I think this was a steal.  The drum looks original in every respect -- certainly the shell, counterhoops and snare strainer look like early CW vintage.  Better photos or a live inspection may provide confirmation.

     Bidding on the drum was active (28 bids from 8 bidders) with 3 different snipes in the last 90 seconds of the auction taking the price up more than $200 from $576 to the winning bid just shy of $800.  The pros were out for this one.

     Why the interest in this drum?  Let's start with the brass (hopefully brass and not plastic) numeral "5" on the shell in what appears to be a painted gold 5-pointed star.  My guess is that's a regiment number, as in 5th Regiment.  Or, heaven forbid, a brass numeral from an apartment house or mail box purchased last week at Home Depot and added for effect.  Yikes, wouldn't that be a travesty?

• 10 drilled holes in each counterhoop (needed for the large diameter of almost 18 inches) put the drum as pre-hook.
• A mid-19th century early CW snare strainer helps narrow the age guess to around 1850.
• And, the pinked leather pulls with debossed stars (embossed would be raised as in engraved stationery; debossed would be depressed as in the case of these leathers).  Note, I have leathers from 1850.  They are so brittle that they fall apart to dust with the slightest pull, so I'm a bit skeptical about these leathers as they look pretty supple.

     But, as always, a hands-on inspection could really tell the tale.  Stay tuned.

     The drum is described on eBay by the seller as follows:

This is a very nice original Civil War drum with original paint, skins, hoops, and leather tabs.  Each leather tab has a pinked edge with two stars embossed on the leather.  The leather tabs all match, except for one older replacement, which looks as old as the rest. The skins are intact with nice age and wear.  There is one 2-inch spot on one of the skins where there is a slight tear with some glue, but visually the skin appears intact and does not detract from the overall appearance.  The ropes have age and appear to be original.  There is a gold star painted on the side with a brass number 5 centered in the star.  I am not sure what the star and number 5 represent.  The paint is reddish-orange in color.  Visible through the peek hole, there is an old label that reads C. C. Clapp & Son, Boston.  C.C. Clapp & Son, Boston, was a manufacturer of musical instruments for the Civil War.  The drum measures 17 3/4 inches diameter x 14 1/2 inches tall.  This is a wonderful original Civil War drum that would make a nice addition to any early Civil War military collection or Civil War musical instrument collection.

     Photos appear in our group's photo album named, "1861-65 C.C. Clapp & Sons, Boston".

     Comments welcome.