Texas Johnny
Corporal
- Joined
- Jan 29, 2019
- Location
- Texas
I have been collecting Civil War artifacts since I was a little kid. Since I am now a "senior citizen" I have decided to dispose of some of my collection, to make it easier for my wife when I am gone.
I cannot part with my period firearms or the items I personally dug just yet so I decided to sell my paper items first. I have a collection of over 60+ items which includes diaries (including a daily diary by a Confederate soldier during the Gettysburg campaign), letters, 2 hand written battle orders (T.J. Jackson & W.T. Sherman), pre and post war letters signed by Civil War notables (R.E. Lee, Hood, Mosby, J.E. Johnston, Beauregard, Bragg, Davis, Stephens, Gordon, etc.), cut signatures (Longstreet, F. Lee, J. Brown, JEB Stuart, N.B. Forrest, etc.). I even have some Union notables, (Grant, Butler, Burnside, etc.).
I contact one of the largest auction houses, dealing in historical documents, in the United States to see if they were interested in handling the sale of these at one of their upcoming auctions. After they reviewed what I had they said that they were interested in handling all of it, except for the cut signature of Nathan Bedford Forrest. I was told that they will not handle anything in their auctions related to Forrest. When I asked why I was told it was their corporate policy. They also noted that the value of all things Confederate has declined over the last couple of years.
I assume some of you will say "good for them," but their anti-Forrest policy just doesn't sit well with me. I have decided to seek other avenues to sell my paper collection. I am curious what others think, do you think that this is this the start of a ban on Confederate memorabilia by some?
I cannot part with my period firearms or the items I personally dug just yet so I decided to sell my paper items first. I have a collection of over 60+ items which includes diaries (including a daily diary by a Confederate soldier during the Gettysburg campaign), letters, 2 hand written battle orders (T.J. Jackson & W.T. Sherman), pre and post war letters signed by Civil War notables (R.E. Lee, Hood, Mosby, J.E. Johnston, Beauregard, Bragg, Davis, Stephens, Gordon, etc.), cut signatures (Longstreet, F. Lee, J. Brown, JEB Stuart, N.B. Forrest, etc.). I even have some Union notables, (Grant, Butler, Burnside, etc.).
I contact one of the largest auction houses, dealing in historical documents, in the United States to see if they were interested in handling the sale of these at one of their upcoming auctions. After they reviewed what I had they said that they were interested in handling all of it, except for the cut signature of Nathan Bedford Forrest. I was told that they will not handle anything in their auctions related to Forrest. When I asked why I was told it was their corporate policy. They also noted that the value of all things Confederate has declined over the last couple of years.
I assume some of you will say "good for them," but their anti-Forrest policy just doesn't sit well with me. I have decided to seek other avenues to sell my paper collection. I am curious what others think, do you think that this is this the start of a ban on Confederate memorabilia by some?