Fleischer's Auctions

Preparing our new office!

Fleischer’s Auctions is traveling across the country this month picking up consignments! We’ll be posting preview photos soon of some of the exceptional material that will be offered in our next sale.

Fleischer’s Auctions’ “Civil War & African American History Auction: Featuring the William T. Sherman Collection” Exceeds $2 Million in Prices Realized During the Two-Day Sale

William T. Sherman Collection Sells for $600,000+

COLUMBUS – Fleischer’s 2024 premier auction dedicated to Civil War & African American history achieved remarkable success on May 14th and 15th, generating a total of over 2 million dollars in prices realized across two days and 500 historic items.

The pinnacle of the auction was the inclusion of fifty lots that comprised the William T. Sherman Collection (Lots 78 – 128), which was consigned by the direct descendants of Sherman himself. The collection surpassed initial expectations by hammering for $554,900 ($674,203.50 with the buyer’s premium), over double its total estimated value. Prior to the auction, the sale of the William T. Sherman Collection made international news and was covered by the New York Times, Washington Post, Fox News, CNN, the Associated Press, and dozens of local outlets across the country.

Of particular significance was Lot 127, Sherman’s copy of George N. Barnard’s Photographic Views of Sherman's Campaign, which commanded a remarkable $174,960 (with the buyer’s premium) against an initial estimate of $60,000-80,000. Photographer George N. Barnard’s monumental work documented General William T. Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign, famous “March to the Sea,” and Carolinas Campaign. Primarily held by institutions, all intact copies of Barnard’s work are exceedingly rare. This example, however, is perhaps the most notable extant, as it was likely owned by General Sherman himself.

One of the most significant lots of Civil War artifacts offered in recent memory was Lot 128, General William T. Sherman’s wartime saber and military trunk. This historically significant pair of items with impeccable provenance realized a price of $157,950 (with the buyer’s premium).

Rounding out impressive results from the collection was Sherman’s first edition (1885) copy of Ulysses S. Grant’s The Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant (Lot 101). The book is considered one of the finest memoirs by a president or general, and was made more impressive by Sherman’s personal annotations throughout its pages. The highly polished gilt tree calf binding exhibited by the volumes was exceedingly scarce, with only 3 other known copies. At a hammer price of $86,100 (with the buyer’s premium), this offering shattered all previous records for the sale of Grant’s memoirs.

In addition to the Sherman Collection, Fleischer’s presented a diverse array of other compelling items. One of the most notable was Lot 175, a Charleston, South Carolina "free badge" (c. 1785), with a price realized of $133,650 (with the buyer’s premium) against an initial estimate of $15,000-$30,000. Only the eleventh known relic of its type, the badge is an impactful reminder of the humanity and resilience of enslaved people before emancipation.

The second day of Fleischer’s spring auction continued to draw fervent interest, particularly in Civil War flags and accoutrements. Notable examples include Lot 409, a Regulation Civil War Cavalry Regimental flag (c. 1861-1865), which sold for $41,310 (with the buyer’s premium), and Lot 456, a 9-star First National Confederate flag captured in Nashville, Tennessee that realized $29,000 ($35,235 with the buyer’s premium).

Bidding for the May 14th–15th auction was available in person and via absentee bid, phone, and live online on Fleischer’s Auctions’ website and third-party bidding platforms.

Fleischer’s always welcomes consignments for upcoming auctions, offering attractive consignment rates for exceptional items.

Day one of Fleischer’s Auctions’ 2024 premier sale is over, garnering over 1.4 million dollars for 249 lots! All eyes were on the William T. Sherman Collection (lots 78-128), which sold for over $600,000 in its entirety. Highlights included; General Sherman’s copy of Barnard’s “Photographic Views of Sherman’s Campaign,” which sold for a record-breaking $174,960 (surpassing Christie’s sale of a similar album for $149,000), Sherman’s sword, which sold for $157,950, and Sherman’s annotated copy of Ulysses S. Grant’s memoirs, which sold for the record-breaking price of $85,050.

