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by John Sexton

Q: I am working on an estate and have come across this cannon. I am auctions in Boston sold a similar bronze
trying to find out if it is a reproduction or not. Here are some photos. copy for about $615 in an October 2016
Thank you for any info you can give me. sale. An original in today’s market would
bring hundreds of thousands of dollars.
JS: Daniel King of Germantown was the most famous
Revolutionary War American cannon maker. Very
few of his cannons survived, and those that did are
very valuable.
I have seen quite a few small bronze cannons of this
genre with the same markings made in the 1960s, as I
recall. This iron tube appears to be one of the same
reproductions made over 50 years ago. I have valued at A reproduction of a famous cannon maker’s work,
least one bronze copy for insurance for $1,500. Skinner worth between $600 and $1,500.

Q: Hello John, my parents own a kepi that was sold to them as a Civil War archives. If you would like to see more information from that correspon-
item from the battlefield at Antietam. I do not know how dence, I can send it to you. I realize we may never know who
accurate that information might be, but we recently had it the kepi belonged to, but can you tell me if it is from the Civil
appraised at an Antiques Roadshow event, and the appraiser War period or a later date?
said it is not from the Civil War, but maybe an anniversary
event of the war, perhaps the 50th anniversary? JS: Your kepi of chasseur style was most popular after the
I have attached a file of three images. My father has Civil War. This hat most likely dates to circa 1875. The
information with the kepi, which reads “Company C, 5th insignia attached is indeed Civil War surplus with soldered
Regiment, U.S. New York Infantry.” loops for attachment. The tag is original
I have done some research on the name, H. to ID H. Jason Knapp; I found him in a
Jason Knapp. The archives in Washington Google search in Tonawanda, NY, in the
could not find this name. (I wrote a letter hardware business in 1900-1915.
to them in 2002.) They said he could have He must have been a member of a local
been in the militia in New York. militia company.
I just recently emailed the archives in Similar chasseur kepis with added
New York this month, and they felt it could Civil War brass insignia might be found
have belonged to a Henry J. Knapp. They The kepi’s owner, Jason Knapp of New York, possibly a local militia priced in the antique market for about
found three records of this name in their member after the Civil War. Ca. 1875 kepi, $200-$250. $200-$250.

Q: Have you seen a handle like this before on a sword? There are no Many other countries used this pattern all through the 19th
marks on the bottom of the handle. century; most of these swords are not decorated and have fairly simple
hilts, either with concentric ring grips or leaf-pattern grips.
JS: I have not seen this particular short sword with this “fancy” design This example is quite ornate with relief engraving on the cross-guard
before. Many short sword patterns originated with the Roman gladius and pommel.
sword. The French made the pattern popular I asked several sword dealers and collectors, and no one could
worldwide in the early 19th century for use by identify this pattern until I contacted Jason Kaplan at
artillerists as a last-ditch defense of their positions JJmilitaryantiques.com who specializes in unusual patterns and rare
against cavalry. The U.S. Army adopted the bayonets. He identified it as “Gladio modello 1847 della Guardia
pattern in 1832 and contracted with the Ames Civica Pontificia.” So, this sword is of Italian origin, model 1847,
sword company up through the Civil War. worn by the Pope’s Civic Guard.
Searching European websites, three
examples were found for sale, two in Italy
and one in Czechoslovakia, priced from
€320-470. ($350-$520). If this was sold
on eBay, using the Italian name, it would
probably find a buyer in Europe more
A model 1847 sword carried by the Pope’s Civic Guard, $350-$520. likely than in the U.S.

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 john@CivilWarDealer.com, 770-329-4984 or www.CivilWarDealer.com. For a free
appraisal of a Civil War item, email a photo and a description to him or mclwriter@gmail.com.

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