November 15 & 16, 2022 Extraordinary Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/15/2022
Lot consists of 5 items: 3 broken clay pipes (one mended), 1 partial pipe case, and 1 very nice Civil War soldier's carved pipe reading, "U.S.A. GEN. HOSP. FREDERICK CITY Md FEB 22 1863" in raised letters along the upper edge of the stem and bowl from one side to the other. Along the top edge of the bowl, is incise carved, "J. C. Shimer Surg U.S.A.". The Army's General Hospital at Frederick covered 18 acres, by 1865 consisted of 38 wooden buildings, including 13 hospital wards and treated more than 30,000 wounded and sick soldiers, with Confederates among its patients as well as Union soldiers. Shimer turns up as an Acting Assistant Surgeon there as early as September 1862 when he treats a wounded soldier of the 27th Indiana, a report of which is included in the Medical and Surgical History of the War. He is also listed as contributing specimens to the US Army Medical Museum. A June 26, 1862, newspaper article reports him among the medical staff accompanying wounded on board the USS Commodore from Fortress Monroe and indicates he was from Massachusetts. Designation as Acting Assistant Surgeon indicates he was likely a civilian contract surgeon, whose records are difficult to access. CONDITION: The 2 clay pipe bowls are broken at the stem. The other shows a crack on the stem near the bowl and numerous brown stains. The case is one half of a leather covered wood case lined in light blue silk that likely once held an nice meerschaum. The Civil War pipe is very good, with some slight rubs to the finish. Shimer appears to have given the bowl a thin metal lining.
Item Dimensions: 6" X 6"