Other notable lots in the sale included: A c. 1790 Charleston “Free Badge” which sold for $133,650, and a pair of CDV photographs that depicted a formerly enslaved Civil War drummer boy that sold for $44,955.

Sale is tomorrow! 9am EST

𝐂𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐋 𝐖𝐀𝐑 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐌 𝐓. 𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐍’𝐒 𝐒𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐄 𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐀𝐓 𝐀𝐔𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

Link to the catalog: https://bid.fleischersauctions.com/auctions/1-8QXCWX/civil-war-african-american-history-william-t-sherman-collection

[COLUMBUS, OHIO] On May 14th, 2024, Fleischer’s Auctions will sell a remarkable collection of personal effects that belonged to Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman. Important items in the sale’s catalog include: General Sherman’s wartime sword; his personal copy of Ulysses S. Grant’s memoirs (featuring Sherman’s own annotations); his uniform’s rank insignia worn during the Civil War; the Sherman family bible with meticulous records written by General Sherman himself; and Sherman’s copy of Photographic Views of Sherman’s Campaign, George Barnard’s definitive photographic record of Sherman’s “March to the Sea.” Presented by the direct descendants of General Sherman, this collection has never been offered before.

One of the most consequential figures in American history, Sherman reshaped the course of the Civil War and, indeed, modern warfare. Coiner of the phrase “War is hell,” his application of scorched earth warfare inflicted strategic and psychological blows that shattered Southern morale. General Sherman’s capture of the city of Atlanta is widely credited for securing Abraham Lincoln’s reelection in 1864, which in turn ensured the continuation of the war, eventual Union victory, and the universal emancipation of enslaved African Americans.

The Sherman collection will be offered as lots 78 through 128 in Fleischer’s Auctions’ spring sale, “Civil War & African American History: Featuring the Collection of General William T. Sherman.” The auction also includes relics of the Revolutionary War, the African American experience, the Civil War, and the Wild West. A few highlights include: a very early 1733 document signed by Benjamin Franklin; a c. 1857 unpublished photograph of Senator Charles Sumner; an unpublished portrait of Geronimo; a rare document recording the votes of Abraham Lincoln as an elector in the 1840 Presidential election; the scrapbook and effects of a Tuskegee Airman who was killed in action during World War Two; a portrait of members of the 62nd United States Colored Infantry (who would later found Lincoln University); two rare photographs of Sojourner Truth; a recruitment broadside written by Frederick Douglass encouraging African American men to enlist during the Civil War; and the eleventh known, recently discovered c. 1790 “free” badge which was issued to a formerly enslaved person living in Charleston, SC.

Fleischer’s Auctions is one of the the nation’s foremost purveyors of early American antiques, artifacts, and ephemera. Based in the historic Brewery District of Columbus, Ohio, Fleischer’s Auctions regularly works with the nation’s leading institutions and repositories, having handled items now held by the Library of Congress, the archives of the Supreme Court, and the (Smithsonian) National Museum of African American History and Culture, among many others.

The auction will be held live in person and online at the Fleischer’s Auctions office at 503 South High Street, Suite 200 in Columbus, Ohio on May 14th, 2024 at 10am EST.

For more information and to register for the sale, please visit FleischersAuctions.com.

Fleischer’s Auctions hit the front page of CNN this morning!

Civil War Gen. Sherman’s belongings to be sold at auction next week | CNN At first, it was the rare binding that caught the eye of Danielle Linn, a senior book specialist with Fleischer’s Auctions.

Our sale of William T. Sherman’s sword and effects, as well as hundreds of other artifacts from American history, begins in just 3 days!

Civil War General William T. Sherman's sword and other relics to be auctioned off in Ohio Bidders will fight with their dollars next week for personal relics and a sword used by Civil War Union General William Tecumseh Sherman at an auction house in Columbus, Ohio

Another great Ohio Civil War Show is in the books! It was a pleasure seeing old friends and meeting new ones who share a passion for American history. We’re already looking forward to next year!

