Artillery / Shells

BEAUTIFUL & Rare (For Gettysburg!)

CS 20-Pounder 3.67" Read/Parrott Shell

Dug From Spangler's Spring Area

Acquired by Wes Small, of the Horse Soldier, From the Digger

Sold Through The Horse Soldier

Original Letter of Sale from Wes Small/Horse Soldier To Accompany This Rare Beauty!

There weren't but several Confederate 20-pounder Parrott Rifles at the Battle of Getysburg, as any astute historian of the battle will attest to....so CS 20-pounder shells/ordnance is FEW and FAR BETWEEN to be seen coming out of Gettysburg!!!!  This 3.67" C.S. 20 pounder has the copper/brass paper time fuse adaptor intact, as well as the completely INTACT iron sabot around the base, and is clearly a fired specimen.  This is the one I was going to have cleaned up, but decided to let the new owner decide.  The "41" was put there by the digger - I imagine for cataloging, and has the note from the digger (as seen in the Horse Soldier Letter of Sale shown below).  It sure is sweet and I'll bet it would clean up very nicely.  A RARE piece of Gettysburg iron FOR SURE!!!  Go find another one!  Good luck....

$1398

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More Gettysburg & Geiselman BEAUTY & RARITY!

Gettysburg US 3" Complete Hotchkiss Shell

Picked-Up Right After the Battle at Zeigler's Grove

(Zeigler's Grove is where the old Cyclorama was)

Purchased Through the Horse Soldier When they Acquired and Sold the Remainder of the World-Famous Geiselman Collection in the past several years

Original Horse Soldier Letter of Sale/Authenticity Included

More from the WORLD-RENOWN GEISELMAN GETTYSBURG COLLECTION!!!!  Indeed.....REAL MUSEUM QUALITY AND RARITY Gettysburg antiquities!  This being a complete and fired U.S. 3" Hotchkiss shell found in Zeigler's Grove (where the old Cyclorama was located) on the Gettysburg field and is from the famous Geiselman collection.  An early battlefield recovery that is untouched, uncleaned, and uncoated - simply beautiful in EVER FACET.  Brass fuse holder is UNDAMAGED and its SOLID and GORGEOUS in every way.  The Hotchkiss and patent info is clearly visible on the bottom of the base.  The number on the base is from the consignor/current owner's sticker for cataloging.  Bought through the Horse Soldier when they acquired and sold the VAST remaining Geiselman Collection (which you can still see on the Horse Soldier's website!)  With this shell comes the Horse Soldier's official Letter of Sale/Authenticity, describing the shell in great detail, the Geiselman collection, history, et al. 

Oh yeah...you know how I like my "heavy metal"....RARE, MINTY CONDITION, and HISTORIC in the EXTREME!  The fact that it's form the world-famous Geiselman collection just puts it "over-the-top"!!!!

$1398

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Even MORE SUPERB & HISTORIC,

Gettysburg US 3" Schenkl Shell

Battlefield Pick-Up by the Virginia Monument

(Formation for Pickett's Charge)

From the World-Famous/Renown Geiselman Collection

Well, this one didn't "make the cut" into O'Donnell's "Relics of Gettysburg" book....BECAUSE YOU CAN'T LITERALLY PICTURE EVERYTHING!!!!  But this baby is yet another Geiselman, world-renown, pioneer Gettysburg battlefield pick-up collector.  This 3" BEAUTY was found almost next to where the famous Virginia Monument is located today.  Although no-one can ever say for sure, it was ALMOST CERTAINLY fired during the famous cannonade on July 3, 1863 proceeding Pickett's Charge / Longstreet's Assault.  It is the wider version Schenkl-nose, that allowed a maximum load of case shot--which would AGAIN further the CASE that this was during the infamous cannonade before Pickett's Charge.  Never cleaned or coated in any way.  Only remnants of the fuse remain and the inner cavity is fully visible.

And this one is even a little cheaper!  NOTARIZED Letter of Sale/Authenticity from the current collector/owner for the future owner.

