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LOT 1268
Historic Antebellum Era Gilt W.H. Horstmann & Co. Patriotic Motif Sword and Scabbard
Inscribed to Anti-Slavery U.S. Consul George William Gordon - The reverse folding languet is inscribed “Geo. Wm. Gordon/United States, Consul.” George William Gordon (1801-1877) served as U.S. Consul to Brazil from 1843 to 1846. “The New-England Genealogical Register” from 1878, his Boston Globe obituary from 1877, and the included printed copy of the pamphlet “The Record of George Wm. Gordon.” printed by the State Committee of the National American
Party identify Gordon as born in Exeter, New Hampshire. He was the valedictorian of the class of 1819 at the Phillips Exeter Academy. He
was a prominent merchant in Boston starting in the 1830s and was a member of the city council. He was also postmaster of Boston in
1841-1843. From 1843 to 1846, he was U.S. consul for Brazil and stationed in Rio de Janeiro. After returning to Boston, he continued to
work as a merchant and was appointed postmaster again in 1850-1853. In 1856, he ran for governor of Massachusetts as the American Party
candidate and placed third. The pamphlet noted above is in the Library of Congress and was printed to promote his campaign for governor and
focuses heavily on his work as U.S. Consul in Brazil and his work against the Atlantic slave trade and American ships participating in the trade.
Importation of slaves into the U.S. had been illegal since 1808 and became a capital offense in 1820, but American slave traders and ships mainly based
out of the northeast continued to bring loads of slaves to Brazil which was by far the biggest market for African slaves even before the U.S. and United Kingdom
outlawed the trade. Per “The Record,” Gordon sent four captains and their officers of American ships involved in the trade to the U.S. for trial for illegally engaging in
the international slave trade, but, as was typical in the period, rather than severe punishment or death, the men involved received a slap on the wrist if convicted at all.
In fact, only one U.S. citizen was ever hung for involvement in the slave trade, Nathaniel Gordon (ironic but unrelated) in 1862.
Others involved in the trade nonetheless worked to elude Gordon rather than risk arrest and confiscation of their cargo and ships,
and Gordon did secure the freedom of some of the slaves brought over during his fairly brief time as consul and also purchased
and promptly manumitted a woman and child who he then employed. In 1856-1873, he was an agent for the Liverpool & London
and Globe Insurance Company in New England, and he was also the proprietor of the Berkshire Quartz Sand Mines starting in
1858. He is buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The sword is patterned after the Model 1835 U.S.
Revenue Marine Officers sword upgraded by Horstmann with mother of pearl scales and has a 29 3/4 inch straight blade with
floral and classical martial motifs including an anchor on the reverse side, a gilt brass hilt with folding languets (one in the shape
of a spread wing patriotic bald eagle holding a stars and stripes shield and the other an oval with the inscription noted above),
mainly cast floral patterns, patriotic shields on the pommel, and mother of pearl grip scales. The scabbard is black leather with
gilt brass fittings engraved with floral designs on the drag and an eagle and shield motif on the mouth piece which has “W.H.
HORSTMANN/& CO./NEW YORK.” on the reverse.
CONDITION: Very fine with mostly bright blade with distinct etching and minor age related staining, bright hilt with strong original gilt finish, light scratches and flaking on the pearl scales, mostly dark original leather on the scabbard body showing spots of mild wear, and general minor marks and scratches throughout. This is a very attractive sword inscribed for an interesting anti-slavery U.S. official in the antebellum era.
Estimate: 5,000 - 8,000
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LOT 1269
Historic Presentation Gilt Handled Cane Inscribed to Mexican-American War Colonel George T.M. Davis - This beautiful cane is inscribed “Col, Geo T.M. Davis/from/A FRIEND/JUNE 1866” on top of the grip. George Turnbull Moore
Davis (1810-1888) was born the son of the U.S. Consul-General to the Regency of Tripoli, and spent much of his early life in New York for education and work. In July of 1832, Davis became a lawyer and moved with his family
to Alton, Illinois where he opened a law office and began to take some interest in local politics. According to correspondence held in the Libraries of Congress, Davis was, at the very least, an acquaintance of Abraham
Lincoln, and likely met him during the time they were both in Illinois. Davis wrote a letter to Lincoln in February of 1861, inviting the president-elect to stay at his house on his way to Washington D.C. for his inauguration.
There is a line in that letter, made more interesting with hindsight, which reads,
“I look forward with great pride to your inauguration as the President of these United States (including the seceding ones), and my prayer to God is, that by your honesty and integrity of purpose, you will so command the confidence and
love of the people, as to find, comparatively, but little difficulty in bringing order out of the chaos.”
As of writing it remains unclear who the “friend” was that presented this cane to Davis, but it certainly appears that President Lincoln considered him one, however, given the date of presentation on the cane (after Lincoln’s assassination), it is unlikely to have been a gift from the president himself. The gilt knob grip has extensive floral motifs along with the inscription and is fitted to an ebonized shaft tipped with brass. It measures 35 5/8 inches overall.
CONDITION: Very good, the grip retaining much of the bright polished gilt finish with a few scattered minor dings. The shaft is also very good with some scattered minor handling marks and flakes. An interesting presentation cane given to George Davis, who was in correspondence with Abraham Lincoln!
Estimate: 2,500 - 4,000