Smith & Wesson Victory Model 10 Revolver
This Smith & Wesson Victory Model 10 revolver was recently donated to the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum. The Varnum Memorial Armory’s revolver is a .38 Smith & Wesson. More research is forthcoming. The Smith and Wesson Model 10, produced during World War II, had a “V” for Victory prefix in the serial number. Smith and […]
Thomas Ives’ U.S. Civil War Ship Flags
Our Varnum Memorial Armory Curator, Patrick Donovan, was reading a first-hand account of the 4th Rhode Island Volunteers at the Battle of New Bern in the U.S. Civil War, and came across the names of the ship captains who made up the naval force accompanying the expeditionary force. He faintly recognized one of the names: […]
Scale-Model of a U.S. Civil War Union Cavalryman
Rich Faranelli, a phenomenal modeler, just completed a 120mm-scale U.S. Civil War Union Cavalryman for display at the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum. The detail is incredible. At 9-inches tall, it will be a great visual aid for people to show what they looked like with all of their gear in place. We have a Cavalry […]
John Browning’s Remarkable Automatic Rifle: the BAR
Sitting on a display case in the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum’s “World Wars Room” is a Model M1918A2 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR). Introduced late in World War I and now known by infantrymen around the globe, the “BAR” was the product of the fertile mind of John Moses Browning. He is considered to be one […]
A Fowler Musket With a Rhode Island Connection
As we have come to discover, the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum archives are a genuine treasure trove. Armory Museum Curator Patrick Donovan and the rest of his team continue to sift through decades of acquisitions, and have come up with some surprising pieces. Recently, an item was discovered that carries an interesting history of its […]
Restored United Train of Artillery Militia Flag
At the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum we have a hand-embroidered and fully restored militia flag for the United Train Of Artillery from Providence, RI. They were one of the early founding companies of the U.S. Artillery. Formed on April 22, 1775, they participated in the Siege of Boston, the Battle of Long Island, and the […]
Bible of Alfred G. Gardner, American Civil War Hero
Another stunning and important Rhode Island historical artifact has been loaned to the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum: the bible of Private Alfred G. Gardner of Battery B, 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery, killed in action at Gettysburg, PA, on July 3rd, 1863 while manning his gun (now referred to as the “Gettysburg Gun”). This battle-scarred […]
Before and After: U.S. Civil War Forage Cap
There’s no such thing as a lost cause … Most would consider this U.S. Civil War 10th Rhode Island forage cap at the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum a lost cause. It was infested with moth larvae, mold, and had not been stored properly for many years. After giving it a lot of care, it is […]
Behind the Scenes at the Varnum Memorial Armory
Here we are learning how to make a dress form fit to a larger uniform. We use bubble wrap covered with archival tissue paper which is then pinned to the dress form. Behold the World War I uniform of former East Greenwich Police Chief, Charles Johnson all set for display at the Varnum Memorial Armory […]
Latham Artillery Battery Confederate Guidon
This is the Latham Artillery Battery guidon (restored by the University of Rhode Island Conservation Laboratory). This historic flag is a powerful symbol of Rhode Island’s sacrifice in the American Civil War. The 4th Rhode Island Volunteers captured it after making a bold charge at the Battle of New Berne on March 14th, 1862. The […]