Historic Firearms and Early Militaria Spring Sale
Tuesday, April 26, 2016 | 10:00 AM Eastern
Auction closed.
Historic Firearms and Early Militaria Spring Sale
Tuesday, April 26, 2016 | 10:00 AM Eastern
Auction closed.
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Description
Featuring the Cliff & Lynne Young Collection of Confederate Arms and Part II of the Mel Flanagan Collection of European Arms. Plus the Raymond Geddes Collection of Civil War Arms, and much more.
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Leech & Rigdon Percussion Revolver Captured from the C.S.S. Tennessee at Mobile Bay
Lot # 76 (Sale Order: 76 of 698)
.36 caliber, 7.5" part octagonal-to-round barrel, S/N 605. Cryptic four dots under the serial number on the trigger guard. Marked on top of barrel flat Leech & Rigdon CSA. Blued finish with brass backstrap and trigger guard. One piece walnut grips with silver oval plaque inlaid in the right grip, and engraved in block letters and flowing script: Ensign P. Fred Harrington U.S. Navy, USS Monongahela, Mobile Bay Alabama Friday, Aug 5th 1864 Captured with the Rebel Ironclad Tennessee.
A recent in-depth study on the Leech & Rigdon and Rigdon-Ansley Confederate revolvers sheds light on the approximate date of manufacture of this revolver. Leech & Rigdon moved their base of operations to Greensboro, Georgia in late 1862. At that point, the serial number range approached as high as 400 revolvers. Therefore, it can be surmised that this revolver (S/N 605) was manufactured during the early months of 1863, and indicates that it was in Confederate service for approximately eighteen months before its capture in Mobile Bay in early August, 1864.
Ensign Purnell Frederick Harrington of Dover, Delaware was appointed midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy in September. 1861 and ordered into active service in September, 1863. Promoted to acting Ensign on October 1, 1863, he served on the Ticonderoga, Niagara and was attached to the steam-sloop Monongahela, West Gulf Blockading Squadron, 1864-1865. Harrington was an active participant in the battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864.
After Mobile Bay, Harrington continued his service in the Navy with the Monongahela, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Commander in 1868. He served continuously thereafter, retiring June 6, 1906 as a Rear Admiral and died in Yonkers, NY Oct. 20, 1937.
The Union Navy's assault on their Confederate counterparts protecting the strategically important Mobile Bay was one of the most heralded Naval actions of the Civil War. On August 5, 1864, Admiral David Farragut took his stripped-for-action squadron of 18 ships and four monitors into the bay to test the Confederate defenses. The steam sloop Monongahela was part of the assaulting fleet. Farragut was met by his Confederate counterpart, Admiral Franklin Buchannan aboard his flagship, the immense, heavy ram, Tennessee. In the ensuing battle, the Monongahela performed valiantly, bombarding several Confederate forts, and finally, at top speed, rammed the heavily armored Tennessee, actually mounting her, but sliding off her sloping sides. Damaged, the Monongahela continued to fight until the Tennessee surrendered about an hour later to the superior Union forces. According to the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies (Series 1, Volume 21:841), besides the ship's Captain and Admiral Buchanan, 19 prisoners were taken from the Tennessee.
In a letter to his brother Sam, written on August 18, 1864, Ensign Harrington described the battle and the role of his ship, the Monongahela. In describing the Tennessee and the damage it incurred during the fight, he noted "Immediately after the fight, I went on board the ram." While Harrington makes no mention of "capturing" Leech and Rigdon S/N 605, his letter home makes it abundantly clear he had the opportunity to collect a souvenir of war.
LITERATURE:
Duncan, Richard P.
1978 "The Storming of Mobile Bay." The Alabama Historical Quarterly, Vol. XL (1-2):6-19.
Gary, William A.
1987 Confederate Revolvers. K8 Communications, p. 21.
Hartzler, Daniel D.
1989 Confederate Presentation and Inscribed Swords and Revolvers. Olde Soldier Books, Inc. p. 324.
Pictured within a photograph of Clifford Young’s display on the "Battle of Mobile Bay," ASAC Bulletin #64, May 1991: page 59.
Pictured on page 99 within a photograph of Clifford Young’s display on the Battle of Mobile Bay, ASAC Bulletin #107, May 2013.
Wall, Kent. "Leech & Rigdon Re-Visited," ASAC Bulletin #103, April 2011: pp 41-51.
Provenance:
Herb Glass
William Florence
M. Clifford Young Collection
Condition: This revolver still retains considerable original bright blue finish. Very sharp edges and lines. Backstrap and trigger guard have a nice untouched patina. Rear part of the cylinder still retains all of the original cylinder pins. Grips still retain most of the original varnish. Superb example of a Leech & Rigdon. With this revolver comes a notebook of research.
EST $ 50000 - 100000
A recent in-depth study on the Leech & Rigdon and Rigdon-Ansley Confederate revolvers sheds light on the approximate date of manufacture of this revolver. Leech & Rigdon moved their base of operations to Greensboro, Georgia in late 1862. At that point, the serial number range approached as high as 400 revolvers. Therefore, it can be surmised that this revolver (S/N 605) was manufactured during the early months of 1863, and indicates that it was in Confederate service for approximately eighteen months before its capture in Mobile Bay in early August, 1864.
Ensign Purnell Frederick Harrington of Dover, Delaware was appointed midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy in September. 1861 and ordered into active service in September, 1863. Promoted to acting Ensign on October 1, 1863, he served on the Ticonderoga, Niagara and was attached to the steam-sloop Monongahela, West Gulf Blockading Squadron, 1864-1865. Harrington was an active participant in the battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864.
After Mobile Bay, Harrington continued his service in the Navy with the Monongahela, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Commander in 1868. He served continuously thereafter, retiring June 6, 1906 as a Rear Admiral and died in Yonkers, NY Oct. 20, 1937.
The Union Navy's assault on their Confederate counterparts protecting the strategically important Mobile Bay was one of the most heralded Naval actions of the Civil War. On August 5, 1864, Admiral David Farragut took his stripped-for-action squadron of 18 ships and four monitors into the bay to test the Confederate defenses. The steam sloop Monongahela was part of the assaulting fleet. Farragut was met by his Confederate counterpart, Admiral Franklin Buchannan aboard his flagship, the immense, heavy ram, Tennessee. In the ensuing battle, the Monongahela performed valiantly, bombarding several Confederate forts, and finally, at top speed, rammed the heavily armored Tennessee, actually mounting her, but sliding off her sloping sides. Damaged, the Monongahela continued to fight until the Tennessee surrendered about an hour later to the superior Union forces. According to the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies (Series 1, Volume 21:841), besides the ship's Captain and Admiral Buchanan, 19 prisoners were taken from the Tennessee.
In a letter to his brother Sam, written on August 18, 1864, Ensign Harrington described the battle and the role of his ship, the Monongahela. In describing the Tennessee and the damage it incurred during the fight, he noted "Immediately after the fight, I went on board the ram." While Harrington makes no mention of "capturing" Leech and Rigdon S/N 605, his letter home makes it abundantly clear he had the opportunity to collect a souvenir of war.
LITERATURE:
Duncan, Richard P.
1978 "The Storming of Mobile Bay." The Alabama Historical Quarterly, Vol. XL (1-2):6-19.
Gary, William A.