LOCK OF ROBERT E. LEE'S HAIR & ARCHIVE
Estimate: $10,000-$20,000

In our upcoming sale, lot 469: https://bid.fleischersauctions.com/lots/view/1-8VR06Z/lock-of-robert-e-lees-hair-archive

LARGE LOCK OF ROBERT E. LEE'S HAIR FROM HIS LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA DOCTOR, HOWARD T. BARTON.

Large lock of General Robert E. Lee's hair, taken at death. [Lexington, Virginia], [1870]. Approx. length 6 in. Housed in an envelope inscribed in ink: "A few gray strands of Gen. R.E. Lee's hair, given to Dr. H.T. Barton at the time of the general's death, is enclosed in purse. The strands are the remainder of the lock of hair which was put in a [brooch] owned by Mrs. Annie Blaine of [Houston], Texas. Mrs. Blaine is a step daughter of H.T. Barton." WITH Two (2) antique brooches encasing white strands of Robert E. Lee's hair. The largest features vignetted albumen portrait of Lee and measures approx. 2 x 2 1/4 in. Each with original straight pin. ALSO WITH Barton family archive of 23 letters and documents dating from 1864 to 1922. Further details of archive are included below.

A historic lot that includes perhaps the largest lock of Confederate General Robert E. Lee's hair ever made available for public acquisition. Indeed, it may be the most substantial lock of his hair extant. Originating by descent from the family of General Lee's personal doctor, Dr. Howard Thornton Barton, the effects offered here have comprehensive provenance and have never been published. In addition to the lock of hair, this lot also includes two brooches containing strands of Lee's hair (one with an albumen portrait of the general), and a family archive of letters from 1864 to 1922.

Dr. Howard Thornton Barton was a native of Fredericksburg, Virginia and enrolled at the Virginia Military Institute just one year after it opened its doors. Attending from 1840-1843, he graduated 2nd in his class. Barton remained in Virginia and married Fairinda Fairfax Washington (1823-1866) in 1857 in Westmoreland County, where he practiced as a physician. He became step-father to her three children from her first marriage, Jason, George and Farsinda Payne. Together they had three more children, William Barton (1849-1922), Susan S. Barton (1862-?), and Perrin Washington Barton (1865-1916). A genealogical document included in the archive states that Fairinda was descended from George Washington's grandfather, Lawrence Washington. During the Civil War, Barton served as a medical officer in the Confederacy and was Surgeon-in-Charge at a hospital in Richmond, Virginia. After the war, he continued his practice, moving to Lexington, Virginia.

In October of 1865, General Robert E. Lee accepted an offer to serve as the President of Washington College (now Washington and Lee University) in Lexington. Although Dr. Barton and General Lee may have known each other before, either during the war or in Lexington, Lee's biographer Charles B. Flood first records an encounter between the two in 1868. Apparently, Dr. Barton (a widower), attempted that summer to court Robert E. Lee's daughter, Mildred, and the General was not impressed.

Although Dr. Barton's attempted courtship of Mildred was met with derision by Lee, he was nonetheless employed as his physician. In his biography of Lee, Charles B. Flood recounts the General's declining health in 1869, prompting a visit from Dr. Barton: "On the day Buchser left with his vibrant portrait, Lee came down with what at first appeared to be only a severe cold. He stayed in the house for a week, chafing to get on with his work for the college. On November 2, he attended a faculty meeting and afterward went for a ride on Traveller in the cold dusk. That put him back in bed. By now his Lexington physicians, Drs. Howard T. Barton and R.L. Madison, were putting together a more comprehensive picture of their patient's condition. When Lee complained of aches, they thought of rheumatism; a later medical generation would have looked first for a deteriorating heart, which could supply the other symptoms." (p. 223).

Dr. Barton would continue to attend to General Lee in the last year of his life and his final days. As recounted by Flood, Dr. Barton was called by Mildred when she "found her father 'bowed down, and looking very strange and speaking incoherently.'...the doctors diagnosed his condition as a 'venous congestion of the brain,' which a later generation would have termed a cerebral thrombosis, or blood clot lodging in the brain. He also had a throat infection. These new afflictions, combined with his heart condition and hardening arteries, were producing what his doctors called "cerebral exhaustion." (p. 257).

