selair_chapman
Cadet
- Joined
- May 15, 2016
Just acquired this 1847 Springfield cavalry musketoon (69cal smoothbore, lock plate stamped 1848, tang stamped 1849)
http://www.lunds.com/Auctions/RecordedHistory/2660/Imaged/2147450356/
You will note that the auction house had no idea whatsoever what it actually was. No one else in the room bidding on it did either I found out....I got it for a steal ($183 USD).
Other than missing the ramrod swivel/chain and the saddle bar and ring (note in the pics that the lower barrel band is backwards and therefore the saddle bar attachment point on the wrong side), it is in excellent shape in all respects...."except" for the engravings. There are at least 10 distinct sets of initials/identification marks crudely engraved on the stock, including two dates (1861 and 1904) and possibly a third (96). Through what research I have done I know that many of these were used by military academies/private schools both immediately before, during and after the war. As such it seems likely that the engravings were made by cadets. I can see no other likely reason why multiple dates would be engraved on a stock except if they represented the year a cadet was issued the gun/graduated. That the first date engraving is 1961 and consecutively to 1904 makes me think it is likely that it remained an "school" gun the entire time and may not have seen wartime service. (I know US armories auctioned hundreds of these off in 1860 and that as a smoothbore with a short barrel they were all but useless outside of 50 yards range). Reason would suggest that it would have been a northern academy gun as southern ones would have had their guns pressed into service and, presumably, unlikely to be returned to an academy after the war.
So my question is, what impact on dollar value would the initials/dates have on the gun? If anything they trace the history of the gun more than a lack of engravings, but I strongly suspect they would detract from its collectability. I could be wrong though...I am very new to the collecting world but hope to learn as I go. I am torn as to whether I should keep or sell this one to fund another purchase.
Thoughts?
http://www.lunds.com/Auctions/RecordedHistory/2660/Imaged/2147450356/
You will note that the auction house had no idea whatsoever what it actually was. No one else in the room bidding on it did either I found out....I got it for a steal ($183 USD).
Other than missing the ramrod swivel/chain and the saddle bar and ring (note in the pics that the lower barrel band is backwards and therefore the saddle bar attachment point on the wrong side), it is in excellent shape in all respects...."except" for the engravings. There are at least 10 distinct sets of initials/identification marks crudely engraved on the stock, including two dates (1861 and 1904) and possibly a third (96). Through what research I have done I know that many of these were used by military academies/private schools both immediately before, during and after the war. As such it seems likely that the engravings were made by cadets. I can see no other likely reason why multiple dates would be engraved on a stock except if they represented the year a cadet was issued the gun/graduated. That the first date engraving is 1961 and consecutively to 1904 makes me think it is likely that it remained an "school" gun the entire time and may not have seen wartime service. (I know US armories auctioned hundreds of these off in 1860 and that as a smoothbore with a short barrel they were all but useless outside of 50 yards range). Reason would suggest that it would have been a northern academy gun as southern ones would have had their guns pressed into service and, presumably, unlikely to be returned to an academy after the war.
So my question is, what impact on dollar value would the initials/dates have on the gun? If anything they trace the history of the gun more than a lack of engravings, but I strongly suspect they would detract from its collectability. I could be wrong though...I am very new to the collecting world but hope to learn as I go. I am torn as to whether I should keep or sell this one to fund another purchase.
Thoughts?
Bringing the