1987 Confederate Revolvers. K8 Communications, p. 21.
Hartzler, Daniel D.
1989 Confederate Presentation and Inscribed Swords and Revolvers. Olde Soldier Books, Inc. p. 324.
Pictured within a photograph of Clifford Young’s display on the "Battle of Mobile Bay," ASAC Bulletin #64, May 1991: page 59.
Pictured on page 99 within a photograph of Clifford Young’s display on the Battle of Mobile Bay, ASAC Bulletin #107, May 2013.
Wall, Kent. "Leech & Rigdon Re-Visited," ASAC Bulletin #103, April 2011: pp 41-51.
Provenance:
Herb Glass
William Florence
M. Clifford Young Collection
Condition: This revolver still retains considerable original bright blue finish. Very sharp edges and lines. Backstrap and trigger guard have a nice untouched patina. Rear part of the cylinder still retains all of the original cylinder pins. Grips still retain most of the original varnish. Superb example of a Leech & Rigdon. With this revolver comes a notebook of research.
EST $ 50000 - 100000
Outstanding Confederate Spiller & Burr Rounded Frame Percussion Revolver
Lot # 77 (Sale Order: 77 of 698)
.36 caliber, 7" octagonal barrel, S/N 1066, Silver-flashed rounded brass frame, blued twisted iron cylinder and loading lever, steel barrel. Hammer was case colored or case hardened with finish. Bright blued trigger. Walnut grips. No markings. Serial numbers on the bottom of barrel near the frame, top flat of loading lever, bottom of the brass frame. Also penciled on the reverse of the grip.
The complete history of the Spiller and Burr revolver remains to be written. The company first began production in Richmond, Virginia in 1862, but soon moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where a total of about 742 revolvers were manufactured. At the purchase of the company by the Confederate Government in January, 1864, the company moved again, this time to Macon, Georgia. About 689 Spiller and Burr's were apparently made at the Macon Armory.
Serial number 1066 is an outstanding example of the so-called "rounded frame Spiller and Burr. Three of these are known to exist, two of which were owned by Cliff Young. While Cliff retained extensive notes for each firearm in his collection, we could find no indication from whom or when he acquired this Spiller and Burr.
Provenance:
M. Clifford Young Collection
Literature:
Norman, Mathew, "Colonel Burton's Spiller & Burr Revolver", Mercer University Press, Macon, GA (1996).
Condition: Barrel retains most of the bright original blue finish. A little wear to high lines and some thinning on both sides of the barrel. Polished crown. Cylinder retains most all of the original blue finish. Just a very light hint of a line going through the cylinder stops. Loading lever retains all of the original bright blue finish. With mint markings of the serial numbers on the bottom of the lever. Hammer retains most of the case colors just lightly muted. Frame has a very nice untouched patina blending with traces of silver wash, which has turned black. The grips are very good retaining most of the original varnished finish. Some nicks and a small chip out of the bottom grip. The bore and cylinder is mint inside. This revolver is in outstanding condition.
EST $ 50000 - 100000
The complete history of the Spiller and Burr revolver remains to be written. The company first began production in Richmond, Virginia in 1862, but soon moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where a total of about 742 revolvers were manufactured. At the purchase of the company by the Confederate Government in January, 1864, the company moved again, this time to Macon, Georgia. About 689 Spiller and Burr's were apparently made at the Macon Armory.
Serial number 1066 is an outstanding example of the so-called "rounded frame Spiller and Burr. Three of these are known to exist, two of which were owned by Cliff Young. While Cliff retained extensive notes for each firearm in his collection, we could find no indication from whom or when he acquired this Spiller and Burr.
Provenance:
M. Clifford Young Collection
Literature:
Norman, Mathew, "Colonel Burton's Spiller & Burr Revolver", Mercer University Press, Macon, GA (1996).
Condition: Barrel retains most of the bright original blue finish. A little wear to high lines and some thinning on both sides of the barrel. Polished crown. Cylinder retains most all of the original blue finish. Just a very light hint of a line going through the cylinder stops. Loading lever retains all of the original bright blue finish. With mint markings of the serial numbers on the bottom of the lever. Hammer retains most of the case colors just lightly muted. Frame has a very nice untouched patina blending with traces of silver wash, which has turned black. The grips are very good retaining most of the original varnished finish. Some nicks and a small chip out of the bottom grip. The bore and cylinder is mint inside. This revolver is in outstanding condition.
EST $ 50000 - 100000
Historically Important Serial No. 2 LeMat Krider Percussion Revolver Used in Military Trials of 1859
Lot # 78 (Sale Order: 78 of 698)
.390 bore diameter, smoothbore .630, 7.5" octagonal barrel, S/N 2. Seven-grooved rifling with square cut. Loading lever on the right side. Nine-shot cylinder with one shot smoothbore. Silver-plated brass backstrap and trigger guard. Finely checkered walnut grips with diamond shaped escutcheons. Butt with an incorporated lanyard ring. An historic, and exceptionally rare firearm, and one of only two known American made LeMats.
The top of barrel is hand engraved in two lines of block lettering John Krider & Co, Philadelphia Makers. This address is separated by three vertical sinuous lines from an additional engraved single line "A. LE MATS GRAPE SHOT REVOLVER PATENT No 2." The engraved abbreviation "Col" appears as a superscript offset between these, and judging by the size and style of engraving, seems to have been engraved in the same hand, though added later.
A total of two of these American-made LeMat's exist, both sequentially marked (Adams, 2005: 21-24). They are known in the literature as "Krider No. 1" and "Krider No. 2" in honor of their manufacturer. Krider No. 1 is curated in the Liege Arms Museum in Belgium, and was acquired in 1891 from the Auguste Francotte estate. The barrel inscription lacks the title "Col" that is present on Krider No. 2. Krider No. 2 was discovered in Northern France in the mid-1900s, in an area where LeMat was known to have retired. Adams (2005:24) speculates that this revolver might have been LeMat's personal gun.
Based on their low serial numbers and Krider manufacture, Adams suggests that Nos. 1 and 2 were probably used at the March, 1859 trial held before the New Orleans Military Board and again, two months later, in May at a nationally ordered trial in Washington, D.C. The purpose of these trials was determine their effectiveness as military weapons, and financially, much was at stake for LeMat.
We have no clear answer of why the abbreviation "Col" was apparently added above the address lines and patent markings on Krider No. 2. However, in the time between the New Orleans and Washington, D.C. trials, LeMat was given the military rank of Colonel by the state of Louisiana. Being a savvy businessman, LeMat was probably aware that the addition of a rank might make the gun more marketable to military inspectors. In doing so, he was copying another "Colonel" who added the same title to the address line of the revolvers produced at his Connecticut factory: Samuel F. Colt.
Provenance:
Found in Northern France in the mid-1950s
Sold by Greg Martin Auctions, June 7, 2003, Lot 1192
M. Clifford Young Collection
Literature:
The Young Krider Lemat is well-known to collectors, and figures prominently in Doug Adams' "The Confederate LeMat" (Stuart Mowbray, Inc., 2005). Copy No. 1 of this limited edition book, signed and inscribed to Cliff young by Adams, accompanies this lot.
Condition: This outstanding revolver is grey to brown with some pitting and light staining blending in. Brass backstrap and trigger guard have traces of silver plate remaining. Markings are sharp and crisp. There are no European markings on the internal parts. This revolver is 100% American made. One of the greatest and most important American firearms.
EST $ 60000 - 80000
The top of barrel is hand engraved in two lines of block lettering John Krider & Co, Philadelphia Makers. This address is separated by three vertical sinuous lines from an additional engraved single line "A. LE MATS GRAPE SHOT REVOLVER PATENT No 2." The engraved abbreviation "Col" appears as a superscript offset between these, and judging by the size and style of engraving, seems to have been engraved in the same hand, though added later.
A total of two of these American-made LeMat's exist, both sequentially marked (Adams, 2005: 21-24). They are known in the literature as "Krider No. 1" and "Krider No. 2" in honor of their manufacturer. Krider No. 1 is curated in the Liege Arms Museum in Belgium, and was acquired in 1891 from the Auguste Francotte estate. The barrel inscription lacks the title "Col" that is present on Krider No. 2. Krider No. 2 was discovered in Northern France in the mid-1900s, in an area where LeMat was known to have retired. Adams (2005:24) speculates that this revolver might have been LeMat's personal gun.
Based on their low serial numbers and Krider manufacture, Adams suggests that Nos. 1 and 2 were probably used at the March, 1859 trial held before the New Orleans Military Board and again, two months later, in May at a nationally ordered trial in Washington, D.C. The purpose of these trials was determine their effectiveness as military weapons, and financially, much was at stake for LeMat.
We have no clear answer of why the abbreviation "Col" was apparently added above the address lines and patent markings on Krider No. 2. However, in the time between the New Orleans and Washington, D.C. trials, LeMat was given the military rank of Colonel by the state of Louisiana. Being a savvy businessman, LeMat was probably aware that the addition of a rank might make the gun more marketable to military inspectors. In doing so, he was copying another "Colonel" who added the same title to the address line of the revolvers produced at his Connecticut factory: Samuel F. Colt.
Provenance:
Found in Northern France in the mid-1950s
Sold by Greg Martin Auctions, June 7, 2003, Lot 1192
M. Clifford Young Collection
Literature:
The Young Krider Lemat is well-known to collectors, and figures prominently in Doug Adams' "The Confederate LeMat" (Stuart Mowbray, Inc., 2005). Copy No. 1 of this limited edition book, signed and inscribed to Cliff young by Adams, accompanies this lot.
Condition: This outstanding revolver is grey to brown with some pitting and light staining blending in. Brass backstrap and trigger guard have traces of silver plate remaining. Markings are sharp and crisp. There are no European markings on the internal parts. This revolver is 100% American made. One of the greatest and most important American firearms.
EST $ 60000 - 80000
Spectacular Cased Second Model LeMat Percussion Revolver
Lot # 79 (Sale Order: 79 of 698)
.42 caliber, 6.750" full octagonal barrel, S/N 1432. With LM under a five-pointed star; top of barrel marked Col Le Mat Ste S.G.D.G. Paris. Rounded trigger guard, checkered walnut grips. Blue finish with straw colored hammer and trigger. Engraved screw heads. Original English style casing, in a dovetailed mahogany box with compartments with green lining. Rare LeMat brass cavity mold with iron sprue cutter. Maple turned ramrod for the smoothbore. Three very rare LeMat paper cartridges for the smoothbore. Eley tin box for percussion caps. Includes extra conical LeMat lead bullets.
Literature:
Adams, Doug.
2005 The Confederate LeMat. Stuart Mowbray, Inc. Photographed for this title.
Provenance: M. Clifford Young
Condition: This condition of this Second Model LeMat is spectacular, retaining most of the original high blue finish. Some very light minute flaking on the smooth bore barrel. A very small spot on the right side of barrel about 1.25" from the muzzle. Two very minute spots on the cylinder. Most of the original straw finish remains on the hammer and trigger. Frame retains all of the original bright blue finish, with one small scratch on the left side of frame. Butt has some wear around the high edges of the cap. Triggerguard has two small areas of pitting on the outside of the trigger guard on the left edge. Grips are outstanding and very close to mint. The case is in excellent condition. Tools are very close to mint. This LeMat revolver is near-mint and certainly one of the best known.
EST $ 70000 - 110000
Literature:
Adams, Doug.
2005 The Confederate LeMat. Stuart Mowbray, Inc. Photographed for this title.
Provenance: M. Clifford Young
Condition: This condition of this Second Model LeMat is spectacular, retaining most of the original high blue finish. Some very light minute flaking on the smooth bore barrel. A very small spot on the right side of barrel about 1.25" from the muzzle. Two very minute spots on the cylinder. Most of the original straw finish remains on the hammer and trigger. Frame retains all of the original bright blue finish, with one small scratch on the left side of frame. Butt has some wear around the high edges of the cap. Triggerguard has two small areas of pitting on the outside of the trigger guard on the left edge. Grips are outstanding and very close to mint. The case is in excellent condition. Tools are very close to mint. This LeMat revolver is near-mint and certainly one of the best known.
EST $ 70000 - 110000
Engraved Paris Second Model Baby LeMat Percussion Revolver
Lot # 80 (Sale Order: 80 of 698)
.32 caliber, .41 caliber smoothbore, 4.25" octagonal barrel; rifled center and upper barrels. S/N 1016 also marked on the barrel, cylinder and frame. The last two numbers are stamped inside of the loading lever, on the cock, the assembling lever, the trigger, and trigger guard. The ramrod bears the number 13. The letter "B" (denoting the LeMat Parisian models) is stamped on the front rear of the cylinder. The upper backstrap exhibits a stamped star and the letter "F." Engraved frame, cylinder, hammer, backstrap, trigger guard and around the bottom of the butt. Barrel marked Systeme Le Mat Bte s.g.d.g. Paris. High pyramidal pointed front sight dovetailed in the barrel. Checkered walnut grips.
Approximately 12 or 13 Baby LeMats are known to exist (Doug Adams, Personal Communication, March 3, 2016).
Exhibition History:
This revolver was part of a display that was assembled by Young for an annual meeting of the American Society of Arms Collectors titled "Yes Sir That's My Baby." Cliff was awarded first prize for this exhibit.
Provenance:
Purchased by M. Clifford Young from Alain F. Serpette sometime after March, 1997.
Condition: This revolver has been lightly cleaned and polished; no finish. Very sharp and crisp markings. All lines and edges are very sharp and crisp. Grips are excellent, retaining most of their varnished finish. Bore is excellent with nice sharp rifling.
EST $ 75000 - 100000
Approximately 12 or 13 Baby LeMats are known to exist (Doug Adams, Personal Communication, March 3, 2016).
Exhibition History:
This revolver was part of a display that was assembled by Young for an annual meeting of the American Society of Arms Collectors titled "Yes Sir That's My Baby." Cliff was awarded first prize for this exhibit.
Provenance:
Purchased by M. Clifford Young from Alain F. Serpette sometime after March, 1997.
Condition: This revolver has been lightly cleaned and polished; no finish. Very sharp and crisp markings. All lines and edges are very sharp and crisp. Grips are excellent, retaining most of their varnished finish. Bore is excellent with nice sharp rifling.
