November 15 & 16, 2022 Extraordinary Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/15/2022
A very interesting example of an Ames Model 1832 Foot Artillery Sword with attributions to John Brown’s infamous raid at Harpers Ferry and provenance from renowned military goods dealer Francis Bannerman. The sword exhibits a heavy patina but despite the damages, is in standard M1832 configuration, and is marked “N.P. AMES / SPRINGFIELD” on the obverse blade and “UNITED STATES (upside down) / 1841 / WS” on the reverse blade. According to accompanying provenance, this short sword was taken to Harpers Ferry by John Brown and his assailants and later captured there after the insurrection was suppressed. John Brown was known to utilized these short swords and were a favored weapon among his forces during the slaughter of pro-slavery advocates, especially during Bleeding Kansas. It is also noted in the trial of John Brown that the arms captured at the Kennedy Farm included “boxes filled with Sharpe’s rifles, pistols, etc., all bearing the stamp of the Massachusetts Manufacturing Company, Chicopee, Mass.” as well as “spades, pickaxes, shovels, and everything else that might be needed” with the official stores including “12 Old Artillery Swords”. A tag affixed to the hilt of this short sword sheds light on its story and reads “323-D A historic relic of John Brown's Raid on Harpers ferry Arsenal. One of a lot of pikes and swords captured and stored at Harper's Ferry Arsenal. When John Brown and his men surrendered, later taken by the Confederates early in the cont. the War and eventually given to a Texas Regiment, from whom they were later captured and stored at the U.S Arsenal Mt. Vernon, Ala. afterwards destroyed by fire the old metal in the Arsenal ruins sent to the rolling mill at Rock Island Arsenal, from whom we acquired them. A historical relic sword that helped precipitate the great Civil War.”. The tag bears the famous label of Francis Bannerman, who needs no introduction among arms collectors. It is known that after the capture of arms by the Independent Greys, the arms were then dispersed to Confederate units with the outbreak of the Civil War and it would not be uncommon for this short sword to have ended up in the armament of a Texas regiment and later captured by Federal troops. The sword was previously sold by John J. Hayes Historical Collectibles and is accompanied by prior listing information. CONDITION: Obvious fire damage, pommel missing. Relic.
Paperwork
Previous Purchas Information.