Ornate wood gavel in excellent condition. It meas. approx. 8.50 inches long with a head that is 3.50 inches wide. Both the head and the handle have been turned to produce delicate linear decoration and gentle curves. The base of the handle has a finial shaped tip. Attached to the center top of the head is a red bordered label with a typed caption that reads “THIS PIECE OF WOOD IS A PART OF THE ORIGINAL FLOOR OF LIBBY PRISON BUILDING.” JNO. L. RANSOM, MANGE(R).”

John L. Ransom was a well-known former Union prisoner of war who published one of the better prison memoirs in 1881 and has been reprinted numerous times since. Ransom served in the 9^th Michigan Cavalry and was promoted Sergeant on November 1, 1864. He was captured at Rogersville, Tennessee on November 16, 1864 and was confined at Andersonville. He escaped on December 9, 1864 and was mustered out July 21, 1865. He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant in August of 1865.

With the gavel is an 1882 black and white lithographed print titled “LIBBY PRISON. THE ONLY PICTURE IN EXISTENCE. AS IT APPEARED AUGUST 23, 1863.” Print was published in Richmond in 1882 by Allen and William A. Mountcastle. Lithograph is bright and mostly clean with only light minor edge dirt. The image is printed on white stock that meas. approx. 13.25 x 11.50 inches. The actual size of the scene is 8.50 x 6.75 inches. Item is still in the original wood frame with a scalloped gold decoration. Lower right corner has some moderate chipping. The print appears to be backed with a period newspaper which should be removed before it stains the print.  [ad][ph:L]

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