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by John Sexton

Q: Good afternoon Mr. Sexton, I came across your web page born on December 20, 1839, in Mecklenburg, Germany.
while researching an inscribed Seated Liberty $1. I have been He entered service as a 22-year-old private on May 24,
able to determine that Charles Schultz was from Freeport and 1861, in Co. F., 15th Illinois Infantry. He served his entire
in Company F as a private for three years. It appears his three-year term, mustering out on May 24, 1864, at
regiment saw some extensive and fierce action during their Huntsville, Alabama. Schultz was married three times and
campaign and many of them are buried at Arlington. had 11 children. He died on August 9, 1909, in Papineau,
I did find that the famed collector, Mr. Alan V. Weinberg, Illinois at the age of 69 years old and is buried there.
has a small collection of such pieces that he has put together Similarly inscribed silver dollars for use as ID pins
over the past nearly 50 years. However, I have not been able are scarce to the market and will bring a premium
to locate anything similar or an over white, commercially made
auction record/sale that would An 1859 silver dollar silver ID pins of the same
give me an idea of value. coin inscribed as ID for era. Similar size, engraved,
Anything you might be able Christopher Schultz, commercial ID pins of same
to offer me would be greatly $2,000 to $3,000. quality sell between $1,000 and
appreciated! I thank you in $1,500, typically.
Left: The silver half dollar
advance for your time. sold by Heritage Auctions for I cannot find any auction
$4,033 and engraved, comparables in the last few
JS: Your inscribed silver dollar “H. D. Cilley/Farrier/ Co. years, but Heritage Auctions
to Christopher Schultz is a fine L/1st Vet. Cav. N.Y.S.V.” did sell two cavalrymen ID pins
piece of engraving. Similar Photo: Heritage Auctions, HA.com in 2010. The better of the two,
Civil War-inscribed coins are which is quite similar in quality
scarce and quite popular among collectors. They are so Right: The obverse of the to yours, sold for $4,000; the lesser of the cavalrymen pins
popular, indeed, that fakes are prevalent in the market with Heritage-auctioned coin. sold for $2,200.
Confederate IDs of well-known officers. Photo: Heritage Auctions, HA.com The collectible market was stronger in 2010, but for such
The spelling is correct, though one archive site has an incorrect a scarce item, I would still estimate $2,000-$3,000 and not be surprised
spelling without the “c” in Schultz. Christopher Benjamin Schultz was to see it bring more in an auction.

Q: We came across this at a recent estate sale we did, and we were This 24-inch bronze salute or signal gun on a naval-style carriage is
wondering if it was anything valuable. copied after the British Armstrong gun and is most commonly referred
to as a “yacht cannon.” It is nicely engraved: “WATSON BROs / Gun
JS: Watson Brothers today is a well-respected brand of high-end, & Rifle Manufacturers / Pall Mall LONDON”.
expensive, custom sporting arms and is still in business in London, We can date this bronze, custom yacht cannon from the address to
having been founded in the 1800s. between 1885 and 1894. The Birmingham black powder proofs are
also proper to the date. The “5” refers to the bore.
In that era, yacht guns were made by several
companies. Similar muzzle-loading, primer-fired
guns were more primitive than the Strong patent
breechloaders that were just coming into the market
(patented 1888) and replacing the muzzleloader.
Watson probably made few yacht guns as I
cannot find another example sold. Similar muzzle-
loaders by other makers in similar condition on
A bronze salute cannon, or yacht cannon, The engraving of “Watson Bros.” original naval-style carriages sell typically for
from the late 1800s, $1,000-$2,000. is on the band at the top of the photo. $1,000-$2,000.

Q: I have this item I inherited from my father and wondering its
origin and value?
A commemorative
JS: Your knife is commemorative of the Civil War. I believe I have knife marked
seen these marketed as such and other similar knives offered in the “CSA,”
commemorative market for about $100-$200, often cased. $100-$200.

John Sexton is an independent appraiser and expert of 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 mclwriter@gmail.com.

44 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles