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As noted in the description for the Model 1895 carbine presented by Hegeman to General Miles, Hegeman may have had first hand experience with this model when it was being evaluated for use by the New York National Guard. As laid out in an included copy of
his military record, Captain John Rogers Hegeman Jr. (1872-1923) enlisted as a private in Company E of the 7th New York Regiment on December 19, 1892. He
was promoted to corporal on January 7, 1897, and was the inspector of small arms practice with the rank of captain in the 108th Regiment on July 19, 1898. Later that year, he was assigned to the 5th Brigade as acting aide-de-camp on December 24. On October 6, 1899,
he is listed as the assistant inspector of small arms practice for the 5th Brigade. On July 1, 1901, his is listed as “supernumerary” indicating he was fulfilling several roles and assigned to the 1st Brigade. That November he was listed as assistant inspector of small arms practice for the 1st Brigade. On April 11, 1905, he was the inspector of small arms practice and the ordnance officer for the 1st Brigade with the rank of major. He remained a major in the Ordnance Department until 1912 when he reverted to captain and then finally retired on October 17, 1913.
In addition to his duty with the New York National Guard, Hegeman, a millionaire, was active in many elite social organizations. His father was the president of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. and also had numerous other business connections. He famously oversaw the completion of the 700 foot Met Life Tower built at 1 Madison Avenue, the tallest building from 1903-1913. The younger Hegeman served as one of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company’s assistant secretaries and directors. By the time of his
death in 1923, the company was listed as “The World’s Largest Life Insurance Company.” Given his wealth and connections, Hegeman was able to assemble one of the most impressive early Colt collections, including factory prototypes, serial number one guns, and special order firearms. Rifles from his collection are scarcer, but given his role as inspector of small arms practice and his interest in firearms broadly, he certainly owned several, including very rare models. Given the notches in the stock of this rifle, he certainly appears to have favored this Winchester as his hunting rifle. When he died in 1923, he was noted as having owned a ranch next to Buffalo Bill in Montana and as having participated in Cody’s famous Wild West as a cowboy when they were touring in the East. He was also noted as a volunteer fireman and as having “made several daring rescues,” including carrying a child out a burning tenement in Manhattan in 1917.
CONDITION: Very fine with 80% of the factory blue finish remaining aside from the buttplate which
has mostly smooth gray patina. The hammer and casehardened action components have 70% case colors. The wood is fine and has stunning figure, minor wear on the otherwise crisp checkering, a small chip
at the lower right corner of the wrist, some minor scratches and dings, the noted “kill notches” (including a section of fresher notches cut after the rifle had been returned to the factory), and fairly minor overall wear for a carbine that was clearly loved and used. Mechanically excellent.
Provenance: The J.R. Hegeman Jr. Collection;
The Norm Flayderman Collection;
The Charles Shreiner III Collection;
Property of a Gentleman.
Estimate: 27,500 - 42,500
LOT 1016
Ridabock & Co. Model 1872 Cavalry Officer’s
Sword and Scabbard Inscribed for Captain John
R. Hegeman Jr. - The sword features a curved 34 inch
blade with patriotic and scroll etching and “RIDABOCK/&
Co/NEW YORK” on the right ricasso, a gilt brass hilt with a
rayed design on the front of the guard, floral patterns on
the branches, eagle and star designs on top of the guard,
and shield and floral patterns on the pommel; a wire wrapped shagreen grip, and a nickeled scabbard with rayed pattern on the drag, floral patterns on the suspension bands, “4” on the reverse below the throat, and “CAPTAIN/JOHN R./HEGEMAN/JR.” inscribed between the upper band and throat.
As discussed in the preceding description, Captain John R. Hegeman Jr. was a wealthy New Yorker and member of the New York National Guard in the 1890s and early 1900s and was for many years either an assistant inspector or inspector of small arms practice. He held the rank of major in the guard when he retired and was an officer and director of the famous Metropolitan Life Insurance Company following his father who was president of the company for many years.
This sword was sold alongside Hegeman’s
Winchester Model 1895 in the preceding lot as
well as the Model 1895 carbine he presented
to General Nelson Miles in 1899 by Norm
Flayderman to Charles Schreiner III in
1983. A copy of Flayderman’s letter
to Schreiner for the sale is
included. The two carbines
and the sword are also
featured in “Man at
Arms” Volume 1
Number 6 from
November/
December 1979
in the article
“A Matter of
Provenance” by
R.L. Wilson.
CONDITION: Very
good with aged patina
on the brass, mottled
gray and brown patina and
extensive minor oxidation visible on the blade, most of the original nickel plating on the scabbard, and crisp inscription.
Provenance: The J.R. Hegeman Jr. Collection;
The Norm Flayderman Collection;
The Charles Schreiner III Collection; Property of a Gentleman. Estimate: 4,500 - 6,500