J.BOHY HISTORICAL CONSULTING
Image courtesy of Don Troiani Historical Artist
Services
Historic Firearm & Ammunition Research
Conducting controlled live-fire studies to analyze flintlock firearms function, ballistics, and the interpretation of fired ammunition.
Battlefield Archaeology & Object Analysis
Conflict archaeology site consultation, specializing in the proper identification and cataloging of historic ammunition and artifacts.
Undertaking archival and collection research to document soldiers and objects of the American Revolution as well as early American military campaigns.
Historical Research
Guiding the sale, donation, and proper institutional placement of historic arms, accoutrements, and other military artifacts.
Collection Placement
Uncovering the Violent Scars of April 19, 1775
In 2013, I began a collaboration with conflict archaeologist Dr. Douglas Scott to better understand the ammunition found during archaeological investigations on former battlegrounds. This morphed into live-fire research and the study of the extant battle-damaged structures and objects from April 19, 1775 and led to our book, Bullet Strikes From the First Day of the American Revolution.
From the Elisha Jones house in Concord, through Lexington and the Jason Russell house in Menotomy, current day Arlington, we have carefully studied all the surviving battle-damaged structures and bullet-struck objects. Using modern forensic techniques adapted to historical applications and live-fire validation, we tell the story of the brutality of the fighting on the first day of the American Revolution as British forces retreated from Concord back to the relative safety of Boston.
Upcoming Events
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Arsenals of History Symposium
August 26-28, 2026
“April the 19, 1775...then the battel be gun”: Arms, Objects & Their Stories from the First Day of the American Revolution
Cody Firearms Museum/Buffalo Bill Center of the West. Cody, Wyoming.
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Fields of Conflict Archaeology Conference
September 4-6, 2026
Arms, Ammunition, and Experimental Archaeology: Understanding Small Arms and Ballistics from the First Day of the American Revolution
University of Glasgow/The Boyd Orr Building. Glasgow, Scotland
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Society for Historical Archaeology Conference
January 6-9, 2027
A Bullet Damaged Structure from the War of 1812, the Navarre-Anderson Trading Post, Monroe, Michigan.
Austin Marriott Downtown. Austin, Texas.
Joel Bohy: Antiques Roadshow Featured Appraiser
Since 2013, I’ve been a frequent appraiser at the Arms & Militaria table on the long-running PBS series Antiques Roadshow.
It’s been a lot of fun travelling around the country, meeting new people, and seeing their treasures over the years. No matter where we travel, there are always a few exciting gems guests bring in that are truly remarkable.
Watch Antiques Roadshow every Monday on PBS, or watch my past appraisals by clicking the link below.
Contact
Joel Bohy