THIS WAS PURCHASED THROUGH THE "HORSE SOLDIER" IN GETTYSBURG, when THEY ACQUIRED AND SOLD THE REMAINDER OF THE GEILSELMAN COLLECTION.  Below is their Letter of Sale/Authenticity....you can go onto the Horse Soldier's website and see it for YOURSELF!

$1398

SUPERB, HISTORIC, & PUBLISHED !!!

US 3" Complete Schenkl Shell

Battlefield Pick-Up in the "Valley of Death", Gettysburg

(The Valley between the Round Tops and Devil's Den)

U.S. 3" Schenkl shell that was once a part of the world famous Geiselman Collection.  This shell was an early battlefield recovery found in The Valley of Death between the Roundtops and Devil's Den at Gettysburg.  It is now published on page 149 of Mike O'Donnell's new book Gettysburg Relics (I think that's the title).  It's Schenkl brass percussion fuse is dated Oct. 16, 1861.  In original, as found early pickup condition - never cleaned or coated in any way.  Drilled on one side to disarm.  They just don't come any better than this--straight from the truly WORLD-FAMOUS, PIONEER Gettysburg Collector.  And yes...you have to pay PREMIUM for PREMIUM, PREMIERE Gettysburg authentic, published artifacts from such a world-famous collection...

Sale Pending

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Flawless Dug CS 6-Pounder on Intact Sabot & Straps!

From the Famous Milledgeville, Georgia Arsenal Site

CLEAR CS Mold Seam, INTACT Original Tin Straps (still LOOKING LIKE TIN, and NOT Crusty Rust!)

NO PITTING, Damage, or Repairs WHATSOEVER

If you know me, I love my "heavy metal" to be FLAWLESS, RARE, and CONFEDERATE!  And here's an END-OF-THE-ROAD STUNNING EXAMPLE!!!  From the famous cache recovered from the Milledgeville, Georgia , where the Milledgeville Confederate Arsenal dumped the munitions and weapons they couldn't take with them.  This specimen is the FINEST example I have personally had, let alone SEEN recovered from the site!  NO PITTING....INTACT TIN STRAPS that aren't crusty remnants, but actually STILL LOOK LIKE some SHINY TIN!  Wooden sabot intact, of course, with the usual slight shrinkage from being in the water--but it was the water/mud that preserved this and other specimens from the site so well!  CLEAR CS crude mold seam....it's ALL SO GOOD!

If you've got "Georgia on your mind"--or want the FINEST CS 6-pounder on intact sabot and straps....look no further.  No need to upgrade with this one.  "End-of-the-road fine" as Larry Hicklen would say!

$699  Layaway

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Superb Non-Dug 3-Pound US Ketchum Hand Grenade

Original, PERFECT CONDITION Grenade

With EXCELLENT, AUTHENTICALLY REPRODUCED Tail Section with Fins, Patent Mark, and Plunger

Used almost exclusively at the sieges of Port Hudson, Louisiana and Vicksburg, Mississippi, the US Ketchum hand grenade was a revolutionary step in development and advancement of the hand-held grenade that soldiers could you--because it was truly one that would/could only explode precisely on contact.  "Grenadiers" had been formations of soldiers used around the world for well over 100 years before the Civil War--soldiers who were equipped with small, essentially cannonballs that had to be fuse-lit and thrown....giving the enemy time to pick it up and throw it back, or the fuse to burn-out, or get snuffed-out if it hit into the ground just right.  The design Ketchum came up with was incredibly unique and advanced, having an aerodynamic form, with stabilizing tail with heavy-paper fins, and a large plunger that once thrown and the grenade landed on the plunger, the plunger would be pushed-in upon impact, striking a simple percussion musket cap, and immediately ignite the grenade.  If you'll notice, NERF makes a throwing toy EXACTLY copied from the Ketchum hand grenade design!!!  Thus proving the design was revolutionary and advanced for it's age in the 1860's, with forethought into aerodynamics.  However, in actual combat siege conditions, the Ketchum hand grenade proved to be far less effective than as designed.  This was mainly due to the fact that the US soldiers throwing them had to throw UP and HIGH to reach into the CS well-fortified entrenchments.  Many simple never made it into the trenches, and landed on their sides in the dirt.  Others would arc over the entrenchments, but again land not on the plunger directly.  It was well noted by US soldiers at Vicksburg and Port Hudson that the Ketchum hand grenade was less than effective, and even quoted in one report that, "they were more deadly against our own troops, as the rebels would take the many that did not detonate, and thrown them directly down upon us with great effect...".

