GUN SPRING 2018
The live portion of this session begins on Wednesday, March 21, 2018.
EXTREMELY FINE AND RARE CYRUS ALGER CIVIL WAR 24-POUND COEHORN MORTAR. COHOURN MORTAR 11 5 7/8 Cal. 5-7/8. This is a very fine example of a Civil War bronze cannon which many examples saw hard use at the end of the Civil War, especially in the trenches around Richmond and Petersburg, VA. This pattern, even though introduced in the United States in 1838, were scarce and were unavailable during the Vicksburg campaign in July of 1863 where they would have been used to great affect. General Grant wrote of improvising cannon to throw common shells into the trenches as he had no Coehorns at Vicksburg where they could have been used effectively. This is one of the few early war made Coehorns made and dated in 1862 with large "US" stamped on top of bbl. Registry number on muzzle is 11, weight is 166 lbs, inspector "TJR" (Thomas J. Rodman) and foundry number on rimbase is 1044. This is a very scarce Civil War cannon, as Cyrus Alger of Boston, Massachusetts made only 47 such guns and most survivors are at National Battlefield Parks and only four are noted privately owned. You won't find a better example of this mortar anywhere with such a beautiful, untouched green/bronze patina with fine crisp markings on muzzle face. This cannon is mounted on well constructed iron mounted wood base with carrying rings when it was being fired in reenactments during the centennial. PROVENANCE: Michael Yeck, Dundee, Michigan. CONDITION: Fine overall with smooth bronze patina and crisp markings. Associated carriage is very good. 52863-2 JS (20,000-30,000)