Civil War Auction
By Donley Auctions
Saturday, Dec 14, 4:00 PM (your local time)
8512 South Union Road. Union, IL 60180, United States

This is the most amazing Civil War Collection we've ever seen - even in museums!

Keep checking back as we're adding more items all the time!

This meticulously curated collection boasts an impressive array of artifacts, weaponry, uniforms, documents, and photography, offering a rare glimpse into the tumultuous era that shaped American history.

Highlights from this Unmissable Collection:

  • Weapons of War: A comprehensive selection of firearms, including muskets, rifles, carbines, and revolvers from renowned manufacturers such as Springfield, Sharps, Colt, and Remington. Examine Civil War artillery swords, cavalry sabers, and even a rare LeMat "Grapeshot" revolver with fascinating provenance.
  • Uniforms & Headwear: Step into the shoes of Civil War soldiers with an array of uniforms, kepis, hats, and shell jackets. Discover rare pieces like a Union Colored Troop officer cloak, a well-known drummer boy jacket and kepi, and identified kepis from various regiments.
  • Everyday Essentials: Explore the personal effects of Civil War soldiers, including canteens, belt buckles, cartridge boxes, cap boxes, bugles, and drums. Uncover unique items like a Civil War stadia range finder, a rare Civil War CSA 5th Texas Cavalry canteen, and a Civil War Black drummer boy captured CSA canteen.
  • Faces of the Past: Connect with the individuals who lived through the Civil War through a poignant collection of tintypes, CDVs, and ambrotypes. See a fantastic tintype of a lounging soldier with gear, a cased CDV of Maj. Gen. Geo. H. Thomas, and a tintype & ambrotype of Civil War officers.
  • Words of History: Delve into the written record of the Civil War with a selection of autographed documents, including pieces signed by Abraham Lincoln and Robert E. Lee. Discover a Civil War Lincoln signed Major Commission document and a framed Andersonville Prison litho by Thomas O'Dea.
  • Flags & Banners: Witness a piece of history with a fantastic large CSA battle flag with documentation and a Civil War Confederate swallowtail guidon pike flag.
  • Art & Prints: Admire the artistic interpretations of the Civil War with a selection of framed prints and lithographs, including works by Don Troiani and Donna Neary.

More than just an auction, this is a journey through time.


More details

LOT 38:

South Car LeMat "Grapeshot" Revolver W/ Provenance

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Start price:
$ 18,000
Estimated price :
$35,000 - $45,000
Buyer's Premium: 26% More details
sales tax: 7.25% On the full lot's price and commission
Users from foreign countries may be exempted from tax payments, according to the relevant tax regulations
tags:

South Car LeMat "Grapeshot" Revolver W/ Provenance
RARE SOUTH CAROLINA CIVIL WAR !! LeMat 2nd Model "Grapeshot" Revolver with provenance in excellent condition with some wear. Bores are very good. The gun is in an even rich brown patina finish with excellent, beautifully aged, ivory grip panels adorned with a silver 5-point star with a Palmetto tree engraving, the symbol of South Carolina. This particular revolver was carried by Captain James P Richardson. Also included is a large folder of documentation of his locations and biography. LeMat revolvers were highly sought after by Confederate leaders during the Civil War, and many prominent generals carried them, including; JEB Stuart, Stonewall Jackson, Braxton Bragg, Richard H. Anderson, and P. G. T. Beauregard. The LeMat two-barrel grapeshot revolver was one of the most unconventional wheel guns ever conceived. Invented by native Frenchman Dr. Jean Alexandre LeMat of New Orleans, these fascinating combination guns were primarily produced in Belgium, Paris, and England, and earned fame with the Confederacy during the Civil War. The LeMat revolver’s low production numbers, novel design, and service as a Confederate cavalry weapon have made the unique pistol one of the most popular guns in antique arms collecting. Jean Alexander Francois LeMat was born in France in 1821 and immigrated to America in 1843 after becoming a physician. A lifelong inventor, Dr. LeMat was awarded numerous patents in the medical, maritime, and aviation fields throughout his storied career, though the LeMat revolver is undeniably his most famous design. Through his marriage to Justine Sophie in April 1849, LeMat also became cousin-in-law to P.G.T. Beauregard, a Louisiana-born military engineer who would rise to fame as the Confederate general who ordered the first shots of the Civil War at Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861. Dr. LeMat patented his grapeshot percussion revolver in 1856 and received financial assistance from Beauregard to begin production in Europe. The serial number matches on this firearm's frame, barrel, cylinder, trigger, take down pin and loading rod. The octagon barrel is clearly engraved with "Col LeMat Bte s.g.d.g. Paris" & " *LM". Frame screws are engraved. Surely the finest example of a LeMat I've ever seen! The absolute Gem of anyone's collection! C&R Eligible S/N:1525