This article surveys the field of Civil War memorabilia collecting. While it is not meant to be definitive by any means, the following guide will attempt to broadly survey this vast and incredibly rich field.

I. The War Years

The collecting of Civil War memorabilia is one of the oldest and most popular fields of contemporary militaria collecting. In fact, the taking of souvenirs from the conflict is older than the war itself: After Federal forces captured John Brown’s band of anti-slavery insurrectionists at Harper’s Ferry, (West) Virginia in 1859, avid relic hunters avidly sought weapons used by the raiders.

During the war years, soldiers and civilians on both sides partook of souvenir hunting: Soldiers routinely appropriated items captured from the enemy, such as knives, canteens, and insignia. The most valuable relic of all, in fact, remained a stand of the enemy’s colors. One of the better-known examples of souvenir collecting came in a special display put on the Metropolitan Fair, sponsored by the U.S. Sanitary Commission in New York City in 1864: Extant photographs show large, wall-sized displays of captured Confederate swords, firearms, battle flags, and items used by Union prisoners of war at the infamous Confederate stockade, Andersonville. Elsewhere, the personal affects of famous commanders were also sought after, such as buttons from the likes of Confederate Generals Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson and J.E.B. Stewart. Following the surrender at Appomattox Court House in 1865, some Confederate soldiers actually “appropriated” hairs from the tail of Traveller, the horse of General Robert E. Lee. The story of how relic hunters pillaged the house of Wilmer McClean – where the surrender ceremony actually occurred – is legendary. Only days afterward, Lincoln’s Assassination gave rise to a minor industry in relic hunting, whereby anything associated with the terrible death of the President – from the clothing of key participants to segments of a bloody pillow case – commanded high demand.

Perhaps the greatest, immediate source of relics and souvenirs came from returning war veterans. Two General Orders issued at the close of hostilities – Number 101 (May 30, 1865) and Number 114 (June 15, 1865) stated that all Federal soldiers who wished to retain the arms and accoutrements could do so by having the value deducted from their pay. The prices determined by the Ordnance Department were $6 for muskets (of all kinds, with or without accoutrements), $8 for most types of carbines and revolvers, and $3 for sabers and swords. The estimated one million Federals mustered out of service were allowed to retain, without charge, their canteens, haversacks, and knapsacks.

II. The ‘Age of the Government Auction’

After the Civil War, the hunt for souvenirs showed no signs of abetting. For years, members of the Union Army veterans organization, the Grand Army of the Republic, sold small bits cut from wood found at the old Andersonville prison compound (Elsewhere, unscrupulous dealers sold “keys” and “locks” supposedly used at the stockade to gullible tourists). Another infamous Confederate prison, Libby in Richmond, became the victim of one of the greatest souvenir hunts in American History: In 1893, the old building was purchased, systematically deconstructed, and rebuilt – brick by brick – for display the Chicago World’s Fair.

Yet, despite the budding market for Civil War memorabilia in the private market, the largest source of relics came from none other than…the United States Government. Following the cessation of hostilities, Washington found itself with an enormously large supply of no-longer-needed military equipment, arms, and ammunition. For example, after Appomattox, the Federal Government possessed close to 1.2 million unissued muskets (over and above what soldiers in the field already held). In the last year of the war alone, the Ordnance Department produced close to 800,000 sets of accoutrements. Moreover, the Federal armies seized approximately 1.3 million small arms from Confederate sources. These gigantic caches we largely eliminated through the use of public auctions. The Federal Government exercised its authority to sell war surplus based on two Congressional Acts – passed in 1825 and 1868, respectively -- which allowed Washington to sell arms so long as they were officially deemed “damaged,” “unsuitable,” and/or “unserviceable.” The exact meaning of such terms, however, was often left to the discretion of individual Government inspectors. Consequently, vast quantities of arms and equipment put up for sale often showed little use or, in the case of weapons, needed only minor repairs. Auctions often took place at Government arsenals.

