BEAUTIFUL PRESENTATION GRADE AND INSCRIBED CIVIL WAR CALVARY OFFICER’S SABER AND SWORD BELT OF MAJOR LAFAYETTE C. BAKER, AND COL. 1st DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CAVALRY, LATER BRIGADIER GENERAL, ORGANIZER, AND FIRST CHIEF OF THE U.S. SECRET SERVICE WHO LATER WAS IN CHARGE OF THE SEARCH FOR JOHN WILKES BOOTH AFTER HE ASSASSINATED PRESIDENT LINCOLN.

BEAUTIFUL PRESENTATION GRADE AND INSCRIBED CIVIL WAR CALVARY OFFICER’S SABER AND SWORD BELT OF MAJOR LAFAYETTE C. BAKER, AND COL. 1st DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CAVALRY, LATER BRIGADIER GENERAL, ORGANIZER, AND FIRST CHIEF OF THE U.S. SECRET SERVICE WHO LATER WAS IN CHARGE OF THE SEARCH FOR JOHN WILKES BOOTH AFTER HE ASSASSINATED PRESIDENT LINCOLN. ALSO INCLUDES BOOKS AUTHORED BY BAKER AND OTHER MEMROBILIA. An incredible opportunity to own the presentation sword, belt, and books of Major Lafayette Baker who was one of the Civil Wars most colorful, hated, feared, egotistical, and a motivated Commanders. This sword, (carried by him from 1863 until his death by poisoning in 1868 in an attempt to silence him because he knew to much about the conspiracy surrounding Lincoln’s Assassination as Secret Service Chief ) is a very significant and historical piece. The sword blade, made by Clauberg, Solingen and so marked on the ricasso, is believed to have been purchased from Tiffany’s in New York. The single edged 35” blade has a sweeping curve and is very highly decorated and etched with patriotic trophies, a liberty cap in a sunburst, an American Eagle, “U.S.” and a stand of flags with the motto: “STAND BY THE UNION”. The hilt is cast in high relief-regulation style but heavily gilded, and engraved with profuse laurel leaf decorations on the branches. The tip of the counter guard has two winged cherubs applied. The grip is of silver with alternating bands of engraved and plain rings, wrapped in triple strands brass wire. The scabbard is of brass and silver-plated with fancy gilded brass mounts. The throat has a scalloped edge with floral engraving. The two ring mounts are the faces of a woman with flowing hair and a floral headband. Inscribed between the two ring mounts is “PRESENTED to COL. L.C. BAKER / 1st D.C. Cavalry / by the Officers of his Regt / Sept. 10th 1863”. The sword belt is field grade, black, bridle leather waist belt having an enlisted man’s style M1851 Eagle sword belt plate of cast brass with applied silver wreath. CONDITION: Very good. Blade retains nice bright factory finish and etching is still quite frosty with staining at ricasso. Hilt is very well preserved with much of its gold wash intact. Scabbard is brass with approx. 25% of its orig silver-plating intact. This sword was given to him by his loyal officers and he carried it at all times, thus showing genuine wears. Baker describes this sword and an elaborate saddle given to him on page 38 in his book. Belt is very good with surface cracking but remaining supple and strong. Numbers on plate and keeper do not match. Photocopies of war records, period newspapers and other info describing capture of Booth are included. Accompanying these are three very important books in fair condition authored by BAKER. THE UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE IN THE LATE WAR. (Churchill, Kansas City, 1889), SPIES, TRAITORS, AND CONSPIRATORS OF THE LATE WAR. (Potter, Phila. 1884) and HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. (King and Baird, Phila. 1868) all pertaining to his command of the Secret Service which, at that time of war, was given by Lincoln full authority and power to hunt down spies and traitors working for the Confed. and against the Union. To insure the safety of Pres. Lincoln and Washington, D.C., Baker was given the very best of everything money could buy including 800 hand picked soldiers, and the best horses and equipment. Baker requested from Sec. of War, Edwin Stanton, the very latest in arms, the repeating Henry rifles. He led his Regt. on no less than 5 raids into the VA. Valley looking for the Rebel Mosby and his gang who were getting to close to Washington and the President. He was given charge of the Old Capitol Prison where he kept the spies and traitors that he hunted down and captured (like the famous Confederate Spy, Belle Boyd). When Lincoln was assassinated in April 1865, Baker was called on by Sec. of War, Stanton to organize and hunt down suspected killer john Wilkes Booth. This was to be one of his most known historic events. He gathered 25 handpicked men from the 26th ME. Regt. and they started on Booth’s trail finally capturing and shooting him in the Garret farm barn near Port Royal, Va. The body was brought back by an iron clad steamer to the Old Capitol Prison where Baker identified Booth and then buried his body secretly under the floor of the basement. When the conspirators were captured, Baker kept them in his Prison until they had there trial in which Baker was involved. When they were sentenced to death, Baker had the gallows constructed in his prison yard and each one including the only woman Mary Surratt was hanged. He also foiled an attempt at suicide by Wirz, the man in charge of the Andersonville prison where so many Union soldiers died. Baker thought that he should receive the largest share of the reward money for capturing Booth but Stanton had it distributed among all whom were involved, outraging Baker. He turned against Stanton and the new President, Andrew Johnson. Baker also wanted a position in the new government but again was kept out. He retired to Phila. where he died in 1868. Later years his body was examined and it was determined by testing some of his remaining hair that a large amount of poison was present showing that he was indeed possibly silenced to keep him from embarrassing Stanton and Pres. Johnson as they, at that point, could not be sure what he might do or say in his then mistrust of everyone. Described in other books such as Anatomy of an Assassination. John Cottrell, and Death to Traitors, Jacob Mogelever, and In the Shadow Of Lincoln’s Death, Otto Eisenshiml. These items have a special place in our American history. 4-60705 (27,500-47,500)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2006