Dr. Barton would attend to General Lee until he died. When Mildred saw that her father seemed to be struggling one day, she recalled "I rushed out for the doctor...he came, looked at him, and without saying a word walked quietly away. In a moment he was dead---". It was almost certainly at this moment that Dr. Barton was gifted a sizable lock of General Lee's hair, a practice thoroughly common throughout the 19th century.

Dr. Barton would die in 1893, with General Lee's son, George Washington Custis Lee (1832-1913) serving as a pallbearer. The hair then passed by descent, according to an accompanying envelope, to Mrs. Annie Blaine, Dr. Barton's step-daughter. Born Annie McBride (1862-1942), she was the daughter of Eliza Jane McNutt (1830-1917) and her first husband Robert McChesney McBride (1821-1862). In 1880, Dr. Howard T. Barton married Eliza and became step-father to Annie.

This lot also includes a Barton family archive of 23 letters and documents dating from 1864 to 1922. The content generally contains family news and occasional medical stories. The archive includes:

ALS from Seth Barton? (1829-1900), to his parents. N.p., 6 June 1864. 3pages. A soldier's letter from the front - possibly Seth Barton who was a brigadier general with the Confederate Army.

ALS from T. Barton Jones to "Sister and Miss Holly". Fredericksburg, [Virginia], 18 May 1866.

Seven (7) ALsS from Mary Elizabeth Barton Jones (1828-1868), to her brother Howard Thornton Barton: Vaulcuse, [Frederick County, Virginia] 22 & 23 February 1866. Approx. 6 pages (4 pages with overwriting). With original envelope with Newtwon Stephensburgh stamp. -- Vaucluse, 3 March 1866. 3 pages. With original envelope with Middletown, VA stamp. -- Oak Sound, [Maryland], 7 February 1867. 4 pages. With original envelope with Waverly, MD stamp. -- Vaucluse, 15 May 1867. Approx. 7 pages (4 pages with overwriting). With original envelope. -- Vaucluse, 22 May 1867. 2 pages. With original envelope. -- [Autograph note]. [Vaucluse], 16 February n.y. With original envelope with Stephensburgh, VA stamp. -- [Autograph letter]. N.p., 1 October n.y. 3 pages.

Three (3) ALsS from Howard T. Barton to his sister Mary Elizabeth Barton Jones: N.p., 8-11 April 1866. 6 pages. -- Fredericksburg, [Virginia], 3 October n.y. 3 pages. -- Fredericksburg, [Virginia], 30 April 1867. 4 pages.

Three (3) ALsS to matriarch Susan Catherine Stone Barton (1796-1875) from her children: From Mary Elizabeth Barton Jones (1828-1868). Fredericksburg, 22 February n.y. 4 pages. -- From Howard T. Barton. Fredericksburg, [Virginia], 5 May 1867. 4 pages. -- From Thomas Scott Barton (1833-1894). New Orleans, Louisiana, 22 September 1867. 4 pages.

Two (2) ALs from patriarch Thomas Bowerbank Barton (1792-1871) to his children: To his son Howard Thornton Barton. N.p., 5 August 1865. 1 page. -- To his daughter Mary Elizabeth Barton Jones. N.p., 21 April n.y. 4 pages.

ALS from Judge William Stone Barton (1820-1898), to his brother Howard Thornton Barton. Baltimore, [Maryland], 18 February 1875. 4 pages. With original envelope. With news of their mother's death.

ALS from Thomas Scott Barton (1833-1894) to his sister [Emily Stone Barton Brune (1836-1908)]. New Orleans, 28 March 1893. 2 pages. Notice of his brother's death.

Last Will ALS from Howard Thornton Barton to his children. Lexington, Virginia, 27 October 1888. 3 pages. With original envelope addressed "To my beloved children to be opened at once, on my death."