Much of the “war surplus” sold by the government was eventually acquired by large, commercial retail firms: Schuyler, Hartley, and Graham and the White Brothers (both in New York) and Philadelphia W. Stokes Kirk (Philadelphia). There were other companies that bought wholesale and re-sold military items, such as the Montgomery Ward & Company. Truly vast quantities of surplus were made available: In government auctions held in 1869-1870 alone, 200,000 Springfield muskets, 20,000 Spencer carbines, 70,000 infantry accoutrement sets, 40,000 cavalry sabers, and 40,000 Enfields were put up for bid. The prices on such items, even when inflation is considered, borders on the ludicrous: The Remington Company, for example, bought 50,000 of the Springfields for $5 each; Henry repeaters sold for $12-15, Spencer carbines went for $5-7, and “unserviceable” McClellan saddles went for as little as $2.50. Frequently, these companies would re-sell the items to foreign governments.
Perhaps the most famous episode of Civil War arms being sold overseas occurred during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71). American companies engaged in selling large quantities of arms purchased at government auctions, especially France. For example, one shipment contained over 73,000 muskets, 21,000 carbines, and 55 pieces of artillery. Consider the following: Of the 94,000-plus Spencer carbines purchased by the Federal Government during the Civil War, an estimated 35,000 were eventually sold to France. In another example, 160 20-pound Parrott guns – complete with limbers and equipage -- were shipped to French Algeria. The fate of all these exported weapons would prove even more curious: After the defeat of France, the victorious Germans sold 100,000 captured Springfield muskets to Turkey for $1 each. It is estimated that the Federal Government recovered only ten cents for every dollar spent on Civil War era firearms.
The large-scale shipments of arms to France raised some concerns in Congress: Some on Capitol Hill did not want to appear to take a hostile stand against Germany, while others felt that such sales might even threaten our own national security. Congress launched an investigation, but the only tangible result were slight-tighter controls on the bidding process.

III. The “Bannerman Era”

Of all the surplus arms and militaria dealers following the Civil War, perhaps no other was as famous -- or well-known -- as Bannerman’s. Even today, collectors who peruse one of Bannerman’s legendary catalogs are overwhelmed by the sheer quantity and quality of antique military arms and equipment offered for sale. Bannerman’s was one of the largest purchasers of Civil War “surplus.” Originally founded by Francis Bannerman VI in 1865, one of his operation’s most distinguishing features was not only the vast inventory, but the location – and architecture – of the business itself: Located on Pollepel Island in the Hudson River (just 50 miles north of New York City), Bannerman’s was a full-scale, European-style castle. Bannerman actually bought the 6.5-acre island in 1900 to accommodate his growing military surplus business – a move made all the more imperative due to Bannerman’s purchase of 90% of the government’s military surplus from the Spanish-American War.

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NOTE: Construction on the elaborate structure continued until Bannerman’s death in 1918. The complex was left for abandoned in 1950. In 1967 -- after the removal of any remaining merchandise -- the island and the buildings were purchased by the State of New York. In 1969, a devastating fire destroyed most of the interior structure of the castle, leaving mostly a hollow shell. Today, passengers on the New York Central Railroad and Metro-North Railroad can clearly see the castle’s outer walls, still boldly inscribed with the words “Bannerman’s Island Arsenal.”

Bannerman’s, along with such other dealers as Robert Abel (also of New York), offered a magnificent array of original firearms, swords, and accoutrements. Even as late as the 1940’s, these dealers offered genuine Confederate swords for $15, Civil War muskets for less than $5, and genuine Model 1858 US-issue forage caps for even less.

Original artifacts could be had for a song. Even as late as the 1920’s, Civil War pieces were not generally viewed as “antique” but rather items from recent history. Afterall, many of the veterans who actually used the pieces were still alive! Ironically, there was a greater public demand for WWI surplus, because there was practical use for such items such as tents, tools, and Model 1903 Springfields. It was Revolutionary War artifacts that were considered “antique,” not Civil War items.

IV. Modern Times

Today, the field of Civil War memorabilia collecting has changed considerably. The World War II era witnessed a profound change in Civil War memorabilia collecting. Public interest was re-kindled by the Hollywood epic, Gone With the Wind (1939) and the appearance soon afterwards of historian Douglass Southhall Freeman’s best-selling studies of Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia. The Civil War Centennial (1961-1965) inaugurated a new-found public appreciation for Civil War artifacts. The concurrent growth of Civil War Roundtables, Civil War periodicals (Such as Civil War Times Illustrated), metal-detecting, and the emergence of “living history” also contributed to a heightened awareness of the value of original pieces. The national disillusionment and social malaise of the Vietnam and Watergate years convinced many Americans to turn inwards towards their historic past to re-discover a new source for patriotic inspiration and pride. With the 1776-1976 Bicentennial celebrations and the blockbuster television mini-series Roots, the interest in antiques rose to altogether dramatic new heights. Today, the profusion of print and electronic media -- from online auctions to PBS-TV’s airing of Ken Burns’ deocumentary, The Civil War (Viewed by an estimated 15 million viewers) and the highly popular Antiques Roadshow -- has made the field more popular than ever. Consequently, the prices of Civil War memorabilia have grown at an astronomical rate.

