The Civil War Collection of James C. Frasca

8 1/2 in. lg. cylindrical writing kit comprised of nine wooden slats secured on a tarred canvas backing (two slats detached from cloth). Pivoting slat locks remaining slats into place via brass brackets to create a flat, rigid writing surface. Across 3 slats is stamped "Pat'd Dec. 24.1861." Slats enclose a second piece of tarred canvas wrapped around a tin cylinder designed to contain writing implements including inkwell, pens, paper, envelopes, etc. Contained here are 3 wooden pencils, a likely original cylindrical inkwell (patented 4 February), mechanical pencil, mechanical pen, and extra nib. Unfinished cloth stamped "O.W. Clark" in one area and pencil inscribed "O.W. C[lark] / Co H 60th" in another.

Orrin W Clark, a 35 year old carpenter from Newburyport, Massachusetts, mustered into Company H of the 60th Massachusetts Infantry (100 day Regiment) on 23 July 1864, and mustered out on 30 November 1864 at Indianapolis, Indiana. Prior to this, he had served in the 8th Massachusetts Infantry.