvers of earlier campaigns, this was a soldier’s war of trenches — daily exposure to sharpshooters, artillery fire, picket duty, and exhausting labor constructing and repairing earthworks. Casualties came steadily from bullets, shells, and disease. It was into this unforgiving environment that Harvey was initiated as a soldier. 

On October 28, 1864, he was transferred within the regiment from Company F to Company B, likely reflecting battlefield losses and company consolidation common during the campaign. That autumn, elements of the VI Corps were active in the Shenandoah Valley under General Philip Sheridan. The 111th New York participated in the climactic operations that shattered Confederate resistance in the Valley, including the dramatic Battle of Cedar Creek in October 1864 — a desperate fight that began with a surprise Confederate assault at dawn and ended in a sweeping Union counterattack. If present, Harvey would have witnessed one of the most chaotic and decisive engagements of the war’s final year. 

Through the winter of 1864–1865, the regiment returned to the Petersburg lines. Conditions were harsh. Soldiers endured freezing weather, short rations, and the constant tension of enemy fire across narrow no-man’s-land. Months of stalemate tested morale as much as endurance. 

The defining moment of Harvey’s service came in April 1865. On April 2, the VI Corps spearheaded the massive assault that broke the Confederate lines at Petersburg. In fierce fighting, Union troops stormed entrenched earthworks, collapsing Lee’s defensive position and forcing the evacuation of Richmond. The breakthrough triggered the final campaign that ended at Appomattox Court House. Harvey would have marched in the relentless pursuit westward, part of the tightening ring that compelled Lee’s surrender on April 9, 1865 — effectively ending the Civil War. 

On June 4, 1865, Harvey transferred from the 111th New York into Company B of the 4th New York Infantry. By this stage of the war, regiments were being consolidated for occupation and demobilization duty. His final period of service likely involved post-war garrison responsibilities as the Union army transitioned from combat to peace. 

In less than a year of service, George N. Harvey experienced the war at its climax — the grinding siege of Petersburg, the dramatic breakthrough of April 1865, and the final surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia. Though a late-war enlistee, his service placed him squarely in the decisive campaigns that brought the conflict to its conclusion. 

Inventory Number: IDE 318

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Civil War period wool blanket, constructed of natural off-white wool with distinctive dark blue end stripes. The body is composed of course, tightly woven wool, typical of wartime production, offering both durability and warmth for field service.

Blankets such as this were essential soldier equipment, carried rolled with a gum blanket and secured by a blanket strap or slung over the shoulder while on campaign. They served not only for warmth, but also as ground cover, shelter lining, and even emergency stretcher material when needed.

Inventory Number: PER 479

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Cylindrical wooden inkwell made entirely of rosewood. It measures 2 ¼” inches high by 1” wide.  The top unscrews to reveal a glass reservoir inside with a spring device below it to secure a seal and prevent spillage. These were very popular with Civil War soldiers for their durability and portability.   

 Inventory Number: CAM 644 

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A beautifully crafted writing piece, featuring a twist-carved mother-of-pearl handle capped with a 14k gold ferrule and gold finial. The luminous pearl body shows excellent iridescence, and the gold mount retains fine engraved detail. The steel nib remains intact and seated firmly.

Housed in its original leatherette presentation case, lined in a vibrant blue interior, this set displays exceptionally well—an elegant survival from the era of personal correspondence, suitable for both collectors of antique writing instruments and Civil War–period accessories.

Comes housed in 6 x 8 riker display case with red velvet and descriptive card.

Inventory Number: MIS 339

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