Major Samuel Hymer's Henry Rifle

[Utah Bob]

It would be great if we could ensure this trifle is returned to the family and put on public display rather than stay with a private collector.
http://sassvets.homestead.com/hymerhenry.html

[River City John]

If I had received this in an e-mail I would have deleted it immediately.

Why no link to verify the auction house and be able to determine their reasoning behind that appraisal for the pre-sale estimate?

("The early history of the rifle remains shrouded." Unknown when it was found, by whom, or provenance whose collection it may have been part of.)
What immediately strikes me is there is no mention of the serial #- a sure way to document if it was within the range of any issued to the known units armed with Henry's at the battle. And how quickly "In God We Trust" took hold as it was only authorized by Congress to appear on coinage in April of 1864. 
Sorry, I'm just a skeptic I guess.
RCJ

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Me, too.

Not near enough provable information.

[Pitspitr]

I have some BEAUTIFUL beach front property and a bridge for sale........

[St. George]

When I was a young collector back in the early '60's - there were all sorts of Winchesters, Colts and Henrys around, and all of the Civil War stuff was amazing...

It was like a watershed of firearms, and the gun collector had his pick of those closets and trunks that were being newly-emptied.

I remember a running joke about the guy who just bought a really rare Henry - it was un-engraved...

Back in the day - 'enhancing' harder-to-find guns was popular - cut barrels got 'stretched', pitting was engraved over and plated, lesser items were engraved - and so on and so forth.

Because of those abuses, 'provenance' became a very important thing by the early '70's, since younger collectors were tired of being taken advantage of and demanded a better grade of 'proof' than a mere story.

Today - there are excellent references and clear photography (though when buying online, a lot gets obscured) that are of great benefit, so do the research and demand that the seller does, as well.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[River City John]

Interesting update on this subject. This is the latest post on the SASS Wire. The auction is tomorrow Monday.




"Thanks to all, money is still coming in. Here is the latest on the history front. I got Samuel Hymer's will and all the data that the auction house had from the previous owner. Hymer died in 1906 and although he and his wife never had children they evidently adopted a girl. She was dead at the time the will was made so he left what little he had to two adopted granddaughters. There is no mention of the rifle in his will and he did not have much except for two lots in Rushville Illinois.


The papers from the auction house are just his pension records, most of which have to do with his wife's survivor benefits. The army was very cheap and did not want to pay him though he was deaf from the battle he won the medal in and was promised a $50 a month pension as part of winning the medal. Evidently they were just as stingy with his wife as allot of the records have to do with proving that they were in fact married.


So, where does that leave us? No where closer to knowing the history of this gun. I have been trying to get some questions answered by the current owner but he is a busy guy living out of the country so not much luck there yet."

Acting Lt. John "River City John" Covert

[Texas Lawdog]

I guess I've been a cop too long.  That story has too many holes in it to my way of thinkin'.

[River City John]

It was as clear as mud.