Upcoming Heritage Civil War Auction Features A Distinguished Private Collection Of Confederate Relics

Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries will present an important collection of Civil War artifacts in their upcoming Grand Format auction, to be held December 1 & 2 in Nashville, Tennessee.

"Numbering only 29 select lots, this 40-year collection includes some of the finest Confederate relics it has ever been our privilege to offer," declared Tom Slater, director of Americana auctions for Dallas-based Heritage. "These pieces were collected with great sophistication by a Kentucky gentleman who has, with characteristic modesty, chosen to remain anonymous. However, the quality and importance of this offering is quickly apparent to any Civil War collector or scholar."

Roughly half of the collection consists of rare Confederate firearms, headlined by a superb-condition example of the rare Spiller and Burr revolver, and a unique pistol personally owned by General John Hunt Morgan of the famed Morgan's Raiders cavalry unit.

Important signed items include an elusive longhand letter by Gen, Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, two rare letters by General Morgan, and an autographed photo of Robert E. Lee. Also featured: the Confederate Navy document, signed by Jefferson Davis, appointing former U.S. Naval Academy Superintendent Franklin P. Buchanan to a captaincy in the infant Rebel navy. His first command was the famed ironclad warship the C.S.S. Virginia (also known as the Merrimac), which battled the Union ironclad Monitor in one of the most famous engagements of the Civil War. Buchanan's distinguished performance in that battle, in which he was seriously wounded, would lead to a promotion to Admiral by Davis.

The auction also features Buchanan's battle-scarred personal "Stars and Bars" flag, a treasured keepsake that covered Buchanan's coffin at the time of his death. While no precise documentation survives, this flag is in a style dating from the early days of the War, and it seems probable that if flew on the Virginia during the epic battle with the Monitor.

Another exceptional banner offered in the collection is a large Confederate flag made just after the War, which was proudly flown from Jefferson Davis's home, Beauvoir, on Confederate holidays though 1908.

But perhaps the most evocative flag item consists of only three small 8" fragments, perhaps the only surviving parts from the actual Confederate flag found flying over the capitol building in Richmond, Virginia, after the Rebels hastily evacuated the city as Grant's forces prepared to take control in the closing days of the War. It is a well-documented historical fact that this flag was cut into pieces and distributed to Union soldiers as souvenirs. "Presumably these were valued highly by the handful of recipients at the time," Slater observed. "One would expect them to have been put away and carefully preserved. However, it seems that the present example may well be the only survivor. In a 1992 letter to the former owner, Ms. Adele Mitchell of the Stuart-Moseby Society declared that she had been searching for a piece of that last Confederate flag for literally fifty years in the hopes that it could be retuned to Richmond and put on display." This fragment is remarkably documented, and is accompanied by an April 26, 1865 letter from Union Colonel A.B. Laurence, who describes receiving the souvenir the day Richmond fell.

Another remarkable item in this stellar collection is what is believed to be the only War-period portrait of "Stonewall" Jackson (and quite possibly the only one ever painted from life). The 21" x 25" oil portrait of the General in Confederate uniform was painted early in 1862, while Jackson was spending the winter with an old friend and mentor, Rev. James Graham of Winchester, Virginia, and descended through the Graham family. "Prior to the War Jackson probably lacked sufficient prominence to justify a portrait, and once the War broke out in earnest he was undoubtedly too busy to sit for an artist," said Slater. "And of course he died from wounds received in battle in 1864." The earliest-dated painting of Jackson uncovered by Heritage research is one from 1868 in the museum of Virginia Military Institute.

The collection also includes a very rare War-period oil portrait of Robert E. Lee, attributed to well-known portrait artist George Dury, active in the Nashville, Tennessee area during the War years. Dury is perhaps best known for his portrait of Mrs. James K. Polk, which hangs in the White House. Observed Slater, "While the portrait is unsigned, it is very much in the style of Dury, and was confidently attributed to him by the artist's grandson, an expert on his work. And of course Dury painted other prominent Confederates as well at this time." It is believed that the painting was purchased from the widow of Gen. Lee's grandson by the same name in 1927.

"It has been a real honor and privilege to work with such distinguished material," declared Slater. "Only rarely do items of such sophistication come up for sale, let alone over two dozen in a single auction. While there are over 400 wonderful Civil War items in this landmark auction, this Kentucky collection stands out as a special offering indeed."

This important collection will be offered in Heritage Auction Galleries' upcoming Civil War auction, to be held on December 1 & 2 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Exceptional Condition, Well Documented, Confederate Spiller & Burr .36 Caliber Percussion Revolver:
ESTIMATE: $40,000 - $45,000

Historic Revolver Inscribed To Confederate General John Hunt Morgan:
ESTIMATE: $20,000 - $25,000

Confederate Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson: A Fine War-Date Letter With Good Military Content:
ESTIMATE: $14,000 - $18,000

Confederate Brig. Gen. John Hunt Morgan: A Superb War-Date Letter With Excellent Military Content:
ESTIMATE: $5,000 - $7,000

Robert E. Lee: A Fine Signed Carte De Visite In Uniform:
ESTIMATE: $4,000 - $6,000

Jefferson Davis Appoints Franklin Buchanan, Former Superintendent Of The United States Naval Academy, A Captain In The Confederate Navy:
ESTIMATE: $3,000 - $4,000

Confederate Admiral Franklin Buchanan: His Personal Battle-Scarred "Stars And Bars", Which Later Covered His Coffin Upon His Death. Ex. - William Albaugh 1966:
ESTIMATE: $65,000 - $85,000

Jefferson Davis: First National Pattern Confederate Flag That Flew Over His Home, Beauvoir, After The War:
ESTIMATE: $20,000 - $25,000

Three Fragments Of The Last Confederate Flag To Fly Over The Richmond Capitol April 3, 1865:
ESTIMATE: $8,000 - $12,000

Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson: An Important Contemporary Oil Portrait Painted In 1862:
ESTIMATE: $40,000 - $60,000

Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee: An Important Superb, Large War-Era Portrait:
ESTIMATE: $40,000 - $60,000

For more information about Heritage's auctions, and a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit www.HA.com.

Prospective consignors and sellers of political memorabilia, Americana, and related collectibles are invited to visit www.HA.com/Sell. Or simply email Tom Slater at TomS@HA.com.

To reserve your copy of any Heritage auction catalog, please contact Client Services at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 1150, or visit www.HA.com/Catalog to order by email.