The original 3# hand grenade is in the most perfect iron, non-dug condition, still retaining the original lead plunger adaptor at the nose.  A truly professional and MUSEUM-QUALITY job of making the reproduction plunger, wooden tail, heavy paper tail fins, and the correct Patent marking that each grenade was stamped with, makes this a most outstanding display piece, and impossible to upgrade from....unless, of course, you can find one with the original tail, fins, and plunger!   But you find any for sale anytime soon, and if you did, it would cost you THOUSANDS.

Here you get all the beauty, display and eye-appeal, all wrapped into this outstanding technological and educational piece of the Civil War's history....

SALE PENDING

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Phenomenal Unfired CS 24# Bormann Shell Intact On Wooden Sabot!

Found Decades Ago From Vicksburg

Clear High-Lip CS Bormann-Fuze, Clear Strap Remnants, Great Remaining Sabot

I like my "heavy metal" to be big, beautiful, rare, Confederate, and from Vicksburg!  AND THIS IS IT!  This beauty was excavated decades ago (probably from a creek where the water protected the wooden sabot to survive intact as it has).  It is a clear 24-Pounder, Confederate "high-lip" flat/straight-channel Bormann-fuzed shell.  Obviously unfired--tin strap remnants seen CLEARLY on all sides, with ball firmly stcuk to it's wooden sabot, and Bormann fuze unpunched.  Gorgeous white CS soft-metal/pewter patina to the fuze, though given the poorer quality of CS metal, the numbers are totally illegible (their metal was poorer quality, and thus "softer" metal, and the ground/water action just caused the facial impartations of the seconds and hash-marks to fade with time).  It has been professionally cleaned and coated with wax to preserve this remarkable, rare beauty for generations to come.  The Confederates emplyed a LOT of 24-pounders in their siege works, and this must have been dumped in a creek to keep from the Yankees after surrendering, or who knows.  All I know is--HOW OFTEN DO YOU GET A SHOT AT BUYING A CS 24-POUNDER BORMANN-FUZED INTACT SHELL ON WOODEN SABOT!?!?

$798

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NICE 24# US Bormann-Fuzed Shell

Another great example of the far rarer 24-pound US Bormann-fuzed shell, an early-war shell (as the US would phase them out by the middle of the war, though the South would use them until the very end).  This one has the fuze intact--though obviously the fuse-trail has burned-through, so no legible seconds to read.  The shell is a dark, slick beauty, professionally cleaned and coated to be preserved for generations to come.  Only the most minor, moderate ground action.  A quality example at a VERY affordable price!  Not getting any cheaper these days, my friends...

$395

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Dug 3.8' US James "Birdcage" Type I Bolt

From the Fateful Battle of Port Gibson (MS) May 1st, 1861

Recovered Recently by my friend Don Lackey

FULL Battle Maps, USGS Topo Maps of where precisely found

You've had the chance of seeing some of the killer early-dug (1970's) quality relics that my buddy Don Lackey found upon the Port Gibson Battlefield....now you get to see the difference the decades make!  Someone who really wants a STEAL of a deal could take this piece and perform electrolysis and make it beautiful!  I can provide a USGS topo map to show precisely where it was recovered  A really cool Type I "Birdcage" James Bolt fired against Pettus' Confederate "Flying Artillery" Battery.

