Catalog Auction info Auction #121 - Two-Day Sale, March 23 & 24 (#121) 03/23/2019 9:00 AM EDT Closed Starts Ending 03/23/2019 9:00 AM EDT Auction Info Lot #401 Important Civil War Grouping Belonging To 1st Assistant Engineer Frank Hamilton Pulsifer of the Revenue Cutter Harriet Lane Click image to enlarge PreviousNext Lot closed - Sold Price (Including Buyer`s Premium):$4,485 Estimate: $3,000 - $5,000 Description Description: This is a fabulous grouping consisting of First Assistant Engineer Hamilton Pulsifer's Colt Model 1849 Pocket Revolver, a brass framed Merwin & Bray single shot pocket pistol captured from a Confederate sailor, and Pulsifer's Model 1852 Naval Officer's Sword. Colt 1849 Pocket serial #85452, .31 cal, 5'' octagon barrel with a very good bore showing scattered light oxidation or light pitting. Revolver has all matching numbers, and is an overall plum-brown patina with some small spots of pinprick pitting along the barrel, the stagecoach holdup scene is fully evident and the frame shows some nice silvery case-hardening on left and right flats. The brass triggerguard has strong original silver plate remaining on the flat at frame while the grip straps have only traces remaining, the balance an honest dull tarnished goldenrod patina. The back strap is neatly period-engraved ''Frank H. Pulsifer'' in Gothic letters. The walnut one piece grip has a flaked butt and shows strong original oil finish with several handling marks and wear at the sharp edge of the butt, it is numbered to the gun in antique ink pen on its interior. The second item in the grouping is a small, unmarked brass framed pistol with side-pivoting barrel appearing very much to be a Merwin & Bray Pocket Pistol, serial #4004, .28 Caliber RF, 3 3/4'' octagon barrel with a near good bore. Barrel is a mottled gray patina while the frame shows a dull ocher patina over all. The walnut grips are in very good shape and are numbered to the gun on their interior. The back strap is period engraved ''Taken From A Reb/Aboard The Joanna Ward''. Frank H. Pulsifer entered the Revenue Marine Cutter Service on September 15, 1859 as 1st Assistant Engineer aboard the cutter Harriet Lane, a side-wheel ocean steamer, and was aboard her when she took part in the unsuccessful relief of Fort Sumter during the first week of the Civil War. While lying off Fort Sumter with three U.S. Navy warships, the Harriet Lane fired a shot across the bow of the steamer Nashville which tried to enter Charleston without showing her colors and in so so-doing, fired the first shot of the War by a U.S. government vessel. Following the surrender of the fort, the Harriet Lane transported Major Robert Anderson, the garrison commander, personnel, and the garrison flag to the waiting fleet for transport north and reassignment. For the remainder of 1861, Harriet Lane was assigned to blockade duties in the Chesapeake, took part in the bombardment and capture of Fort Hatteras and Fort Clark in North Carolina, and engaged Confederate forces at Freestone Point, Virgina (this last engagement as a U.S. Naval vessel, the Lane having been transferred from the Revenue Service to the Naval department on September 17). On February 24, 1862, while cruising off the coast of Florida, the U.S.S. Harriet Lane, under the command of Lieutenant John M. Wainwright, intercepted a schooner running under a Spanish flag, which proved to be the Joanna Ward, a Confederate blockade runner, and captured her (this incident is related on page 38 of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, Series I, Volume 18). This is when Pulsifer ''liberated'' the pistol from a member of the Joanna Ward's crew. Soon after this incident, Pulsifer was detached from Harriet Lane and reassigned to a different ship, eventually serving on 13 different vessels during an active duty career which lasted until his retirement as a Lieut. Commander on May 4, 1905 (by contrast, Harriet Lane ended the war as a Confederate blockade runner herself, having been captured by the Rebels in 1863!). Pulsifer lived out his retirement in Auburn, NY, and died on April 18, 1922; the longest serving Coast Guard officer at the time. Included with the lot is loose-leaf binder containing copies of National Archives records, U.S.C.G. pension requests and affidavits, photocopied newspaper articles, and book excerpts pertaining to Pulsifer and the storied ship on-which he served during the first year of the War. The front of the binder has a modern, enlarged copy of a tintype photo of Pulsifer in double breasted frock coat with cuff stripes and shoulder boards of a 3rd Lieutenant/Assistant Engineer, wearing a U.S.R.M. kepi, and U.S. Model 1852 Naval Officer's Sword. The sword is the final item in the lot and measures 34 1/2'' overall with a 29'' slightly