Featured Group of Civil War Era items 36 Caliber Model 1862 Colt and Accessories

These items came from my great, great, grandfather Levi Lyman Burdon.

My middle name is Lyman. This is the story!

1. Colt Serial # 21287. Pat. Sept. 10th, 1850. Year of Manufacture 1863 Model 1862 Police and Pocket Pistol of Navy Caliber (.36) all matching #'s. appears to have retained most of its blue patina. 2. Original holster. It has "Lieut. Levi L. Burdon 5th Regimen Rhode Island Volunteers " branded or stamped into the inside. 3. Three boxes, of which 2 are unopened, 3rd has 5/6 cartridges of "Whitney's or Colt's Navy Pistol 36-100 Caliber". 4. Three round tins/containers of which 2 are unopened. 3rd has 52 caps. "The Union Metallic Cartridge Co. F.G. Trademark, Trimmed Edge Foil Lined Percussion Caps. 5. One Powder Flask with the American Eagle, 2 rifles and 13 Stars on both sides. 6. One Bullet Mold with Colts .36P stamped into its body. 7. 12 Civil War Buttons/ Pins. 8. One Shoehorn/ Bootlace pull in leather case. Top of case has a tear. 9. One tintype/daguerreotype photograph of my great-great grandfather Levi L. Burdon of Providence, Rhode Island, in his uniform. He served as Second Lieutenant, 5th Regiment, Rhode Island Heavy Artillery. The copper-edged frame is stamped "Scoville Mfg. Co. Waterbury Conn." - however I cannot make out the other markings. After the war Levi L. Burdon was a jewelry manufacturer and inventor. According to The Jewelers’ Circular and Horological Review, a Jewelry Manufactures Journal, he invented a process of making seamless gold wire that the industry thought was impossible to achieve. His Company, Burdon Seamless Wire became world renowned. They were refining 5,000 ounces of gold per day. He had to travel to Canada and Europe to protect his patents on the machinery he invented. Levi was the President of the Rhode Island Volunteer Auxiliary. His obituary speaks of, at the meetings he would entertain the men by singing "The Sword of Bunker Hill". I am not sure how many, if any of these items were in the Civil War. If I identified the pistol correctly, I would assume that since Levi was mustered out of the war in 1862 and the pistol was manufactured in 1863, that it was obtained after the war. They have been in my family for approximately 160 years. The pistol has been stored in a wool sock.

Any advice regarding value or selling this collection would be appreciated!

 

How cool to have so much from an ancestor with a fascinating life!

 

I love that he's posed with a tin cup and hardtack! I've seen weapons before, but never the Yankee army's weapon of choice against its own troops - the food. (LOL)

 

It all looks to be in pristine condition!! You’ve (?) taken good care of it all!!! I would NOT rush to sell it either piecemeal or together, UNTIL you’ve had some serious experts legitimately appraise it all!!!! TAKE YOUR TIME!!!

 

the value is in keeping the collection together......

Cowans does a respectable military auction...

 

@springfld.arsenal any thoughts?

 

Huh? Why are you considering selling something that has been in your family for 160 years? If you don’t want it, don’t you have a relative who would want to take custody of it to keep it in the family?

 

Which would also be my first preference, unless no-one else actually wanted it, or you had a need for the finances....both legitimate reasons!!

 

or no one is there to take it..!
or for what ever reason ...it's not for us to judge!!!

I would ask, politely...if the is a R . I. museum , that could showcase it as one of their own ???

 

Good morning, Thank you all for your responses. A museum is a great idea although I have always heard they are happy to take items but rarely pay for them.
I do have three children which none of them seem to have interest in history or antiques. Seems that is the case with many from this generation. I just sold a corkscrew on eBay for $564. When I showed my oldest son an image of it and asked him what he honestly would have done with it, he said he would have thrown it away. Who's to figure. My fear is when I am gone there will be a large yard or garage sale. I do have a military cousin bearing the same name as above, since this was from my mothers side of my family. He does have interest in this collection, but I would need to establish a value to make a proposal. He got an authenticated sword from the battle of Bunker Hill from the same grandparent. Depending on value I may want to at least add it to my homeowners insurance. You do need an appraisal to do so. Then there is the finances. If the the value was high enough, I could always pay down some debt. I would very much like to start with finding the value. I would never put in an auction with no reserve or low expectations. I am not in any sort of rush to jump into something I would regret.

