GUN FALL 2017
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 31, 2017.
ESA - PAIR OF UNIQUE GOLD LOCKETS WITH SCRIMSHAWED IVORY IMAGES OF CAPTAIN JOHN MORTON AND GENERAL N.B. FORREST FROM MORTON ESTATE.Captain John W. Morton's memoirs were published in 1909, "The Artillery of Nathan Bedford Forrest's Cavalry". Among the earliest wartime images of Morton is an engraving shown opposite page 207 of Morton as a 21 year old Captain, this is the engraving that the scrimshaw images appear copied from. The large oval locket measures about 2-1/2" x 2" in low karat gold casing with t-bar pin, typical of Civil War era jewelry. The 1-3/4" round gold-plated double sided locket shows similar scrimshawed and colored vignettes of Morton and Gen. Forrest. The round locket appears possibly executed by a different hand and possibly copied from the large oval which most likely was made for Morton's mother or sweetheart. Both lockets were purchased from the Morton estate in 1982 and have letters of provenance from the original buyer to Mr. Donaldson. Accompanying this lot is a fine First Edition copy of Morton's 374 page memoir published in Nashville in 1909. SIZE: PROVENANCE: Morton family descendants; Anne Morton Stout Estate; David H. Wilson, 1982; The Confederate and Civil War estate collection of Fred Donaldson, 1998/2004. CONDITION: Very good to fine overall. Folk art scrimshawed images are well discerned. Glass bezel of Morton in the double locket has chip as can be seen in photograph. There is area of deep scratching on face of one locket, apparently attempting to ascertain whether they were solid gold or plate. 52430-7 JS (6,000-8,000) ESA -