EST $ 75000 - 100000
Extremely Rare Confederate Cofer 3rd Type Revolver Captured by 11th Maine Captain S.H. Merrill
Lot # 81 (Sale Order: 81 of 698)
.36 caliber, 7.375" octagonal barrel, S/N cryptic letter L. Top of frame marked T.W. Cofer Patent. Barrel marked Portsmouth Va. Brass frame, walnut grips, iron barrel and cylinder. Top of frame is notched for sighting. Removable left brass sideplate unlike any other Confederate handgun produced.
Included with the revolver is a leather holster that has been with this Cofer since it was captured. Written in ink on the reverse side of the holster by the belt loop: 21 July 1864. This Revolver and holster was captured from a Rebel Signal Officer, Capt S. H. Merrill 11th Maine Regiment.
Simeon H. Merrill was a 20-year resident of Bridgeton, Maine when the Civil War broke out. Answering a 90-day call for service, he enlisted as a Corporal in Co. C of the 1st Maine Infantry on May 3, 1861, and served until August. He re-enlisted on November 7, 1861, this time as a Second Lieutenant in Co. I, of the 11th Maine Infantry. He was promoted to Captain in January, 1862, and, after the loss of two superior officers, took command of the entire regiment from August 16th to November 2, 1864. According to the unit history, Merrill "...was known to the regiment as an officer of tried mettle, with fighting experience dating to the Battle of Fair Oaks, where he had commanded most of the companies on the skirmish line and had earned high commendation for the skill and courage he had shown." When his superiors fell, "...the men of the regiment now looked to him with confidence and obeyed his clear voiced orders without question in the exciting events that followed." (Hill, 1896: 248). Not long after assuming command of the regiment, his three-year term of service elapsed, and Merrill mustered out of service.
The 11th Maine served in the eastern theater, and during Merrill’s period of enlistment was actively involved in numerous engagements including the Peninsula Campaign, the Siege of Yorktown, the Battle of Seven Pines, Bermuda Five Hundred, Siege of Charleston, and the Sieges Petersburg and Richmond in 1864.
Based on the date inscribed on the holster -- July 21, 1864 -- Merrill and the 11th were attached to the Army of the James in the run-up to the battle of Deep Bottom, Virginia on July 27th-29th. While the exact circumstances surrounding the capture of the Cofer and holster offered here are lost to time, the unit history of the 11th provides a general description of the engagement.
On June 21st, the 11th crossed over Strawberry Plains, Virginia in order to reconnoiter the Confederate front. They were soon engaged by a Confederate battery that had been shelling their camp on the 20th. Eleven prisoners were captured before the Confederates regrouped and the 11th was forced to retreat. Presumably, the Cofer was captured during this action, and it makes sense that a Signal Officer might have been attached to the battery. Sadly, the unit history makes no mention of the names of the prisoners, or any war prizes.
One of the few Confederate handguns that were produced under contract and actually delivered and issued to Confederate troops, the Cofer has always been known as the “Walker” of Confederate revolvers. There are a total of fifteen Cofer revolvers known to have survived, with at least three variations - the first type with a bored-through cylinder which fired a cartridge with recessed percussion nipple; the second type with a cartridge with the percussion nipple on the back of the cartridge; and the third type with a percussion cylinder.
This Cofer is the best documented of any in existence, both in terms of its war-time use, as well as its extensive provenance. A cornerstone for any advanced Confederate arms collection, and not on the market for more than 60 years.
Provenance:
Lawrence Kinney, Farmington, Maine
Lawrence Kinney to Robert Ebber, Freeport, Maine, for $20
Robert Ebber to Dewey Bryan, Grey Maine for $135
Robert Ebber (broker) for Harold Cox, Natick, Massachusetts, to Cliff Young, Boston, Massachusetts, $395 in 1953.
Auctioneer's Note: Included with this lot is an extensive archive detailing its complete history of ownership. Among the gem's: Cliff Young's canceled 1953 check for $395 for the purchase of the revolver. For additional references, please go to cowans.com.
Condition: All lines are very sharp and crisp. Markings are clear and sharp. All metal parts have a nice light untouched patina. Brass is untouched with nice dark mustard look. Grips are excellent with nice feathered grain look. Bore is excellent with sharp rifling. Holster is in outstanding condition. This is the only known Cofer revolver still in the original holster with captured markings in outstanding condition.
EST $250,000 - $350,000
Included with the revolver is a leather holster that has been with this Cofer since it was captured. Written in ink on the reverse side of the holster by the belt loop: 21 July 1864. This Revolver and holster was captured from a Rebel Signal Officer, Capt S. H. Merrill 11th Maine Regiment.
Simeon H. Merrill was a 20-year resident of Bridgeton, Maine when the Civil War broke out. Answering a 90-day call for service, he enlisted as a Corporal in Co. C of the 1st Maine Infantry on May 3, 1861, and served until August. He re-enlisted on November 7, 1861, this time as a Second Lieutenant in Co. I, of the 11th Maine Infantry. He was promoted to Captain in January, 1862, and, after the loss of two superior officers, took command of the entire regiment from August 16th to November 2, 1864. According to the unit history, Merrill "...was known to the regiment as an officer of tried mettle, with fighting experience dating to the Battle of Fair Oaks, where he had commanded most of the companies on the skirmish line and had earned high commendation for the skill and courage he had shown." When his superiors fell, "...the men of the regiment now looked to him with confidence and obeyed his clear voiced orders without question in the exciting events that followed." (Hill, 1896: 248). Not long after assuming command of the regiment, his three-year term of service elapsed, and Merrill mustered out of service.
The 11th Maine served in the eastern theater, and during Merrill’s period of enlistment was actively involved in numerous engagements including the Peninsula Campaign, the Siege of Yorktown, the Battle of Seven Pines, Bermuda Five Hundred, Siege of Charleston, and the Sieges Petersburg and Richmond in 1864.
Based on the date inscribed on the holster -- July 21, 1864 -- Merrill and the 11th were attached to the Army of the James in the run-up to the battle of Deep Bottom, Virginia on July 27th-29th. While the exact circumstances surrounding the capture of the Cofer and holster offered here are lost to time, the unit history of the 11th provides a general description of the engagement.
On June 21st, the 11th crossed over Strawberry Plains, Virginia in order to reconnoiter the Confederate front. They were soon engaged by a Confederate battery that had been shelling their camp on the 20th. Eleven prisoners were captured before the Confederates regrouped and the 11th was forced to retreat. Presumably, the Cofer was captured during this action, and it makes sense that a Signal Officer might have been attached to the battery. Sadly, the unit history makes no mention of the names of the prisoners, or any war prizes.
One of the few Confederate handguns that were produced under contract and actually delivered and issued to Confederate troops, the Cofer has always been known as the “Walker” of Confederate revolvers. There are a total of fifteen Cofer revolvers known to have survived, with at least three variations - the first type with a bored-through cylinder which fired a cartridge with recessed percussion nipple; the second type with a cartridge with the percussion nipple on the back of the cartridge; and the third type with a percussion cylinder.
This Cofer is the best documented of any in existence, both in terms of its war-time use, as well as its extensive provenance. A cornerstone for any advanced Confederate arms collection, and not on the market for more than 60 years.
Provenance:
Lawrence Kinney, Farmington, Maine
Lawrence Kinney to Robert Ebber, Freeport, Maine, for $20
Robert Ebber to Dewey Bryan, Grey Maine for $135
Robert Ebber (broker) for Harold Cox, Natick, Massachusetts, to Cliff Young, Boston, Massachusetts, $395 in 1953.