 

My fear in donating to museums is that there is nothing stopping them from just deaccessioning the items to raise funds. The idea of donating to a museum so they can hold the items safely for display and/or research is appealing. The idea of donating items so they can just be sold off to private collectors is much less appealing.

 

Hi Mike,
I have the same problem with my family but someone had a suggestion that the next generation would want any family memos. No one wanted anything from my grandparents or great grandparents so I ended up with it all. No one in family wants any of this stuff but I have a few younger nieces will might be willing to want the stuff. So I am leaving it to them instead of getting rid of the stuff.
greg

 

RLM - I wouldn't rely on that 1862 muster out date. His record shows he was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant on 5 Aug 1863 and transferred from unit F to unit B on 20 Feb 1864. Looks to me like he had an initial enlistment period from 26 May 1862 to 1 Sep 1862, then a second period from 07 Jul 1863 to 30 Sep 1864. Here's the info from Ancestry.com:
(NOTE: this is not provided in original form on the site - someone has transcribed it - always subject to errors.)

Name: Levi Lyman Burdon
Enlistment Date: 26 May 1862
Enlistment Rank: Private
Muster Date: 26 May 1862
Muster Place: Rhode Island
Muster Company: D
Muster Regiment: 10th Infantry
Muster Regiment Type: Infantry
Muster Information: Enlisted
Rank Change Date: 5 Aug 1863
Rank Change Rank: 2nd Lieutenant
Rank Change Information: As of Co. B
Transfer Date: 20 Feb 1864
Transfer From Unit: F
Transfer To Unit: B
Muster Out Date: 1 Sep 1862
Muster Out Place: Providence, Rhode Island
Muster Out Information: Mustered Out
Side of War: Union
Survived War?: Yes
Was Officer?: Yes
Residence Place: Providence, Rhode Island
Death Date: 17 Sep 1897
Death Place: Providence, Rhode Island
Additional Notes 2: Muster 2 Date: 07 Jul 1863; Muster 2 Place: Rhode Island; Muster 2 Unit: 2746; Muster 2 Company: F; Muster 2 Regiment: 5th HA; Muster 2 Regiment Type: Artillery; Muster 2 Information: Enlisted; Transfer 2 Date: 25 Feb 1864; Transfer 2 From Unit: B; Transfer 2 To Unit: F; Transfer 2 Information: Est. day of temporary assignment; Transfer 3 Date: 15 Jun 1864; Transfer 3 From Unit: F; Transfer 3 To Unit: B; MusterOut 2 Date: 30 Sep 1864; MusterOut 2 Information: Resigned;
Title: Register of Rhode Island Volunteers 1861-1865

 

You might want to contact the Rhode Island Vol. Decendents organization to see about collectors interest.

I also came across his passport application - has his signature on it - I always think it's neat to see the actual signatures of ancestors.

 

Whoa.........I never said "donate"..!!!
Museums do have funding to purchase .....& this set would be home grown.....but RLM is right to establish a value first !

 

@elarnia ........ nice added info !!!!!

 

If nothing else I bet there's a historical society in Providence that would JUMP on material like this.

When it comes to museums, give it to them on loan. The stuff stays yours.

 

both good calls !!!!!

 

For all of you history buffs, I thought I would share the Levi Burdon obituary. The Providence Jewelry Museum still has some of the equipment used at the Burdon Seamless Wire Company. In the late 1800's Providence Rhode Island was known to be "The Jewelry Capital of the World".

 

That's a fabulous photo! I collect antique photos, although not usually military ones. The pose is very unusual. Looks like he is holding three pieces of hardtack in his hand? And by the way, pretty sure it's a tintype. Daguerreotypes were almost never being made by the time of the Civil War.