Only the VERY ASTUTE historians know about the Battle of Port Gibson--because it was indeed the "beginning of the end" of the South for the entire War.  Over the previous months, Grant had tried 6 different operations to either take, bypass altogether, or force the Confederate abandonment of Vicksburg from the protection across the rivers of the mighty Mississippi River, and from the Yazoo River running into the Mississippi.  The mighty "Gibraltar of the West"--Vicksburg--bristled with heavy guns...heavy enough to sink and damage enough of Grant's navy and transport ships.  His attempt at sending Sherman at the end of 1862 in the Chickasaw Bayou attacks were disastrous, to say the least.  Other expeditions up tributaries of the Yazoo were equally for naught, as was the debacle of trying to build a  canal cutting across land in the low, Louisiana swampy flat-lands west of Vicksburg.  Lincoln made very simple and clear regarding the war and how important Vicksburg was to it's victory or defeat: "Vicksburg is the key...with the key in our pocket, we can open the door to [total] victory...".  Grant failed miserably at the previous 6 attempts...but as we all know--his greatest strength was his tenacity despite ALL COSTS of lives or failures.  He decided to make an extremely risky run past the deadly guns of Vicksburg, and lower Warrenton, and THEN the bristling fortress at Grand Gulf further south of Vicksburg on the Mississippi River.  But after successfully having his navy and transports run the gauntlets, AND his entire army march overland on the western bank of the river on the Louisiana side, by the last days of April 1863, Grant was ready to make THE LARGEST AMPHIBIOUS LANDING OF US ARMED FORCES until D-Day in 1944.  Crossing at a small, sleepy town of Bruinsburg, Mississippi, Grant's landings were unopposed...but Pemberton knew that Grant had at least 36,000 men that were crossing somewhere below Grand Gulf, and assumed correctly that Port Gibson would be the perfect place he would head inland to, in order to follow the Natchez Trace/Jackson Road further inland to make his encirclement of Vicksburg.  Under a clear and full moon-lit night, just after midnight of May 1st, 1863, the scouts and skirmishers of CS Brig. General Green's Arkansas Brigade made first contact and exchange of gunfire around the Shaifer house on the lower Bruinsburg road.  Grant's 36,000 men ran into the tiny "roadblock" of this single brigade of stalwart Arkansans under the moonlight, and both sides began an immediate night attack--both sides bringing up artillery and volley fire against each other for several hours, until the moon had set, and it was too dark (one of the VERY FEW TRUE NIGHT ENGAGEMENTS of the ENTIRE WAR.)

In the soft glow of the rising sun, Grant sent TWO entire DIVISIONS against the 2,000 strong Brigade of Arkansans waiting in battleline long the Magnolia church and ridge, and only 6 cannon (later reduced to 4).  Another US Division was sent on a plantation road to the north and ran into CS Brig. Gen'l Tracy's Alabama single Brigade guarding that approach to the upper Bruinsburg Road.  What ensued in the cane-choked, knife-like cut ridges, ravines, and rivulets was a nightmarish fight--with the some 4,000 Confederates fending-off 30,000+ Yankees under Grant.  After staunch fighting both by Green's Arkansans, and Tracy's Alabamians (Tracy being killed himself), both sides held their ground for HOURS against overwhelming odds against them.  Finally, though, the sheer weight, might, and numbers of Yankees broke-through Green's line at Magnolia Church, capturing 2 cannon and many men (most from the 15th and 19th Arkansas).  Even a dead Confederate was recovered on the backside of this area, which are THE SOLDIER'S REMAINS that are within the "TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN CONFEDERATE SOLDIER" in Beauvoir, Mississippi--Jeff Davis' home and National museum in Biloxi, MS!  Green's men fled back to yet another position to the rear behind a creek, atop a high ridge, and continued to fend-off the relentless Federal assaults.  Earlier in the morning, word was quickly sent to Cockrell's Missouri Brigade stationed some 15 miles away and above within Grand Gulf to EVACUATE Grand Gulf, and come at once to stem the Yankee invasion.  Cockrell's grand Missourians arrived late in the afternoon--split their forces and battery to both the Arkansans and Alabamians, and thus at most, finally had around 6,000 men to try to stave-off the now 36,000 Yankees under Grant.  In the waning light of sunset, the clear and only choice for the profusely outnumbered Confederates was to retreat through the town of Port Gibson, head north toward Vicksburg, and guard the river crossings and await further reinforcement from Pemberton's Army of Mississippi stationed all around the Vicksburg general vicinity. 