Auctioneer's Note: Included with this lot is an extensive archive detailing its complete history of ownership. Among the gem's: Cliff Young's canceled 1953 check for $395 for the purchase of the revolver. For additional references, please go to cowans.com.
Condition: All lines are very sharp and crisp. Markings are clear and sharp. All metal parts have a nice light untouched patina. Brass is untouched with nice dark mustard look. Grips are excellent with nice feathered grain look. Bore is excellent with sharp rifling. Holster is in outstanding condition. This is the only known Cofer revolver still in the original holster with captured markings in outstanding condition.
EST $250,000 - $350,000
The Only Surviving Engraved Robinson Sharps Carbine
Lot # 82 (Sale Order: 82 of 698)
.52 caliber, 25.625" round barrel, S/N 1642, 16 land-and-groove rifled barrel. Marked with serial number in the rear of the lockplate 1642, the center of the lock it is marked S.C Robinson Arms Manufactory Richmond Va and dated 1862 in four lines. Also marked in front of the rear two-leaf barrel sight S.C. Robinson Arms Manufactory, then behind the rear sight Richmond VA in two lines. There are no provisions for a saddle bar in the left side of the frame. Elaborately engraved in floral designs on the frame, lock and hammer, buttplate, nosecap, screw heads, trigger plate, lever. Patchbox with panel scene of an animal. Very finely checkered extra finish stock and forearm. Stock and forearm have no provisions for sling swivels.
An iconic Confederate carbine, this is the only engraved Robinson Sharps known to exist. It has been known to collectors since 1935, when it was first offered for sale by the East Coast arms dealer, Stephen Van Rensselaer. It has been described and illustrated in numerous publications related to Confederate arms (Floyd 1976, Murphy 1986, 2002)
Murphy (2002: 261-263) has conclusively demonstrated that at least five engraved Robinson carbines were made. On April 28, 1863, John H. Lester, Superintendent of of the S.C. Robinson Arms Manufactory, paid Granville Smith of Richmond, Virginia a total of $300 for "Engraving two rifles in March" and "Engraving three do [ditto] rifles in extra stile [sic]", presumably in April. Murphy suggests that these were made as special gifts for individuals who helped negotiate the sale of Robinson's carbine factory to the Confederate Ordnance Department.
Provenance:
Stephen Van Rensselaer, 1935
Collection of Major William G. Renwick, 1958
Clifford M. Young Collection
Literature:
Floyd, William B.
1976 "The Rebel Sharps." Bulletin of the American Society of Arms Collectors, (35:39-44)
Murphy, John M., MD.
1986 Confederate Carbines & Musketoons. Taylor Publishing Company.
2002 Confederate Carbines & Musketoons: Cavalry Small Arms Manufactured in and for the Southern Confederacy, 1861-1865. Santa Ana, CA: Graphic Publishers.
Condition: All metal exhibits a fine, dark, evenly matched patina. Untouched and never cleaned. Engraving is very sharp and crisp. Stock and forearm with some nicks and dings. Retains most of the original high varnished finish. Mechanically excellent with a dirty bore that might clean to better.
EST $ 50000 - 70000
An iconic Confederate carbine, this is the only engraved Robinson Sharps known to exist. It has been known to collectors since 1935, when it was first offered for sale by the East Coast arms dealer, Stephen Van Rensselaer. It has been described and illustrated in numerous publications related to Confederate arms (Floyd 1976, Murphy 1986, 2002)
Murphy (2002: 261-263) has conclusively demonstrated that at least five engraved Robinson carbines were made. On April 28, 1863, John H. Lester, Superintendent of of the S.C. Robinson Arms Manufactory, paid Granville Smith of Richmond, Virginia a total of $300 for "Engraving two rifles in March" and "Engraving three do [ditto] rifles in extra stile [sic]", presumably in April. Murphy suggests that these were made as special gifts for individuals who helped negotiate the sale of Robinson's carbine factory to the Confederate Ordnance Department.
Provenance:
Stephen Van Rensselaer, 1935
Collection of Major William G. Renwick, 1958
Clifford M. Young Collection
Literature:
Floyd, William B.
1976 "The Rebel Sharps." Bulletin of the American Society of Arms Collectors, (35:39-44)
Murphy, John M., MD.
1986 Confederate Carbines & Musketoons. Taylor Publishing Company.
2002 Confederate Carbines & Musketoons: Cavalry Small Arms Manufactured in and for the Southern Confederacy, 1861-1865. Santa Ana, CA: Graphic Publishers.
Condition: All metal exhibits a fine, dark, evenly matched patina. Untouched and never cleaned. Engraving is very sharp and crisp. Stock and forearm with some nicks and dings. Retains most of the original high varnished finish. Mechanically excellent with a dirty bore that might clean to better.
EST $ 50000 - 70000
Finest Known Tarpley Breech Loading Carbine Id'd to Waul's Texas Legion
Lot # 83 (Sale Order: 83 of 698)
.52 caliber, 23.125" round barrel, S/N 311. Marked on the top of the tang "J H Tarpley's Pat Feb 14 1863” in three lines. Two-leaf rear barrel sight. German silver blade front sight 7/16" wide and very light dovetail. Seven lands and grooves, deep rifling. Walnut butt stock with the name "S. P. Johnson" carved into the right side of the butt. Left side of the stock is marked in three lines: “MANUFACTURED BY / J & F GARRETT & CO / GREENSBORO N.C.” A total of twenty Tarpley carbines are known to exist; nine remain in private hands, with the remaining curated in institutional collections.
The Tarpley was plagued by poor design and quality control, and never entered into widespread service. Of the approximately 400 Tarpley carbines known to have been manufactured, many were sold to the state of North Carolina for troops from that state, and others were made available to the public. In December, 1863, 150 were shipped to the Chief of Ordinance, of the Army of Mississippi, entering service in the Western Theater.
A search of Confederate personnel in various Civil War databases suggests at least three choices for the owner of this weapon: "Simon P. Johnson" of the 26th North Carolina; "Simeon P. Johnson" of the 13th South Carolina;" and "Samuel Parsons Johnson" of Company F of "Waul's Legion, Texas Cavalry.” Based upon the principal of parsimony, and knowing that the Tarpleys were distributed to North Carolina and to the Army of Mississippi troops, we assume that the South Carolina Johnson was unlikely to have been the owner.
Requisition forms illustrated in Murphy (1986:243-44) clearly show that at least 150 Tarpleys were shipped to the Army of the Mississippi in December of 1863 and presumably entered service. We believe that "Samuel Parsons Johnson" of Co. F, Waul's Legion, Texas Cavalry received this Tarpley sometime afterward. For additional background on how this conclusion was reached and references, please go to cowans.com.
Johnson enlisted as a private March 15, 1862 and served until May 4, 1865, when the Legion surrendered at Meridian, Mississippi. It was attached primarily to Stephen Lee's, Ben McCulloch's and Nathan Forrest's cavalry. A Texas native, Johnson died in West, Mississippi and is buried in the town of Black Hawk of the same state. Simply put, Samuel Parsons Johnson was in the right place, at the right time, and associated with the right cavalry units to have received the gun.
