This Federal artillery artifact is very rare, 3.8” fired Type 2 Hotchkiss case shot shell produced by the Federal Ordnance Department for the 14 pounder James Rifle. With a diameter of 3.73”, the complete shell stood 6.87” tall and weighed over 14 lbs. This shell specimen is missing its lead band sabot and iron cup base, as well as the brass Hotchkiss time fuse adapter. Once part of the David Plank Collection, this projectile was found on the Sherfy Farm on the Gettysburg battlefield shortly after the fighting stopped. The entire nose section of the shell has blown out which indicated that the sidewalls were too thick to give the proper fragmentation effect. No flame grooves. Exterior of this cylindrical shell bears a smooth hard surface. This rare Hotchkiss shell, once part of the David Plank Collection, is identified in John Geiselman’s collection by his contemporary inscribed labels. Previously sold as Item# R11209.

The individual who purchased this item varnished and lightly cleaned the shell, and applied white paint indicating its location of recovery. Below you will find photographs of the shell in its current state, and photographs of it in the never cleaned condition in which it was originally sold by us. If interested, we can have the paint removed and the shell restored more to a relic look. This would involve a fee of a minimum of $50.00.

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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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