Spring 2025 Premier Firearms & Militaria Auction
May 8th, 9th, 10th, & 11th, 2025
This auction will feature an outstanding collection of items spanning multiple categories including Modern, Military, Sporting, & Antique firearms & militaria! Below is just a small grouping of select highlights from the massive offering to be featured in this upcoming sale!
RED KEPI OF LIEUTENANT ALSTON OF THE 1ST SOUTH CAROLINA ARTILLERY WITH HIS CDV, BOOK AND OBITUARY
02-23602
This historic group contains the kepi of First Lieutenant J. Julius Alston of the 1st South Carolina Artillery. Also included is a signed CDV of Alston with a tribute on the reverse, his obituary cut from a newspaper, and a book that belonged to him titled “NEW MISCELLANIES” by Charles Kingsley. The kepi has a fine red English broadcloth crown with a dark blue band at the base. The top of the base is trimmed with narrow gold bullion and a single row of gold bullion rises from the front, sides, and rear to the crown. The crown is encircled with the same narrow bullion and a single quatrefoil on the crown, of course of the same bullion, that indicates the rank of lieutenant. There is a small bullion “1” sewn to the front of the band above the chinstrap. The kepi has a black enamel finished leather chinstrap with cuff size Yankee staff buttons at the ends. The chinstrap also shows a sizing loop on each end. The heavy leather visor appears to have a tarred or thick enamel finish with a sewn binding of very thin leather. The lining is a black and white checked cotton and the sweatband is thin black leather. The card reinforced crown has a glued-on label that reads “J. JULIUS PRINGLE ALSTON CHARLESTON, S. C.”.
The CDV shows a full standing view of Lieutenant Alston in uniform, wearing what appears to be this kepi. The front of the CDV is signed “J. Julius Alston Ist Lt SC Arty”. The reverse of the CDV is marked “QUINBY & CO., PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTIST CHARLESTON, S C.”. The reverse also shows an ink inscription the reads “Died 20 Aug 1863 of fever contracted at Battery Wagner. Where he served with great distinction Wounded in the head 10 July 1863 South and Morris Island. Every inch a man”. The book included in this lot is titled “New Miscellanies” and is inscribed by the lieutenant in the front “J. Julius Pringle Alston Feby 1860”. Lastly, Lieutenant Alston’s obituary, clipped from a newspaper, is included with this group. The obituary extols the virtues of the young lieutenant who died of typhoid fever after a long and arduous duty at Battery Wagner.
UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: a book titled “HISTORICAL SKETCH AND ROSTER SC 1ST ARTILLARY REGIMENT”