Now THAT, my friends, is the REAL HISTORY of the Battle of Port Gibson...LARGEST AMPHIBIOUS LANDING of US FORCES until D-Day (Port Gibson is often referred to as the "D-Day of the Civil War"), the valor, determination, and courage of so few Confederates to wholly withstand and clog Grant's advance for 24 hours, despite outnumbered 6-to1.

 Really "killer" piece of history here for such a small price!

$298  Sale Pending

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Nearly FLAWLESS 3.67" US Hotchkiss Shell

FULL, CRISP Lead Sabot with Rifling

Excellent Iron Anvil-Nosed Fuse

Legible Hotchkiss Patent Base Cup

Another most excellent iron condition, Vicksburg beauty (got to LOVE that special "Loess" soil that keeps our iron GORGEOUS!), this intact and fired 3.67, WITH clear and legible Hotchkiss base information on the base cup itself, has everything going for it.  It is nearly flawless--virtually no ground action or pitting whatsoever, with the slickest, dark metal surface, and that BEAUTIFUL, COMPLETE fired lead sabot intact, showing the crisp rifling from being fired from a rifled 6-pounder gun.  Even the iron anvil-nosed percussion fuze is spectacular.

"Collector's-grade" quality with this one--hard to upgrade to a better specimen, as there aren't many to be had!

$450  Sale Pending

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Extremely Scarce 1861-Dated Schenkl Percussion Fuzed 2.9" Read/Parrott Shell

Extremely rare specimen!  Now many 2.9" Read/Parrott shells do you get to see with the earliest Schenkl percussion fuse (1861 patent dated)?  Well, you're looking at one now!  Beautiful brass fuse with legible Schenkl maker's mark and October 1861 patent date, this dark beauty even had the 100% intact iron sabot around the base.  It is clearly a fired specimen, showing the rilfing marks on the sabot.  Coming from the Atlanta Campaign, this will make my fellow "iron maidens" out there happy to have this one!

$498

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Original English Whitworth Ammo Crate

Recovered by Divers Decades Ago from the Famous Blockade Runner "Modern Greece"

Still Retaining TWO British 2.75" Whitworth Bolts Inside

Outstanding Non-Dug British 2.75" Whitworth Bolt

You have grown to expect no less than the very best from Champion Hill Relics...and this rare Confederate-imported, British made Whitworth breechloading rifled cannon 2.75" bolt is ALL THAT!  Clearly an unfired and non-dug specimen, it is in EXCEPTIONAL condition, with the lathe-finishing marks seen vividly in between the grooving, and the lathe dimple in the nose clearly present.  These were the finest, most technologically-advanced, longest-ranged field cannon in the world during the 1860's, and the South prized the few they could run through the blockade and equip her desperate batteries with.  The 12-pounder 2.75" Caliber British Whitworth Rifle and her ammunition holds a certain "mystique" and "awe" over any collector.  No serious Confederate collection will EVER be complete without one--and this is the finest non-dug specimen you could ever hope for.  Not a nick or scratch anywhere.  Sheer British and Confederate PERFECTION!