curved, single edged blade having wide and narrow fullers with 3/4 length etched panels. The ricasso is dated 1862 on the obverse and retailer marked on the reverse panel ''W.G./MINTZER/Philadelphia''. The steel has an overall gray patina with darkly mottled freckling on the forte and at the tip, and has well defined, etched floral scroll and nautical motif decorations with ''U.S.N.'' on the reverse. The standard naval brass hilt has traces of original gilt finish on protected areas with dull ocher-yellow on the balance and has a well worn shagreen grip with intact wire wrap, the shagreen covering flaking and separated. The black leather scabbard is in fine shape with lightly crackled but still supple leather and lightly tarnished brass furniture. This is an impressive group of items belonging to a man who served his country for over 40 years and took part in some of the important early events of the Civil War. (3,9120-1) {ANTIQUE} Categories: Terms and conditions GENERAL STATEMENTS • All bidders must register and obtain a bidding number in order to participate in the auction; in so-doing they agree to abide by the terms and conditions of the sale. Absentee/Telephone bidders must register by filling out and signing an absentee bid sheet, online bidders must register per the online terms of registration. • The highest bidder acknowledged by the auctioneer shall become the owner upon the fall of the hammer. The auctioneer has sole discretion in the case of a dispute among bidders. • Amoskeag Auction Company, Inc. has taken great care in the preparation of the descriptions in this catalog. Although we believe everything in the descriptions to be true, we do not guarantee any part of any description. We recommend that the bidders view the items in person and form their own opinions as to condition, originality, origin, etc. Amoskeag Auction Company, Inc. will consider all requests for refunds. If a customer is unhappy with a purchase we will be happy to discuss a remedy with them. • All requests for refunds must be made within 30 days of the sale date. Therefore, it is important that absentee bidders pay for their items in a timely fashion. All requests for refunds received after 30 days of the sale date will not be considered. • Amoskeag Auction Company, Inc. reserves the right to reject any bid in order to protect our consignors interests. • Reserves: A very few lots will be offered with reserve. In cases where items are reserved, a bid of the low estimate will always exceed the reserve. Reserves will be bid by the auctioneer as an opening bid so any bid taken from the floor or the phone is a live bid above the reserve amount. • Bidding on any item in the sale indicates the bidder’s full acceptance and understanding of all terms and conditions of sale. PAYMENT POLICY • Invoices are payable upon receipt. Amoskeag Auction Company, Inc. will accept cash, check, MasterCard, Visa, Discover and American Express as payment for items purchased. 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New Hampshire residents over the age of 21 may take possession of any firearm on day of sale providing the proper paperwork is filled out and the transfer has been approved either through the NH State Police or the FBI NICS System. While most NICS and State approvals are immediate, approvals could take up to 3 days. Most non-residents may take possession of long guns on day of sale after completing the proper forms and successfully completing a NICS check; modern handguns will need to be shipped to an FFL holder in the buyer’s home state. Buyer is responsible for any and all shipping charges and all items must be paid for on day of sale. Bidders should be familiar with their local and state laws as Amoskeag Auction Co., Inc. will not be responsible for any parties purchasing items which may not be possessed in, or shipped, to their state of residence. 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NOTE: Phone bids MUST be arranged by 5:00pm ON THURSDAY prior to the sale. • All absentee/telephone bidder invoices are mailed within a few days of the sale, on-line invoices are issued by end of business on the Tuesday following the sale; all invoices are due upon receipt. Invoices are to be paid either by cash or check, or by credit cards listed above. All items not paid for within 20 business days from sale date shall be considered abandoned as well as any deposit that was made on those items and Amoskeag Auction Company, Inc. shall have sole discretion as to their disposal. WARNING Amoskeag Auction Company, Inc. does not warranty the safety of any article it sells. Therefore, we recommend that, before you use any firearm, purchased here or anywhere else, you have it examined by a qualified gunsmith to determine whether or not it is safe to use.
