US 19th Century Francis Bannerman Display Board, H Buckle, Red Background
This item is listed for historical interest only. It was listed on our site previously but has been sold and is no longer available for purchase.
Sold for: $125.00

Original era manufacture. A classic example of a merchandising technique as employed by the Godfather of Military Memorabilia, Francis Bannerman of New York. Bannerman's or Bannerman's Island is legendary in our hobby as being one of, if the not the first, purveyors of military collectibles here in the USA. Beginning in 1863 Francis and his Father began buying government scrap and reselling it. At the end of the Civil War they purchased immense quantities of war material from Kepi's to cannon and opened a business on Broadway in NYC which lasted into the mid-1960's. Not enough time or space here to expound on this operation, however if you ever have a chance to thumb through one of the catalogs you are in for a treat. They had so much material on hand that they had to develop ways to make it attractive to sell. One of these ways was the construction of these small black painted plywood boards which were decorated with an assortment of 19th century US Army insignia. This is one example and features a US brass H buckle and four 1881 pattern dress helmet side buttons. Small brass loop on the reverse for hanging. Red background on the buckle.