SOLD

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Beautiful 3" CS "Snyder's Bluff" Read Bolt

Found From The Famous CS Snyder's Bluff Blown Ammo Dump

(Retreating Confederates Into the Vicksburg Defenses Blown the Dump)

I know just about every digger in this area--and seen just about every specimen--that was found from the blown Confederate magazine along the Snyder's Bluff Confederate fortifications and defenses above the NE corridor of the Yazoo River (the Yazoo flows south into the Mississippi River at Vicksburg, and thus was heavily defended by the Confederates against an approach from the North by the Yankees).  After the disastrous defeats for the South at Champion Hill (May 16th,) and the following day at the Big Black River, Pemberton had to order his entire spread-out forces to sadly pull within the inner defenses of Vicksburg for the inevitable siege.  With such short notice, the Confederates tried to pull away as much munitions and cannon as they could (as time and resources for moving allowed), and the rest had to be abandoned.  They spiked the heavy guns, and blew the munitions they couldn't bring with them.  The Confederate Engineer in charge of the demolition wrote that when the dump blew, it "threw me several feet into the air--I being the closest and last person from the magazine after lighting the fuse...."   In the early days of relic hunting, local pioneer relic hunters found the blown crater easily--and to their delight (amongst many other relics) were these extremely scarce 3" CS Read Bolts.  They are now simply referred to as "Snyder's Bluff" Reads by many in the community, since it is essentially the only place where they are found.  Given our soil content, the iron is usually very good on our projectiles and iron relics around here--and this is yet another classic specimen in the typical condition that you find them in.  Solid and stable, with that most beautiful intact, unfired brass sabot.  Has the classic off-center bourelets, long and thick brass sabot (not high copper content on these babies--better quality from early production runs from the Selma Arsenal), and lathe dimple on the bottom.  You can see even the mold anomalies in the brass sabot (gas bubbles or sand inclusions, probably).  Being a very rare Selma Arsenal product, this is just another fine rare Confederate piece of iron to add to your collection and display.

To the future owner, I will provide a USGS TOPO MAP with precise location of the magazine where this was found, AND original wartime map showing the corresponding location, as well. 

$798  SOLD

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Unworldly Rare UNFIRED CS 3.3" Imitation James Bolt

RARITY 10 !!!  A true "HOLY GRAIL" of Projectiles!

Unfired, Intact Full Lead SABOT!!!!

Recovered from the Small Port Hudson Cache

Was Ammunition for the lone 3.5" CS-Made Blakely Rifle, Made by the Leeds Foundry in Downtown New Orleans!

That Lone Blakely Rifle Made by Leeds Foundry is on Display at the West Point Museum today as a "War Trophy"!!!!

Indeed, amongst the "Holiest of Holies", the 3.3" CS-made "imitation" James Bolt is (as the top projectile collectors will tell you) among the "Top 5" list of "most wanted" projectiles!!!!  Given that less than a dozen are known to exist (2 fired specimens from Shiloh, both without ANY lead sabot remaining, and the others being unfired specimens from Port Hudson), these beauties are a sight to behold.  I have NEVER personally seen one with my own two eyes until this one, if that means or says ANYTHING to you!  This one is unfired, with the full lead sabot intact.  Absolutely perfectly slick iron, except a couple typical "Port Hudson" tiny chips off the side of the nose and around the base, but as you see in the photo's, they are indeed MINOR.  A soldier/artillerist carved into on side of the lead sabot (perhaps purposely done to expand the lead outward--remember, this is a 3.3" bolt that was going to be fired out of a 3.5" diameter bore, so I think this was indeed the case!)  You can look up inside the base and see the beautiful "birdcage" iron ribbing, imitating the US Type I James "Birdcage" projectile.

The last one of these sold at Julia's Auction for $4000, and then sold to a collector for $5000!

You can save thousands with this one!!!

$2999  SOLD

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CS 3.67" Selma Arsenal "G" Stamped Brooke Shell

CLEAR SELMA "G" STAMPING IN SABOT

Rarity 9+ (Less than 20 known to exist ANYWHERE!)

