Any Civil War collectors out there ?

[Harvey A]

Hi Greg,

I've heard a "cannon story" in almost every locality I've ever lived. So far I've only spoken to one person who claims to have actually found (dug) such a piece. Truly 'in the wild' guns typically only come from sunken vessels. Armies usually didn't leave cannon, theirs or the enemy's, lying about on the battlefield. I have seen a number of 'pieces' of cannon that were dug; in fact I own a few chunks of a Confederate mortar.

A lot of obsolete guns were released around the turn of the last century by the War Department. Most went to towns (for the courthouse square), cemeteries and military parks; and some of these have been pryed out by collectors over the years. A large number were purchased by the Francis Bannerman Company of New York. Bannerman sold most of his stuff to foreign countries as war material. Some of it he marketed locally, through his catalogue, to collectors and other interested parties. He sold bronze "Napoleons" (US Model 1857 Light 12 PDR Field Guns), with carriage, limber and ammo for $500. The same gun today, just the tube alone, can easily bring in excess of $75K.

Yes, several of my cannons were used in the making of movies; including "Gettysburg", Gore Vidal's "Lincoln", and "North and South". The movie producers pay next to nothing and aren't very careful with your stuff; anymore they would likely get only reproductions.

By any chance, is your Michigan friend Don "L" ? I know a few other MI collectors but he's been around the longest.

Harvey

[Greg Sebring]

Harvey,

I don't personally know the man,...just know of him... and have been through his warehouse many years ago. I purchased a sword/scabbard from him for $180.00. It was well worn and aged but totally untouched. He has several WWII vintage vehicles also that have exhibited in area parades (jeeps and an ambulance come to mind). The gentlemans last name is Yeck. His warehouse contained all sorts of blades and guns. cannon balls laying around and everything was quite dusty and musty. Still, it was fascinating to walk through the place. I know he had some items in "North South" also.

Since you collected swords and had quite a collection at one time, I'd like to ask your opinion about question about scabbards. I have heard that it was common practice for soldiers to personally dent their scabbards on both sides in an effort to quite them down a bit. Did you see much of this or do you think this was done much?


Thank you for the interesting post and followup comments.



Greg

[Paul McKee]

You must be speaking of Mike Yeck...is he still around? I knew him back in the early 70's. Interesting fellow. Had a lot of interesting Civil War and post-Civil War ordnance. I remember as a kid buying a repro forage cap from him back in the late `60s...had a very correct shape but a horrid plastic visor. He must be getting on in years now.

Last time I saw Mike Yeck was at a reenactment at Cantigny Museum in suburban Chicago back in the early 1970s. He had brought a nice, original 3 Inch Ordnance Rifle (artillery piece) to the event, but the poor fellow serving as #1 on the piece met with a very graphic accident when there was a premature detonation of the cartridge. I believe the problem was traced to an undersize sponge being used in a heavily pitted bore...couldn't get all the embers from a previous round fully extinguished.

Paul

[Military Trader]

Here's a sad story -- forgive me if I've told this before on the forum -- its late.
Anyway I was on my way to a St. Louis militaria show (the old Jeff. Barracks show) about 10 years ago and stopped by the Applewagon Antique Mall on I-70. There at the bottom of a case was a CW union belt, buckle, bayonet and frog, and cartridge case for $45. I told the girl to be careful but of course she pulled it out roughly and sure enough it was genuine. I bought it and I knew of the seller (He bought militaria from time to time at auctions) and so I called him. He told me a friend had paid a visit to an elderly lady who had advertised a "Custer's Last Fight" print on the radio. He asked her if she had anything else for sale and she had an entire grouping of her ancestor including aforementioned belt rig, rifle, NCO sword, kepi, (and maybe jacket). She also had a tintype or whatever of the soldier as well as other items like camp axe etc. he said the lady had no family and would sell it all. Of course he took advantage of the old lady big time. The ignorant non-historically minded buyer must have paid peanuts for the stuff as the belt rig would indicate and split everything up to different flea market guys he knew. By the time I bought the belt all the stuff except the axe was gone. The guy I was familiar with decided he wanted to keep the axe for some reason. I am familiar with WWII groupings getting busted up but that one made me feel rotten.

By the was I sold the belt rig (for more than $45) because I didn't know how to display that kind of old leather without damaging it so I sold it to a more advanced CW collector

[Harvey A]

Greg,

I've seen a number of cavalry sabres, the scabbards of which were "mashed together" on the bottom third of their lengths. It is more common on CS sabres than US. I think that was because the US version had a well designed blade keeper in the throat piece that prevented blade rattle.

Harvey

[Greg Sebring]

Paul,

B I N G O, ... on Mike Yeck. I don't know if he is still alive and kicking yet today. I haven't been to his warehouse in 20 years. I do know his WWII vehicles have been exhibited in parades much later than that.

Harvey,

Thanks for your observations. My rig is a ROBY and has scabbard dents about 6 inches from the tip on one side and 8 inches on the other. I had heard that and when you wrote that you had an extensive collection at one time I thought, Now there's the guy to ask.

Thanks again ...

Greg