TLS by W.R. Castle Jr. to William Howard Barton (1859-1922). Washington, D.C., 28 February 1919. 1 page, on American Red Cross National Headquarters Letterhead. Informing Dr. Barton of his son's death: "Howard B. Barton, Master Engineer, died at 7-10 P.M. September 18th at Camp Hospital #13, as a result of pneumonia.

In Memory of Dr. William Howard Barton typed document signed. Abingdon, Virginia, 23 March 1922.

ALS from Susan S. Barton (b. 1862, daughter of H.T. Barton), to nephew or niece. N.p., n.d. Includes details of the family and siblings of Howard Thornton Barton.

ALSO WITH: Three World War I era handbills from The World. With original envelope. [New York], [1915]. -- Undated sheet tracing the ancestry of Fairinda Washington Payne, tracing back to George Washington's grandfather Lawrence. -- Partial sheet and fragment with Barton family tree. -- Three additional envelopes: 8 Oct. n.y. from Mary Elizabeth Barton Jones -- To Dr. Howard T. Barton. April. 29. -- To Miss V.I. Barton, American Barracks Tientsin, [China], 3 November 1930.

Condition: Hair is in excellent condition, an large sample, housed loose in the original envelope. Both brooches show signs of use but are in excellent shape. Letters vary with signs of age including old folds, occasional short separations, brown spotting, etc. A complete condition report is available upon request.

CIVIL WAR BULLET WHICH NEARLY KILLED SOLDIER

In our upcoming sale, lot 404: https://bid.fleischersauctions.com/auctions/1-8VQVOM/day-2-civil-war-african-american-history?limit=36

Lead bullet encased in gold acorn fob with chain. Finely engraved: "W.D. Fiske / 14th Regt. C V / Fredericksburg / Dec 17, 1863."

Published in "Heroes for all Time: Connecticut Civil War Soldiers Tell Their Stories" (2015, By Dione Longley & Buck Zaidel).

One of the most intimate relics of the Civil War Era, a lead bullet removed from Sergeant Wilbur D. Fiske of the 14th Connecticut Infantry after suffering a "frightful wound" at the battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862. As Fiske and his comrades charged the stone wall at Marye's Heights, a Confederate soldier stopped him with a slug to the chest. A Union surgeon hastily extracted this bullet from the cavity at a field hospital, then sewed him up and sent him behind the lines to a proper hospital to recover.

Fisk survived and kept the bullet. He returned to his regiment and shouldered a musket for just under another year before Rebel lead found him again at Bristoe Station, Virginia. Though he survived, this second wound ended his service. Following his discharge Fiske brought the Fredericksburg bullet to a jeweler, who encased it in an engraved gold fob and watch chain. This attractive piece is a truly rare reminder of a soldier's frightful brush with death.

While certainly unusual, the practice was not entirely unheard of: occasionally, other Civil War veterans kept the bullets that struck them as mementoes of their sacrifice. A few of these men took the extra step of transforming the projectiles that almost killed them into something hauntingly beautiful.

Fleischer's Auctions Auction house specializing in Americana, militaria, and antique photography.

Day two of Fleischer's Auctions' May 14th and 15th "Civil War & African American History" sale is now available to view! Absentee bids can be placed immediately:

https://bid.fleischersauctions.com/auctions/1-8VQVOM/day-2-civil-war-african-american-history

The catalog features a diverse selection of documents, artifacts, and weapons related to American history and the Civil War. Highlighted lots include:

Lot 251: BUFFALO BILL WILD WEST & BARNUM AND BAILEY ARCHIVE

Photographic and journal archive of Harrison H. Gunning, an advertising agent and poster maker for Buffalo Bill's Wild West and Barnum & Bailey's Greatest Show on Earth.