Recovered from Battle of Nickajack Creek, Gerogia -- Originally from Jack Melton, Projectile "GURU"

Let the parade of RARE and CONFEDERATE artifacts BEGIN!  And this is just the start, my friends.  Offered here is a beautiful and ultra-rare (less than 20 known to exist) Selma Arsenal-made WITH the SELMA ARSENAL "G" PRODUCTION STAMPING vividly clear stamped into the copper, full, and intact sabot.  These have been found only at the Battle of Nickajack Creek, just outside of Atlanta, during the Atlanta Campaign.  Originally coming from the "GURU" of all things iron, Mr. Jack Melton himself (native and still living not far from Nickajack Creek!), this beauty can now be YOURS.  The specially-made "Brooke" fuze time adaptor is wonderfully intact.  The GORGEOUSLY ORIGINAL & INTACT (beware of specimens that have sabot's "attached" and "married" to these rare babies!) copper sabot disk with iron nut and bolt attaching it to the shell base it just PERFECT!  Iron shows only the most minimal and expected ground action--no big chunks, pits, or iron loss AT ALL.  Can still see lathe finishing marks and the demarcation from the nose area of casting to the finished/lathed side.

Not much more to say on this one.  Full provenance as to where it was dug (bet if you look, you'll find only ONE CS BATTERY of 20-pounder Parrott's that could have fired these, so probably ID'ed to the CS battery!), coming straight from projectile "guru" Jack Melton himself, and so beautifully rare with great eye appeal, and that stunning Selma Arsenal "G" stamping.  I'm in love!!!!!

$1999  SOLD

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Gorgeously Slick CS 3" Archer Bolt Projectile

One of my few "claims to fame" in relic hunting is that I have actually dug an exact condition and kind of exclusively Confederate designed and made Archer projectile!  For any relic hunter, finding one of these is a "Holy Grail" moment!  This one is an EXTREMELY early-dug specimen....and boy, does it show!  Virtually free from ANY real surface/ground action, it only shows the true quality of iron artifacts/projectiles that came out of the ground, requiring NO CLEANING or COATING for preservation!  Obviously fired, since it is missing the sabot, it is about as fine of this type of CS Archer as you will have a chance to own anytime soon!  You can see the "dimples" that were casted into the concentric and decreasing-sized tail "rings"--which were designed to help the lead sabot stay attached/grip to the projectile upon firing. 

Oh so nice....

SOLD

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Yet Again, FINEST CS 3" "Snyder's Bluff" Read Bolt

Found From The Famous CS Snyder's Bluff Blown Ammo Dump

(Retreating Confederates Into the Vicksburg Defenses Blown the Dump)

I know just about every digger in this area--and seen just about every specimen--that was found from the blown Confederate magazine along the Snyder's Bluff Confederate fortifications and defenses above the NE corridor of the Yazoo River (the Yazoo flows south into the Mississippi River at Vicksburg, and thus was heavily defended by the Confederates against an approach from the North by the Yankees).  After the disastrous defeats for the South at Champion Hill (May 16th,) and the following day at the Big Black River, Pemberton had to order his entire spread-out forces to sadly pull within the inner defenses of Vicksburg for the inevitable siege.  With such short notice, the Confederates tried to pull away as much munitions and cannon as they could (as time and resources for moving allowed), and the rest had to be abandoned.  They spiked the heavy guns, and blew the munitions they couldn't bring with them.  The Confederate Engineer in charge of the demolition wrote that when the dump blew, it "threw me several feet into the air--I being the closest and last person from the magazine after lighting the fuse...."   In the early days of relic hunting, local pioneer relic hunters found the blown crater easily--and to their delight (amongst many other relics) were these extremely scarce 3" CS Read Bolts.  They are now simply referred to as "Snyder's Bluff" Reads by many in the community, since it is essentially only where they are found.  Given our soil content, the iron is usually very good on our projectiles and iron relics around here--but this one is truly of the finest quality of the specimens I've seen from Snyder's.  I've seen others as equally good, yes---but none better.  No pitting whatsoever.  Virtually free from any ground action.  The most beautiful green patina on the brass sabot.  There is the ever-so-slight push in one tiny area of the sabot--only showing and attesting to it's violent trauma it endured in the explosion.  Has the classic off-center bourelets, long and thick brass sabot (not high copper content on these babies--better quality from early production runs from the Selma Arsenal), and lathe dimple on the bottom.  You can see even the mold anomalies in the brass sabot (gas bubbles or sand inclusions, probably).  Being a very rare Selma Arsenal product, this is as "good as it gets".  No need to ever upgrade with this one.

