3227 CARVED OAK BLOCK IN THE SHAPE OF A POCKET DIARY

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This item SOLD at 2023 Nov 05 @ 14:31UTC-4 : AST/EDT
Category Firearms & Military
Auction Currency USD
Start Price 500.00 USD
Estimated at 1,000.00 - 1,500.00 USD
FROM THE USS KEARSARGE. This interesting carving depicts, quite well, a pocket diary of the Civil War period. The front of the diary is carved "Kearsarge JUNE 19th 1864". The flap side of the diary is carved with a "K" and 4 large stars. As is well known to historians, the USS Kearsarge sunk the Confederate cruiser, Alabama, at the Battle of Cherbourg off the coast of France on June 19th 1864. After Captain Semmes struck his colors and threw his sword into the sea to prevent capture, the Captain of the Kearsarge sent boats to rescue surviving officers & men from the Alabama before it sank below the waves. It is not difficult to imagine a sailor plucking a piece of oak from the waters surrounding the Alabama and later carving it into a diary to memorialize the day for himself and his descendants. CONDITION: carving shows just light handling wear. (02-20164/BF). $1,000-1,500.