Waul's "Legion" (an amalgam of cavalry, infantry and artillery components) was organized by Colonel Thomas Nevil Waul from men mustered into service around Brenham, Texas in the spring of 1862. Originally consisting of 12 companies of infantry, six of cavalry and a six gun battery of field artillery, the total complement was around 2000 men. By October, the unit was stripped of its cavalry and artillery in the face of difficulties coordinating the various components. The infantry was reorganized and transferred to Pemberton's Army of Vicksburg, with the cavalry units assigned to Lee's, McCulloch's and Forrest's cavalry.
Condition: Overall, this Tarpley is thought to be the finest of the 20 known to have survived. Its condition is untouched. Barrel has an untouched plum to brown patina. The color of the rear sight is very even and blends well with the barrel. The hammer and breechblock have untouched mottled plum to brown patina that evenly matches the rest of metal. Brass has a untouched mustard patina. Stock with nice dark patina. Markings in the right side are very clear, the markings on the left side are dim, but readable. Bore is outstanding.
Provenance: E.G.Carson, M. Clifford Young
EST $70,000 - $100,000
The Tarpley was plagued by poor design and quality control, and never entered into widespread service. Of the approximately 400 Tarpley carbines known to have been manufactured, many were sold to the state of North Carolina for troops from that state, and others were made available to the public. In December, 1863, 150 were shipped to the Chief of Ordinance, of the Army of Mississippi, entering service in the Western Theater.
A search of Confederate personnel in various Civil War databases suggests at least three choices for the owner of this weapon: "Simon P. Johnson" of the 26th North Carolina; "Simeon P. Johnson" of the 13th South Carolina;" and "Samuel Parsons Johnson" of Company F of "Waul's Legion, Texas Cavalry.” Based upon the principal of parsimony, and knowing that the Tarpleys were distributed to North Carolina and to the Army of Mississippi troops, we assume that the South Carolina Johnson was unlikely to have been the owner.
Requisition forms illustrated in Murphy (1986:243-44) clearly show that at least 150 Tarpleys were shipped to the Army of the Mississippi in December of 1863 and presumably entered service. We believe that "Samuel Parsons Johnson" of Co. F, Waul's Legion, Texas Cavalry received this Tarpley sometime afterward. For additional background on how this conclusion was reached and references, please go to cowans.com.
Johnson enlisted as a private March 15, 1862 and served until May 4, 1865, when the Legion surrendered at Meridian, Mississippi. It was attached primarily to Stephen Lee's, Ben McCulloch's and Nathan Forrest's cavalry. A Texas native, Johnson died in West, Mississippi and is buried in the town of Black Hawk of the same state. Simply put, Samuel Parsons Johnson was in the right place, at the right time, and associated with the right cavalry units to have received the gun.
Waul's "Legion" (an amalgam of cavalry, infantry and artillery components) was organized by Colonel Thomas Nevil Waul from men mustered into service around Brenham, Texas in the spring of 1862. Originally consisting of 12 companies of infantry, six of cavalry and a six gun battery of field artillery, the total complement was around 2000 men. By October, the unit was stripped of its cavalry and artillery in the face of difficulties coordinating the various components. The infantry was reorganized and transferred to Pemberton's Army of Vicksburg, with the cavalry units assigned to Lee's, McCulloch's and Forrest's cavalry.
Condition: Overall, this Tarpley is thought to be the finest of the 20 known to have survived. Its condition is untouched. Barrel has an untouched plum to brown patina. The color of the rear sight is very even and blends well with the barrel. The hammer and breechblock have untouched mottled plum to brown patina that evenly matches the rest of metal. Brass has a untouched mustard patina. Stock with nice dark patina. Markings in the right side are very clear, the markings on the left side are dim, but readable. Bore is outstanding.
Provenance: E.G.Carson, M. Clifford Young
EST $70,000 - $100,000
A Near Mint LeMat Carbine
Lot # 84 (Sale Order: 84 of 698)
.42 caliber, the extra barrel is .476 caliber, 19.687" octagonal-to-round barrel length; the extra barrel is round and 17.375". S/N 108; all numbers match. Next to the serial number on the right flat is LM under a five-pointed star. Top barrel flat is marked Colonel LeMat B syste[me] S.D.G.G. Finished in a highly polished blue, with extra fancy French highly varnished walnut stock. Eyes for sling swivels in the butt stock and on the middle barrel band. Two-leaf folding rear barrel sight and and small dovetailed sight with blade. Cleaning rod on the right side in between the barrels. Loading lever on the left side of the barrel. Some of the screw heads are engraved.
The LeMat carbine and its use by Confederate troops was of special interest to Cliff Young. In his chapter on this weapon in Murphy's 2002 edition of Confederate Carbines & Musketoons (Young, 2002: 158-165) Young notes that the LeMat carbine was the only foreign-made long gun and repeating arm made for the Confederacy. Young indicates that no more than 125 were probably manufactured under Confederate Army and Navy contracts. Because of the Union blockade of America's coastline during the Civil War, most never reached the shores of America.
Young's research recorded about 20 surviving examples as of 2002 with serial numbers ranging from a low of 2, to a high of 112. This example, serial number 108, fits squarely into the range of weapons produced for the Confederacy.
References:
Young, Clifford M.
2002 "Le Mat Revolving Percussion Carbines". IN: Murphy, John M. Confederate Carbines and Musketoons, Graphic Publishers, pp. 158-163.
Condition: This is the finest known LeMat carbine and shows no evidence of ever having been fired. The entire gun retains most of its bright original blue finish, with just a hint of some light brown bleeding through in some small areas. The barrel bands retains original blue blending with some brown to plum. Loading lever has a speckled look with blue to plum. Cylinder retains most of the original bright blue finish with some plum on the face of the cylinder and one small spot in the middle of the cylinder. Trigger guard has some of the bright original blue finish with some turning plum. Both the upper and lower tang has a nice blue turning to a plum. Buttplate still retains most of the original bright blue finish. Stock still retains most of the highly varnish finish with a nice honey brown look highlighting the grain of the stock. Some nicks and dings and one minor scratch on the right side of the stock.
EST $ 100000 - 125000
The LeMat carbine and its use by Confederate troops was of special interest to Cliff Young. In his chapter on this weapon in Murphy's 2002 edition of Confederate Carbines & Musketoons (Young, 2002: 158-165) Young notes that the LeMat carbine was the only foreign-made long gun and repeating arm made for the Confederacy. Young indicates that no more than 125 were probably manufactured under Confederate Army and Navy contracts. Because of the Union blockade of America's coastline during the Civil War, most never reached the shores of America.
Young's research recorded about 20 surviving examples as of 2002 with serial numbers ranging from a low of 2, to a high of 112. This example, serial number 108, fits squarely into the range of weapons produced for the Confederacy.
References:
Young, Clifford M.
2002 "Le Mat Revolving Percussion Carbines". IN: Murphy, John M. Confederate Carbines and Musketoons, Graphic Publishers, pp. 158-163.
Condition: This is the finest known LeMat carbine and shows no evidence of ever having been fired. The entire gun retains most of its bright original blue finish, with just a hint of some light brown bleeding through in some small areas. The barrel bands retains original blue blending with some brown to plum. Loading lever has a speckled look with blue to plum. Cylinder retains most of the original bright blue finish with some plum on the face of the cylinder and one small spot in the middle of the cylinder. Trigger guard has some of the bright original blue finish with some turning plum. Both the upper and lower tang has a nice blue turning to a plum. Buttplate still retains most of the original bright blue finish. Stock still retains most of the highly varnish finish with a nice honey brown look highlighting the grain of the stock. Some nicks and dings and one minor scratch on the right side of the stock.