To the future owner, I will provide a USGS TOPO MAP with precise location of the magazine where this was found, AND original wartime map showing the corresponding location, as well.  Coming from the same collection as the CS super-fine "Clip Corner" buckle above, you get a taste of the quality this collector has--with more on the way!!!

SOLD

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Ultra-Rare 3.5" CS 1861 Britten Segmented Shell

From The Personal Collection of Thomas Dickey

Considered the FINEST CONDITION Fired Dug Specimen

Rarity 9+ (Less than 24 known to exist), coming from the personal collection of Dickey, author & artillery "guru"

Has FULLY REMOVABLE Brass Britten Percussion Fuze

As you, my faithful followers, friends, and clients all know too well, I strive to acquire and offer you only the finest of the fine....best of the best.  Offered for sale here is what is considered the finest excavated fired Britten Shell known in the collecting community.  And what else would you expect coming from the personal collection of Thomas Dickey himself--author of the paramount artillery field projectile reference book we all have.  This 1861 Confederate-imported and used British rifled projectile (patent #585) had a unique segmented interior and equally unique Britten patented brass percussion fuze cap and system, which have been given the rarity value by George and Dickey of 9+, meaning less than 24 known to exist to this day.  And this IS the finest of the fine!  Full lead cup sabot, showing beautiful and clear 7 rifling grooves from the 3.5" Blakely rifle which fired it.  So few of these Blakely Rifles and their corresponding 3.5" Britten Shells were able to be imported to the South, but they were prized weapons in the hands of their gunners--and feared greatly by their foe.  The brass percussion cap screws on and off with perfect ease, exposing the percussion system's interior.  Virtually flawless in metal condition, it displays as perfect as you could ever hope for.

It is, after all, recognized as the finest specimen known to exist!  Find the rarest CS button or belt buckle specimen of any kind, and you'd pay so many thousands to possess it.  One day soon, CS artillery will be just as outrageously priced.  Better get the best CHEAP while you can!

$1595  SOLD

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Stunning Museum-Quality Non-Dug 3" Schenkl Shell w/Removable 1861-Patent Schenkl Fuse

Absolutely "Factory-New" Condition Unfired & Non-Dug Specimen -- Exactly the condition as it came from the Foundry

The sale fell-through from earlier this week, so THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE!  This is a show-stopper and jaw-dropper, my friends: remarkable original non-dug and unfired 3" Schenkl shell with fully removable 1861-patent dated Schenkl percussion fuse.  It is certainly "stunning" in every sense of the word, being in the exact condition as the day it came out of the foundry and sent to the arsenal.  It is a remarkable piece in phenomenal condition.  It doesn't have the paper-mache sabot, but I only know of a couple of examples that exist which do.  The J. P. Schenkl-marked percussion fuse is perfectly clear and legible, as is the 1861 patent date on the fuse as well.  You can un-screw the fuse out of the shell with ease, and is a perfect fit with the pristine threading.  Yes, you can fully disassemble the fuse, taking the inner plunger-disc out by unscrewing, and you can even take the small side-screw out to remove the inner percussion nipple insert (but be warned: if you take the inner percussion nipple insert out, you have to put it back in so that the screw holes align to put the screw back!  Might take you a few tries to do so!)  It is so cool to see how the very uniquely shaped and designed Schenkl shell and percussion fuse system worked, and especially on one that is clearly in "foundry-new" condition.  When's the last time you ever saw a non-dug Schenkl shell for sale? 

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