VERY RARE – Original Civil War Artillery Pendulum Hausse sight case

This is a very rare artillery item being offered, it is a Pendulum Hausse sight case which was used during the Civil War. Pendulum Hausse sights were used by Artillerymen to measure the angles of their cannons. It is made of leather and measures 7” x 3” and has the remains of the original carrying strap still attached.

Pendulum Hausse sights were weighted brass pieces that were mounted on the breech of a cannon and used by artillerymen to measure the angles of their cannons. It was a free-swinging sighting piece attached to a seat on the barrel near the breech. The sight consisted of an upright piece of sheet brass with a movable slider. The slider traveled along a graduated scale. At the lower end of the sight was a lead-filled bulb which allowed the scale to remain in a vertical position regardless of the rough ground or the trunnions.

The leather remains mostly supple, and all the stitching is good except for a small section on the bottom. The four copper rivets are all tightly in place. The top flap of the case has a tab that fits through a leather keeper to hold it closed. In “Echoes of Glory – Arms and Equipment of the Union” there is one shown with the case (see pictures).

This is an artillery item which seldom becomes available, and it obviously is not a surplus piece, but one that was actually used during the war.  If you by chance had a Pendulum Hausse in your collection, this would be a valuable asset. An original Pendulum Hausse by itself could run upwards of $3000.00. Even this case by itself which had a very low survival rate being leather,  would make a great addition to any artillery or Civil War collection.