Civil War Sword and Portraits of Robert E. Lee
Q: I recently inherited this Civil War sword which has been in an attic for many years. It has been in my family and my grandfather told me it was used by one of our relatives in the Confederate army in Georgia. I would like to know what its value is and want to loan it to our local library for display.
JS: It is very possible that your family sword was used during the Civil War. The sword is actually a model 1840 cavalry sabre made by the firm of Ames manufacturing company in Cabotville, MA in the year 1847. Cavarymen who carried this saber lovingly called it the “wrist breaker” due to its heft and weight. In the late 1850s a lighter version replaced the heavy cavalry saber and the new model first produced became known as the model 1860 light cavalry sabre and was produced throughout the war for Union soldiers. It is interesting that Southern manufactureers during the war mostly copied the 1840 pattern. Deep South sword makers such as Louis Haiman in Columbus, GA and Louis Froelich in Kenansville, NC made their versions of the 1840 saber.
Ames was the premier American sword manufacturer from the 1830s through the Civil War having most of the military contracts for both sabers, officers swords, and NCO swords. Your saber is honest and all original, and appears average for an “attic find”. The blade appears smooth & dark with good discerned Ames marker mark and date. The other side would have inspector’s initials. The scabbard is sound and matching surface. The grip is missing much of its original leather wrap & wire wrap. Similar examples often have restored grips as leather over 150 years old often drys out and flakes. “As-is” similar sabers are priced in market $600-800. Fine examples with Mexican War dates 1845-1847 can sell for $1200-1500.
Q: Recently while cleaning out my grandparents home we found two portraits of Robert E. Lee. One is a black and white reproduction and the other is in full color. The reproduction states that it is a reproduction but the color one does not indicate that. We do not intend to sell them so I’m not in need of an actual appraisal but we would like to know if the color
portrait is original before we spend the money on a nice frame to better preserve it. Is this something you could help us with? I have attached photos of the reproduction, the color, and a detail of the color portrait. Each measure 22” x 18”. Thank you in advance for any help you can provide with this!
An original lithograph published for Lee Memorial Association in 1870.
A reproduction of the Lee Memorial Association portrait, ca. 1960.
JS: You have an original print from 1870 and a later copy printed about 1960. This print was originally commissioned by the Lee Memorial Association’s fundraising to build a monument at General Lee’s tomb at Washington & Lee. Published by Bradley & Company in New York in 1870, these prints were popular fundraising premiums for Southern memorials. Most Southern homes in the late Victorian era featured such images, and this portrait remains common at auctions, typically selling for $200-$500. It was reproduced by Paul Victorius (1899-1970), a Charlottesville, VA rare book dealer & collector who had relocated from London in 1938.
Victorius specialized in fine prints in his Charlottesville shop, his authenticity label is found on many prints he framed.
John Sexton is an independent appraiser and expert on Civil War memorabilia. He is an accredited member of various appraiser organizations. He can be contacted at 770-329-4984. If you have a Civil War item for him to appraise, email a photo and a description to him at: CivilWarAppraiser@gmail.com.
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