American Historical Ephemera and Photography Featuring the Civil War and American Militaria Collection of Bruce B. Hermann

Sixth plate ruby ambrotype portrait of a Union drummer. (Darkening and deterioration to image around edges, with spotting to preserver; unsealed.) Housed in a nearly fully separated pressed paper case (significant wear throughout, including almost full separation at spine, with repair). The bearded federal musician is armed with a belted pocket revolver and Sheffield Bowie knife, possibly photographer's props. He stands next to a large unpainted drum and holds a beater in one hand. The "US" on his belt plate and his shoulder straps both feature gold highlighting.

The unpainted drum suggests a militia antecedent, together with the drummer's antiquated shoulder straps sometimes associated with musicians. This image is said to be featured in Norm Flayderman's The Bowie Knife: Unsheathing an American Legend.