Lot 270: DESTRUCTION OF KU KLUX KLAN, LEWIS MERRILL COMMISSION

A fine officer's commission signed by President Ulysses S. Grant, appointing Lewis Merrill as Major in George Armstrong Custer's 7th Regiment of Cavalry. As Major, Lewis Merrill was principally responsible for the dismantlement of the the Ku Klux Klan in York, South Carolina. This historic document is not only important because it dates to a notable period in Merrill's service, but also because it relates to President's Grant commitment to protect newly enfranchised African Americans during the Reconstruction era.

Lot 299: AMPUTEE & DOCTOR TINTYPE

A fascinating medical image showing a Civil War soldier/patient with an amputated arm exposed for the camera. Seated next to him is presumably his doctor or other medical professional.

Lot 397: ID'D M1855 TYPE II HARPER’S FERRY MUSKET W/ BAYONET

An exceedingly scarce and identified example of a U.S. Model 1855 Rifle, in the iron-mounted “Type II” configuration, with saber bayonet and leather sling. The rifle bears all of the hallmark stamps and marks of government production, reading “U.S. Harper’s Ferry” in front of the primer case and “1861” behind it.

Lot 404: BULLET WHICH NEARLY KILLED SOLDIER

One of the most intimate relics of the Civil War Era, a lead bullet removed from Sergeant Wilbur D. Fiske of the 14th Connecticut Infantry after suffering a "frightful wound" at the battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862.

Lot 405: HISTORIC CIVIL WAR MARINE CORPS ALBUM

Historic Civil War photograph album presented to Mary Elizabeth Colegate by her husband, Major Charles Grymes McCawley (1827-1891). Major McCawley was the eighth commandant of the Marine Corps best remembered today for choosing "Semper Fidelis" (Always Faithful") as the Marine Corps' official motto.

Lot 406: MEDAL OF HONOR UNIFORM W/ LINCOLN MOURNING BADGE

Historic regulation officer's uniform of John M. Deane, Civil War officer and Medal of Honor recipient. The frock coat is preserved with a black mourning badge and original black-crepe covered buttons, worn in accordance with official army directives to observe a mourning period following the assassination of President Lincoln in 1865. Importantly, this is likely the uniform Deane wore during the Battle of Fort Stedman, where Deane took control of "an abandoned gun within Fort Haskell, called for volunteers, and under a heavy fire, worked the gun until the enemy's advancing line was routed." For his heroic act of bravery, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Lot 409: CIVIL WAR CAVALRY REGIMENT'S COLORS

Extremely fine Federal regulation hand-painted cavalry standard. Considered one of the most difficult to obtain American flags, especially in such fine condition. The design is dominated by a spread winged eagle grasping arrows and an olive branch in its talons with a patriotic Federal shield superimposed upon its breast.

Lot 441: BLOOD STAINED CONFEDERATE LETTER

A gruesome trophy of war collected by a Union soldier, this blood-stained letter was written by Confederate soldier William N. Dickey, a 27 year old teacher from Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.

Lot 447: CONFEDERATE GENERAL JOHN B. FLOYD

A poignant portrait of General John B. Floyd not long after his loss at Fort Donelson, a crucial Confederate defeat.This important portrait was taken at a pivotal moment in Floyd’s life. The note records that it was captured after his defeat at Fort Donelson, the subsequent evacuation of Nashville, and his dismissal from command by Confederate President Jefferson Davis.

Lot 456: CAPTURED FIRST NATIONAL CONFEDERATE FLAG

A remarkably well-documented First National Confederate flag captured in Nashville, Tennessee by Captain Charles Gibbs of the 69th Ohio Infantry. This flag is published in the authoritative work "Civil War Flags of Tennessee," color plate 118, pp. 400-401 (University of Tennessee Press, 2020).

Lot 457: SWORD & JOURNAL OF 41ST VIRGINIA OFFICER

Significant grouping related to Algernon S. Morrisette of 41st Virginia.

Lot 469: LOCK OF ROBERT E. LEE'S HAIR & ARCHIVE

A historic lot that includes perhaps the largest lock of Confederate General Robert E. Lee's hair ever made available for public acquisition. Indeed, it may be the most substantial lock of his hair extant. Originating by descent from the family of General Lee's personal doctor, Dr. Howard Thornton Barton, the effects offered here have comprehensive provenance and have never been published.