EST $ 100000 - 125000
Confederate Navy Hard Rubber Pea Coat Uniform Buttons, Lot of 5
Lot # 85 (Sale Order: 85 of 698)
Five matching 1.25" four-hole black hard rubber buttons embossed with an anchor and crossed cannon, initials "CN" in a rope border. Reverse stamped with a swan logo and "COURTNEY & TENNENT / MANTON'S PATENT / CHARLESTON. S.C." Some sources indicate that these were made for the crew of the CSS Texas.
Provenance: M. Clifford Young
Condition: Very good.
EST $ 3000 - 5000
Provenance: M. Clifford Young
Condition: Very good.
EST $ 3000 - 5000
Confederate Navy Officer's English-Made Coat Button
Lot # 86 (Sale Order: 86 of 698)
7/8" gilt brass with embossed anchor, crossed cannon and initials "CSN." Reverse backmarked "FIRNMIN & SONS / 153 STAND LONDON / &13 CONDUIT ST."
Provenance: M. Clifford Young
Condition: Very good non-dug example.
EST $ 1000 - 1200
Provenance: M. Clifford Young
Condition: Very good non-dug example.
EST $ 1000 - 1200
Confederate Uniform Buttons, Script "I," CSA and Two South Carolina State Seal
Lot # 87 (Sale Order: 87 of 698)
Non-dug examples, brass, all are coat-size. Includes an English-made script "I" with "S. ISAAC CAMPBELL & Co. / LONDON" backmark, "CSA" general service marked "SUPERIOR QUALITY," and two South Carolina state seal buttons marked "H.T&B. / MANCHESTER" and "VAN WART SONS & Co." respectively.
Provenance: M. Clifford Young
Condition: Good; normal age and wear.
EST $ 800 - 1200
Provenance: M. Clifford Young
Condition: Good; normal age and wear.
EST $ 800 - 1200
Holster for a LeMat Navy Percussion Revolver
Lot # 88 (Sale Order: 88 of 698)
Slim Jim style forming to the outside of the LeMat revolver.
Condition: Stiff leather, some crazing. Seams are good and sealed. Nice holster.
EST $ 1500 - 2500
Condition: Stiff leather, some crazing. Seams are good and sealed. Nice holster.
EST $ 1500 - 2500
Holster for a Spiller & Burr Percussion Revolver
Lot # 89 (Sale Order: 89 of 698)
Form-fitting holster with flap and strap. Fits a Spiller & Burr.
Condition: Holster is in excellent condition. This is an outstanding example that would display well with a great Spiller & Burr revolver.
EST $ 1500 - 2500
Condition: Holster is in excellent condition. This is an outstanding example that would display well with a great Spiller & Burr revolver.
EST $ 1500 - 2500
Packet of Nine Combustible Cartridges for LeMat's Revolver
Lot # 90 (Sale Order: 90 of 698)
Full pack of cartridges, with imprinted Nine Combustible Cartridges for LeMat's Revolver Richmond Arsenal 1864. The last number "3" was crossed through with a "4" written over in period ink. This pack is one of three known extant, and was part of the now defunct "Palmer's Military Inn" in Dearborn, Michigan. The Palmer collection was dispersed at auction by C.B. Charles Galleries of Pontiac, Michigan in a three-session auction between October 12-14, 1972. This packet is considered by experts to be the finest known.
Literature:
Albaugh III, William A., Benet, Hugh Jr., and Simmons, Edward.
2012 Confederate Handguns: Concerning the Guns, the Men who Made Them, and the Times of Their Use. Literary Licensing, p. 94.
Fogett, Valmore J. and Serpette, Alain E & Marie-Antoinette.
1996 The LeMat: The Man, The Gun. Arms & Militaria Press, p. 132.
Provenance:
Andy Palmer's Military Inn, Dearborn, Michigan
Collection of Charles Bricker
Collection of Bill Bacon
Collection of John "Mac" Graham
Collection of Ron Bridges
Collection of Giles Cromwell
Collection of Bruce Kusrow
Collection of Robert Moore
Collection of M. Clifford Young
Condition: This packet is in excellent condition with the exception of a small piece of paper missing, exposing the first two cavities containing cartridges. Label is excellent.
EST $ 10000 - 15000
Literature:
Albaugh III, William A., Benet, Hugh Jr., and Simmons, Edward.
2012 Confederate Handguns: Concerning the Guns, the Men who Made Them, and the Times of Their Use. Literary Licensing, p. 94.
Fogett, Valmore J. and Serpette, Alain E & Marie-Antoinette.
1996 The LeMat: The Man, The Gun. Arms & Militaria Press, p. 132.
Provenance:
Andy Palmer's Military Inn, Dearborn, Michigan
Collection of Charles Bricker
Collection of Bill Bacon
Collection of John "Mac" Graham
Collection of Ron Bridges
Collection of Giles Cromwell
Collection of Bruce Kusrow
Collection of Robert Moore
Collection of M. Clifford Young
Condition: This packet is in excellent condition with the exception of a small piece of paper missing, exposing the first two cavities containing cartridges. Label is excellent.
EST $ 10000 - 15000
Rare Empty Richmond Sharps Breech Loading Rifle Cartridges
Lot # 91 (Sale Order: 91 of 698)
Wood box covered in brown paper with five cavities. Label marked "Four Cartridges With Caps for Sharps Breach-loading Rifle Made at The Confederate State Laboratories Richmond VA."
Literature:
Malloy, John J., Thomas, Dean S., and White, Terry A.
2003 Percussion Ammunition Packets, . Thomas Publications, p 89 and Fig. 274.
Provenance:
Collection of Dean Thomas
Collection of John J. Malloy
Collection of Clifford M. Young
Condition: Empty packet. Label has some scuffing. Very rare packet.
EST $ 4000 - 6000
Literature:
Malloy, John J., Thomas, Dean S., and White, Terry A.
2003 Percussion Ammunition Packets, . Thomas Publications, p 89 and Fig. 274.
Provenance:
Collection of Dean Thomas
Collection of John J. Malloy
Collection of Clifford M. Young
Condition: Empty packet. Label has some scuffing. Very rare packet.
EST $ 4000 - 6000
Three Prohibitively Rare Cofer Cartridges
Lot # 92 (Sale Order: 92 of 698)
Perhaps the rarest Confederate cartridges, Young acquired these singly, from three separate sources (Lyle Denis; J.M. Standish, and John T. Belisle). Accompanying this lot is a large binder of documentation. These cartridges are well known in the literature, and have been illustrated in several books on Confederate handguns.
Condition: Very good to excellent.
EST $ 10000 - 15000
Condition: Very good to excellent.
EST $ 10000 - 15000
Box of Richmond Arsenal Cannon Fuses Recovered from Fort Fisher, North Carolina
Lot # 93 (Sale Order: 93 of 698)
Wood box covered in brown paper wrapper imprinted with "Five Fuses 4 seconds to one inch, C. S. Laboratory, Richmond Va." Also on the reverse in period ink "From Fort Fisher North Carolina Jany 17, 1865.
