This item is a small hand camp ax. It was found in relic condition in Gettysburg at a Field Hospital Site on Ralph Butt's Farm. Lightly pitted and rust encrusted, the ax head measures 5 inches by 3 inches; the ax hammer head is indented from heavy use in the past. The wooden handle is 6 inches long and has some wooden missing from use long ago. The blade edge is crisp and defect free and, if sharpened, would likely take a nice cutting edge. This piece was identified in John Geiselman's collection by his museum listing; it has a small worn circular paper tag with "63" written in John Geiselman's handwriting.

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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.

This item is on sale for 10% off of the listed price.