This battlefield pickup is a cylindrical, wooden grease bucket recovered on the fields of Gettysburg sometime after the battle. It pre-dates the Civil War by many years. Carried on both civilian and army wagons during that time, this most unusual artifact appears to be crafted from one block of wood and shaped into a cylindrical bucket, 12" tall and with a 6" outside diameter. The wooden block was hollowed out and a slice of the block was cut off the top and exhibits an elongated shape to serve as a cover for the grease container. Wood top has three holes evenly spaced on the long axis. Two end holes serve to secure a length of leather carrying strap while the center hole sports a fired and carved minie ball. Body exterior exhibits remnants of what appears to be a pitch or a tar coating that is now very dry and shows surface cracking. Entire surface of the grease bucket wears a mottled brown patina and has some scattered surface dirt as well. This specimen could be a civilian model and many of these items went West with the wagon trains. Found at an undisclosed location on the Gettysburg battlefield, this wooden grease bucket is identified in John Geiselman's collection by his museum listing.

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The Horse Soldier is pleased to offer a number of items from the John P. Geiselman collection, a collection that was on display for many years at the Geiselman Country Store Museum on Barlow - Two Taverns Road. Geiselman began his collecting as a child in the early 1920s, and during the pre-World II period had access to artifacts that had been purchased earlier at the estate sales of the Trostle, Rogers, Rose, Weikert, and Wentz farms - local properties that figured prominently in the battle and its aftermath. During this period he had access as well to the Hill , Plank, and Stewart collections, and was able to acquire other items that had been sold from turn-of-the-century relics establishments such as the Danner, Ziegler, and Oak Ridge Museums. Furthermore, Geiselman carefully documented most artifacts, and collectors perusing the list will be able to note, in many instances, not only the source of the relic and the date of its recovery, but also the part of the battlefield from which it came. In other words, his collection is the last major grouping of Gettysburg artifacts assembled and documented by a local resident.

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