3295

ULTRA RARE CIVIL WAR PERIOD CONFEDERATE NAVY

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:9,000.00 USD Estimated At:18,000.00 - 25,000.00 USD
ULTRA RARE CIVIL WAR PERIOD CONFEDERATE NAVY

"SHIP" BUTTON. This button is arguably the rarest of all non-excavated Confederate buttons. It is the official type and style of Confederate Navy button approved by the Confederate Government. Other Confederate Navy buttons of the anchor and crossed cannon design were more popular but considered unofficial. The E.M. Lewis ship button, of similar design, is very rare but both non-excavated and excavated examples exist in reasonably significant numbers. This example is believed to have been made by C. Royer of New Orleans very early in the war. It is thought that there are fewer than 5 non-excavated examples in existence and this is likely the finest of all known examples. Albert refers to this button as CS-67-A and Tice numbers it CSN-268-A1. This locally produced Confederate button features a 3 masted sailing ship on the front sailing in rough seas. The letters, "CSN" are on the waves below the ship. The scene is surrounded by 13 five pointed stars and a well articulated rope border. The reverse has a blank depressed channel and a full straight brass shank. CONDITION: the button generally has a wonderful mustard patina to the brass. Incredibly, there are still areas of gilding remaining on the button particularly around the rim. As stated, this is quite likely the finest example in the world of this supreme rarity. There is a minute ding on a border star at about the 3 o'clock position. The reverse is virtually perfect and has more original gilded finish remaining in the channel. A singular opportunity for the discerning buyer to obtain what may well be the finest example of the rarest Confederate button. (02-17809/BF). $18,000-25,000.