EUR
CAD
AUD
GBP
MXN
HKD
CNY
MYR
SEK
SGD
CHF
THBUS M1841 Naval Officer's Sword Presented to Lt. LaFayette Maynard
About Seller
6270 Este Ave.
Cincinnati , OH 45232
United States
With offices in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Denver, Cowan’s holds over 40 auctions each year, with annual sales exceeding $16M. We reach buyers around the globe, and take pride in our reputation for integrity, customer service and great results. A full-service house, Cowan’s Auctions specializes in Am...Read more
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Two ways to bid:
- Leave a max absentee bid and the platform will bid on your behalf up to your maximum bid during the live auction.
- Bid live during the auction and your bids will be submitted real-time to the auctioneer.
Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $0 | $25 |
| $500 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
About Auction
LiveOct 30, 2018
Cowan's is honored to present the Magnificent Sword Collection of William Koch in its two-day firearms, militaria, and American history auction, with a focus on the Civil War. Cowan's Auctions dawnie@cowans.com
View Full Catalog (482)
- Lot Description
US M1841 Naval Officer's Sword Presented to Lt. LaFayette Maynard
27.75" slightly curved, single-edged semi-quill-back blade with 5" false edge. 5.75" silver-plated brass eagle head hilt with double clam shell folding guard and counter-guard. 4.25" cross guard with acorn finials. Carved ivory grip with flowing leaf motifs. Obverse ricasso etched in three lines: N.P. Ames / Cutler / Springfield and with flowing foliate scrolls and sprays, a spread-winged eagle and patriotic naval motifs with a panoply of arms containing a fouled anchor, cross canons, a trident, a naval officer and a pennant. Reverse blade etched with foliate scrolls and sprays, a fouled anchor, United States Navy and a three-masted ship. Obverse counter-guard engraved in script, surrounded a laurel wreath Presented by his mother city Richmond to / Liet. LAFAYETTE MAYNARD of the U.S.N. / for his generous heroism in rescuing / many sufferers from the WRECK of the STEAMER ATLANTIC in Long Island / Sound on the 27th of Nov. / 1846 . Sword is contained in a gold washed sheet brass scabbard with silver-plated mounts and two suspension rings as well as a frog stud. Scabbard engraved with patriotic nautically themed panoplies of arms and other patriotic motifs. Mounts with raised fleur-de-lis boarders and a fouled anchor on both the frog stud and the middle mount. Drag engraved with oak leaves and acorns, tying together the theme of the cross guard finials.
Born in Richmond, Virginia of modest means, from an early age Lafayette Maynard (1818-1876) had desired to join the navy. Unable to secure an appointment, the determined young man journeyed to Washington and sought an interview with Andrew Jackson. The President acceded to Maynard's request and the boy was duly appointed a midshipman at the New York Navy Yard on February 4, 1832, advancing to Passed Midshipman on June 23. 1838. Maynard was promoted to Lieutenant on October 19, 1843. On November 26, 1846 while aboard the civilian passenger steamer Atlantic plying the New York to Boston route, a gale blew up seaward of Long Island Sound and forced the vessel on to uncharted rocks off Fisher's Island. The unvarnished heroism that occurred next became the front page of newspapers - competing with war news from Mexico - up and down the populated eastern seaboard. With the assistance of two other naval officers that happened to be aboard, " Lieutenant Maynard busied himself in lashing the women and children to hastily improvised floats. After the calamity the brave young hero remained in the water for two long hours, in the dreary freezing storm, until every person floating had been dragged ashore ." Accounts vary but somewhere between 20 and 30 souls were saved by the redoubtable Maynard and his fellow officers. In 1847 the city fathers of Richmond presented their native son " with a handsome sword and belt as a token of their admiration and esteem ." Lieutenant Maynard resigned from the navy on April 1, 1852 and spent much of the rest of his life a world away in California. He died in San Francisco on December 29, 1876.Fine. Blade lightly cleaned with all etching remaining clear, showing some scattered light surface oxidation and minor pitting near the tip and some minor nicks in the blade along the edge. Hilt retains much of the thinning silver plate, with the inscription remaining clear and fully legible. Ivory grip with some cracking, minor chipping and loss. Scabbard with traces of gold gilt on the body and much of the silver plate remaining on the mounts. All engraving remains clear and crisp. Scabbard shows only some light handing marks and scattered scuffs and minor marks.Condition
- Shipping Info
-
Buyers are required to pay for all packing, shipping and insurance charges. Overseas duty charges are the responsibility of the successful Bidder. Be aware that for larger and/or valuable items, shipping charges can be substantial. - If there is no shipping amount on listed your invoice, you will need to make arrangements to pick up or ship your purchase through an alternative shipping company. Our shipping department can be contacted at 513.871.1670 (ext. 219) or email shipping@cowans.com. - Shipping charges include insurance for your order while in transit. If you have private insurance we will adjust your charge to include only packing and shipping. - Please allow 14 – 21 days after payment to package and ship your purchase as carefully as possible.
-
- Buyer's Premium
