Examination of photographs, muster roles and other primary source materials offers ample evidence that cymbals were employed by Civil War bands whenever the instrument and a player could be found. Period cymbals, as evidenced in photographs, appear to be somewhat smaller than those used today. The ones we have measure 6_� in diameter and are brass with handles bolted to the cymbals. These may have been made expressly for military use as the handles are stamped with a raised eagle shield with the words "E Pluribus Unum" running in a banner across the top. These are, indeed, very rare and only the second we have ever found. See Garofalo and Elrod "Pictorial History of Civil War Musical Instruments & Military Bands� p. 38 -39.