Tryon Palace purchases drum used at Battle of New Bern for $28,000 - Weekend auction in Asheville nets artifacts

Just the thought of "The Old North State" drum rolls coming home to New Bern brought applause from a crowd of about 300 attending an Asheville weekend auction of historic artifacts from artist Bob Timberlake's collection, said Dean Knight, Tryon Palace registrar.

Knight attended the auction at Brunk Auctions where a Civil War era drum manufactured in Asheville and bearing the inscription "captured at the Battle of Newbern March 14, 1862" was purchased by Tryon Palace Sunday for $28,000.

"Our goal was to get it back to New Bern," said Kay Williams, Tryon Palace Sites and Gardens director, of the bentwood drum with old and probably the original brown and blue painted surface. It has "The Old North State" stenciled on its side with a star, and has string, brass and leather mounts.

Knight said the bidding Sunday went quickly and the price went up quickly as well, with the drum one of the highest priced items of the hundreds composing about 15 percent of Timberlake's vast collection.

"Then boom, it's over. Everything gets real quiet," Knight said, "and auctioneer Robert Brunk looked at me and said, ‘Can I tell them?' When he said it was going back to New Bern, everyone just applauded, 300-plus. They all seemed very pleased it's coming back."

The drum had been in New Bern in recent years since Timberlake added it to his collection and was displayed at the New Bern Riverfront Convention Center, Williams said.

It may now be first displayed by Tryon Palace in the Civil War Room at the New Bern Academy, with the planned N.C. History Education Center a future option.

"We haven't done exhibit design (for the history education center) yet so I can't say exactly how it will figure in but our interest is in acquiring objects that help us better tell the story of this part of North Carolina," Williams said.

"Whenever you are acquiring an object and have even a single inscription on it, it becomes so much more valuable," said Knight. "You can take that inscription as a great clue as to its history, and in this case, there are a whole series of inscriptions."

Information provided by the auction house notes three pencil inscriptions inside the drum including one identifying E.M. Clayton of Asheville as manufacturer. Inscribed on the inside bottom head is "L.L.Lamb/Fichburg/Mass."

Levi Lamb is listed in the 1860 Census for Worcester County, Mass., as a 21-year-old mechanic. Civil War records list a Levi Lamb as a musician with the 21st Massachusetts Infantry, according to the pre-auction data.

Edwin W. Clayton was listed in the 1860 Census for Buncombe County as a cabinet maker.

Tryon Palace also purchased a Civil War briar pipe bowl from the same collection. The $550 pipe had "New Bern, NC" carved on it as well as leaf and floral decoration.