Herb Peck Collection Achieves Record-Breaking Success at Auction, the Most Valuable Sale of Civil War Portrait Photography Ever Held

100% of Lots Sell, Exceeding Pre-Sale Estimate by nearly $200,000

COLUMBUS – Fleischer’s Auctions March 16th, 2024 sale of the Herb Peck Jr. Collection of Civil War Photography surpassed all expectations, with competitive and vigorous bidding from start to finish. The auction of just 48 lots garnered a stunning total sales figure of over $300,000, nearly $200,000 more than the collection’s pre-sale estimate.
"We are absolutely thrilled with the overwhelming response to the sale," said Adam Fleischer, President of Fleischer’s Auctions. "The exceptional results not only reflect Herb Peck’s eye for quality, but also underscore the passion and dedication the collecting community has to preserve Civil War era portraiture.”
Intriguingly, the Herb Peck Jr. Collection of Civil War Photography was once believed to have been destroyed. In 1978, thieves stole Peck’s collection from his Nashville home, leaving the collecting community in shock and the survival of his captivating images shrouded in doubt. Recently, the Peck family’s persistence and the hard work of law enforcement bore fruit when a break in the case led to the successful recovery and return of 50 of Herb’s original photographs.The Peck family's decision to share Herb’s captivating images with the public, following decades of uncertainty, resonated deeply with collectors and history enthusiasts alike.
One highlight of the sale was lot 34, entitled “Masterful Character Study,” which realized $24,300 with the buyer’s premium. The portrait depicted two identified 3rd Tennessee Infantry officers who fought in the Civil War. One of men was killed in action, with an eyewitness noting that nothing was left of the man after he was hit by artillery shrapnel but “"...[a] chin and rather long whiskers.” Another highlight of the sale was lot 10, “Young Soldier with Bowie Knife,” that realized $19,440 with the buyer’s premium. This portrait was of a very young soldier wielding an enormous knife.
The top lot of the sale was achieved by lot 45, “Confederate with Colt Revolving Rifle,” which sold for $32,200 with the buyer’s premium. This remarkable result is one of the highest prices a portrait of an unidentified Civil War soldier has ever realized at auction. The portrait, described as “iconic” in the lot’s description, depicted a soldier holding a Model 1855 Colt Revolving Rife.

Tomorrow is the Herb Peck Sale!! You can register here: https://www.fleischersauctions.com/auctions/the-herb-peck-collection-of-civil-war-photography/

𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝐖𝐚𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫

Starting in the 1950s, with a focus on Southern subjects, Herb built one of the United States’ premier collections of Civil War portrait photography at a time when the genre’s importance was only first being realized. A true pioneer, Herb recognized the deep value of these photographs to our shared American history and was generous in sharing them with the public. Herb’s iconic images can be seen in many popular books and films, including Ken Burns’ documentary "The Civil War." It’s likely that nearly every American interested in history has seen a copy of an image from the Peck Collection, whether in a book or film, in a museum, or while visiting a national park.

What makes this once-in-a-lifetime offering particularly exciting is that the collection was once believed to have been destroyed. In 1978, thieves stole the Peck Collection from Herb’s Nashville home, leaving the collecting community in shock and the survival of his captivating images shrouded in doubt. Recently, the Peck family’s persistence and the hard work of law enforcement bore fruit when a break in the case led to the successful recovery and return of 50 of Herb’s original photographs.

After thoughtful consideration, the Peck family believes the time has come to find the next generation of caretakers for Herb’s photographs. These historic tintypes, ambrotypes, and daguerreotypes will now be offered to the public, finally free to be enjoyed after decades in hiding. Fleischer’s Auctions is honored to make Herb’s collection available through exclusive public auction in the Spring of 2024. The sale’s catalog will be entirely comprised of Peck Collection photographs.
After 45 years, it is time for Herb and his family to have their day.