Fort Fisher lay at the mouth of the Cape Fear River protecting the Confederacy's last blockade-running port of Wilmington, NC. After a failed assault in December 1864, a combined Federal force of Army, Navy and Marines successfully stormed the fort after an intense three-day bombardment involving 59 vessels and over 627 guns - then said to be the largest in naval history. On January 16th, 1865 following a day of looting by victorious troops, the fort's main magazine suddenly exploded, causing 104 casualties. This fuse packet is an unusual souvenir of that tragedy and the capture of the South's last coastal bastion.
Condition: Label is very good. Box has been opened and no fuses remain. A fine example of this rare pack.
EST $ 1500 - 2500
Fort Fisher lay at the mouth of the Cape Fear River protecting the Confederacy's last blockade-running port of Wilmington, NC. After a failed assault in December 1864, a combined Federal force of Army, Navy and Marines successfully stormed the fort after an intense three-day bombardment involving 59 vessels and over 627 guns - then said to be the largest in naval history. On January 16th, 1865 following a day of looting by victorious troops, the fort's main magazine suddenly exploded, causing 104 casualties. This fuse packet is an unusual souvenir of that tragedy and the capture of the South's last coastal bastion.
Condition: Label is very good. Box has been opened and no fuses remain. A fine example of this rare pack.
EST $ 1500 - 2500
Packof Richmond Arsenal Cannon Fuses, Recovered from Ft. Fisher, North Carolina
Lot # 94 (Sale Order: 94 of 698)
Wood box wrapped in a brown label imprinted 5 4 Sec. Fuzes Richmond Arsenal 18G. On the back in ink From Fort Fisher N.C. Janry 17, 1865.
Fort Fisher lay at the mouth of the Cape Fear River protecting the Confederacy's last blockade-running port of Wilmington, NC. After a failed assault in December 1864, a combined Federal force of Army, Navy and Marines successfully stormed the fort after an intense three-day bombardment involving 59 vessels and over 627 guns - then said to be the largest in naval history. On January 16th, 1865 following a day of looting by victorious troops, the fort's main magazine suddenly exploded, causing 104 casualties. Although unmarked, this fuse packet is an unusual souvenir of that tragedy and was from the same consignor as the preceding lot.
Provenance: M. Clifford Young
Condition: Empty packet, excellent label.
EST $ 1000 - 2000
Fort Fisher lay at the mouth of the Cape Fear River protecting the Confederacy's last blockade-running port of Wilmington, NC. After a failed assault in December 1864, a combined Federal force of Army, Navy and Marines successfully stormed the fort after an intense three-day bombardment involving 59 vessels and over 627 guns - then said to be the largest in naval history. On January 16th, 1865 following a day of looting by victorious troops, the fort's main magazine suddenly exploded, causing 104 casualties. Although unmarked, this fuse packet is an unusual souvenir of that tragedy and was from the same consignor as the preceding lot.
Provenance: M. Clifford Young
Condition: Empty packet, excellent label.
EST $ 1000 - 2000
Confederate Whitworth Artillery Projectile from Ft. Fisher, NC
Lot # 95 (Sale Order: 95 of 698)
9" x 2.25" diameter, excavated example with brass shipping plug. Base with typed paper label "WHITWORTH / 6-lb. shell / w/orig. plug / (Ft.Fisher)."
Provenance: M. Clifford Young
Condition: A well preserved relic with expected oxidation and pitting.
EST $ 1500 - 2500
Provenance: M. Clifford Young
Condition: A well preserved relic with expected oxidation and pitting.
EST $ 1500 - 2500
Two Relic Confederate Whitworth Artillery Shells from Ft. Fisher, NC
Lot # 96 (Sale Order: 96 of 698)
Includes a 9" x 2.75" diameter solid shot bolt with typed paper label "Modern Greece / Fort Fisher." The second shell is the upper half of a 6-pounder bolt with brass shipping plug labeled "6-lb. Whitworth / (Fort Fisher)." The Modern Greece was a blockade runner that ran aground at Ft. Fisher with a battery of 6 Whitworth rifles and a large quantity of ammunition.
Provenance: M. Clifford Young
Condition: Relic condition.
EST $ 1500 - 2500
Provenance: M. Clifford Young
Condition: Relic condition.
EST $ 1500 - 2500
Confederate Whitworth Artillery Shell with Period Capture Label
Lot # 97 (Sale Order: 97 of 698)
A non-excavated example, 9" x 2.25" diameter projectile complete with brass shipping plug, retaining much of the black painted finish. Has a period handwritten paper label inscribed "Whitworth Shell from Fort Anderson (Rebel) / Cape Fear River N.C. / January 1865 - Donated by W.H. Messinger."
Provenance: M. Clifford Young
Condition: Very good. Some flaking around the edges of the label, but all text is very legible.
EST $ 2000 - 3000
Provenance: M. Clifford Young
Condition: Very good. Some flaking around the edges of the label, but all text is very legible.
EST $ 2000 - 3000
Confederate Whitworth Solid Shot 12-Pounder Projectiles, Lot of 3
Lot # 98 (Sale Order: 98 of 698)
9" x 2.75", one painted gray; one with typed paper label "12-lb. Whitworth / bolt (English). / Bannerman);" and third is reportedly from Ft. Anderson.
Provenance: M. Clifford Young
Condition: Good relic condition. Pieces may be non-excavated, but have overall pitting from poor storage.
EST $ 2500 - 4500
Provenance: M. Clifford Young
Condition: Good relic condition. Pieces may be non-excavated, but have overall pitting from poor storage.
EST $ 2500 - 4500
12-Pounder Whitworth Shell with Confederate Fuze Base
Lot # 99 (Sale Order: 99 of 698)
9" x 2.75" diameter iron projectile retaining large traces of red painted finish. Has a threaded brass fuze base that fits loosely into the body of the shell. Has a typed paper label on the base "12-lb. Whitworth / shell w/original / paint. C.S. Fuse."
Provenance: M. Clifford Young
Condition: Good relic. Although a non-excavated example, it is pitted from poor storage.
EST $ 1500 - 2500
Provenance: M. Clifford Young
Condition: Good relic. Although a non-excavated example, it is pitted from poor storage.
EST $ 1500 - 2500
Souvenir Confederate Artillery Shell Fragment Shot into the USS Monongahela
Lot # 100 (Sale Order: 100 of 698)
6.5" x 6.25" exploded iron shell fragment retaining the brass fuze base. Obverse painted a brick red and inscribed in gold and black "FRAGMENT OF A / 128 LB RIFLE SHELL FIRED INTO THE U.S. / S. MONONGAHELA. / AUG 5th, 1864." The USS Monongahela was a wood hulled sloop launched in 1862 and served in the Gulf Blockade Squadron serving at Port Hudson and the Battle of Mobile Bay. On August 5, 1864, she served an active part in Farragut's actions at Mobile Bay, Alabama. During the battle, she ran full speed in a desperate attempt to sink the Confederate flagship C.S.S. Tennessee. During that action, she was delivered a full broadside from the Tennessee, and presumably, this a fragment from one of the shells.
Provenance: M. Clifford Young
Condition: Good; light age toning to the finish.
EST $ 1200 - 1600
Provenance: M. Clifford Young
Condition: Good; light age toning to the finish.
EST $ 1200 - 1600
