10/21/2014 - Firearms and Militaria: Live Salesroom Auction

A group of items collected and used between 1774 and 1780 by Sir John Caldwell (1756 - 1830), Fifth Baronet of Castle Caldwell, a Lieutenant of the King's Regiment, 8th of Foot while serving on the American frontier in the regions of Ft. Niagara and Ft. Detroit where he was made a chief of the Ojibwa.  British military items include a silvered officer's gorget engraved with the royal crest on the obverse and a castle and inscription "Fermanagh," the Caldwell's home county in Ireland, on both arms. The gorget is suspended by a black worsted tape band laced with red wool.  Also included are a pair of shoulder wing epaulets made of silvered disks, the central planchet embossed with the same castle motif as the gorget, and mounted on red and white wool with a silver cord border, and a silver bullion, red and blue silk sword knot. Native American related artifacts consist of an Irish dirk-style leather scabbard with silk embroidered floral elements at the top and two pockets for auxiliary knives, one bone handle knife remaining with the group; a 12" long quill work band with trade silver, bead and hair tassels is attached to the scabbard's tip; a trade silver tinkle cone with ring present may be one of the two that Sir John wears as a nose ornament in his period portrait wearing Indian dress still in the Caldwell family's possession; and a skein of green wool.  The collection is housed in a 26" x 17" wood and glass shadowbox.  It comes with excellent provenance via the Caldwell family to the Arthur Speyer, Jr. then to the John W, Painter Collection (Painter 1991:168-170; Brasser 1976).  Includes copies of articles relating to provenance. The majority of Caldwell's artifacts were acquired by the Canadian Museum of History and  this group represents the few items still in private hands.