The Bannerman era is long over: A collector attempting to purchase an original Confederate sword or Civil War-issue musket would now be expected to pay thousands of dollars for a decent example. Yet today, some experts contend that there is a “second-wave” of memorabilia hitting the market, i.e. artifacts collected in the 1940s and 1950’s that are now re-appearing for sale. Indeed, most Civil War relics remain in private hands – not in museums. As we enter into the 21st century, artifacts remain plenty in number.

VI. Tips on Collecting Civil War Memorabilia

1) While you ought to enjoy collecting, it is best to approach the field with a
healthy dose of skepticism. Learn to be critical.

2) Self-education is paramount – You can never “learn too much.” Invest in
putting together your own reference library.

3) Just because some artifact dates to the nineteenth century does NOT
automatically make it “Civil War.” Too often, antique dealers and
collectors attribute an item produced between, say, 1840-1880 as
dating specifically from the years 1861-1865.

4) Despite the value of many reference books, one should not necessarily
assume that because an item is pictured in one of these books that it
was used in the Civil War. Too often, collectors attribute a matching
photo with immediate historical provenance.

5) Sometimes it is best to own only a few, higher-quality items than….to possess a larger collection of less valuable pieces.

6) Just because some item is dated or stamped “1857” or “1861,” for example, does NOT
guarantee Civil War usage. Patent dates can precede the actual manufacturing
date by up to fifty years -- or more.

7) Beware of post-war ownership: Because a musket, a pocket watch, a chess set,
or a knife once belonged to a Civil War veteran does NOT mean he actually
used it during the war years. Postwar materials are often confused as wartime pieces.

8) Beware: Reproductions of Civil War pieces are quite old – Some dating to the
late 1800’s. Items such as flags and belt buckles, for example, were
reproduced for veteran’s reunions or as historical curios.

9) Remember: There is often a difference between list (i.e. “book”) price and
selling price. An estimate of value does not necessarily correspond to what the marketplace may actually tolerate.

10) Just because you want it to be original does not make it so! Know the
difference between intentional and wishful representation.

11) A short note on Confederate items: A majority of items with actual
documentation or provenance remain quite rare. Moreover, just because an item is crudely-produced or “homemade” does not make it “Confederate.” Tin canteens, Bowie knives, and ‘cut-down’ muskets, for example, are commonly misidentified as ‘southern.’

12) Key materials -- such as brass, leather, wood, paper, and wool -- can (and are) artificially aged.

13) Items with proven provenance to a famous or epic event – a canteen used
by a soldier in the “Iron Brigade” or a Confederate sword carried at
Gettysburg – will automatically command a premium price.

14) Today, many enthusiasts go “out-of-the-box,” collecting items from events,
persons, or organizations intertwined with the War: Ku Klux Klan memorabilia, African-American collectibles, abolitionist items, GAR and UCV regalia, and political items from the Reconstruction era.

15) Given the variety – and cost – of Civil War items, it is often fortuitous for the
collector to specialize in one particular theme, event, unit, item, etc.
Remember: You can’t own it all!

Works Cited

Flayderman, Norm, Flayderman’s Guide to Antique American Firearms and
Their Values [8th ed.] (Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2001)

Graf, John F., Warman’s Civil War Collectibles (2nd ed) [Iola, WI: Krause
Publications, 2003]

Lawliss, Chuck, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Civil War Collectibles
(New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1997)

Lord, Francis, Civil War Collector’s Encyclopedia [5 vols] (Harrisburg, PA:
Stackpole Books, 1965-1989)

----------------, They Fought for the Union (Harrisburg, PA: The Telegraph Press, 1960)

----------------, “The Significance of Artifacts Recovered From the Maple Leaf,”
St. Johns Archaeological Expeditions, Inc. (www.mapleleafshipwreck.com),
1993