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	886	$31,625.00	BEAUTIFUL PRESENTATION GRADE AND INSCRIBED CIVIL WAR CALVARY OFFICER’S SABER AND SWORD BELT OF MAJOR LAFAYETTE C. BAKER, AND COL. 1st DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CAVALRY, LATER BRIGADIER GENERAL, ORGANIZER, AND FIRST CHIEF OF THE U.S. SECRET SERVICE WHO LATER WAS IN CHARGE OF THE SEARCH FOR JOHN WILKES BOOTH AFTER HE ASSASSINATED PRESIDENT LINCOLN. ALSO INCLUDES BOOKS AUTHORED BY BAKER AND OTHER MEMROBILIA. An incredible opportunity to own the presentation sword, belt, and books of Major Lafayette Baker who was one of the Civil Wars most colorful, hated, feared, egotistical, and a motivated Commanders. This sword, (carried by him from 1863 until his death by poisoning in 1868 in an attempt to silence him because he knew to much about the conspiracy surrounding Lincoln’s Assassination as Secret Service Chief ) is a very significant and historical piece. The sword blade, made by Clauberg, Solingen and so marked on the ricasso, is believed to have been purchased from Tiffany’s in New York. The single edged 35” blade has a sweeping curve and is very highly decorated and etched with patriotic trophies, a liberty cap in a sunburst, an American Eagle, “U.S.” and a stand of flags with the motto: “STAND BY THE UNION”. The hilt is cast in high relief-regulation style but heavily gilded, and engraved with profuse laurel leaf decorations on the branches. The tip of the counter guard has two winged cherubs applied. The grip is of silver with alternating bands of engraved and plain rings, wrapped in triple strands brass wire. The scabbard is of brass and silver-plated with fancy gilded brass mounts. The throat has a scalloped edge with floral engraving. The two ring mounts are the faces of a woman with flowing hair and a floral headband. Inscribed between the two ring mounts is “PRESENTED to COL. L.C. BAKER / 1st D.C. Cavalry / by the Officers of his Regt / Sept. 10th 1863”. The sword belt is field grade, black, bridle leather waist belt having an enlisted man’s style M1851 Eagle sword belt plate of cast brass with applied silver wreath. CONDITION: Very good. Blade retains nice bright factory finish and etching is still quite frosty with staining at ricasso. Hilt is very well preserved with much of its gold wash intact. Scabbard is brass with approx. 25% of its orig silver-plating intact. This sword was given to him by his loyal officers and he carried it at all times, thus showing genuine wears. Baker describes this sword and an elaborate saddle given to him on page 38 in his book. Belt is very good with surface cracking but remaining supple and strong. Numbers on plate and keeper do not match. Photocopies of war records, period newspapers and other info describing capture of Booth are included. Accompanying these are three very important books in fair condition authored by BAKER. THE UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE IN THE LATE WAR. (Churchill, Kansas City, 1889), SPIES, TRAITORS, AND CONSPIRATORS OF THE LATE WAR. (Potter, Phila. 1884) and HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. (King and Baird, Phila. 1868) all pertaining to his command of the Secret Service which, at that time of war, was given by Lincoln full authority and power to hunt down spies and traitors working for the Confed. and against the Union. To insure the safety of Pres. Lincoln and Washington, D.C., Baker was given the very best of everything money could buy including 800 hand picked soldiers, and the best horses and equipment. Baker requested from Sec. of War, Edwin Stanton, the very latest in arms, the repeating Henry rifles. He led his Regt. on no less than 5 raids into the VA. Valley looking for the Rebel Mosby and his gang who were getting to close to Washington and the President. He was given charge of the Old Capitol Prison where he kept the spies and traitors that he hunted down and captured (like the famous Confederate Spy, Belle Boyd). When Lincoln was assassinated in April 1865, Baker was called on by Sec. of War, Stanton to organize and hunt down suspected killer john Wilkes Booth. This was to be one of his most known historic events. He gathered 25 handpicked men from the 26th ME. Regt. and they started on Booth’s trail finally capturing and shooting him in the Garret farm barn near Port Royal, Va. The body was brought back by an iron clad steamer to the Old Capitol Prison where Baker identified Booth and then buried his body secretly under the floor of the basement. When the conspirators were captured, Baker kept them in his Prison until they had there trial in which Baker was involved. When they were sentenced to death, Baker had the gallows constructed in his prison yard and each one including the only woman Mary Surratt was hanged. He also foiled an attempt at suicide by Wirz, the man in charge of the Andersonville prison where so many Union soldiers died. Baker thought that he should receive the largest share of the reward money for capturing Booth but Stanton had it distributed among all whom were involved, outraging Baker. He turned against Stanton and the new President, Andrew Johnson. Baker also wanted a position in the new government but again was kept out. He retired to Phila. where he died in 1868. Later years his body was examined and it was determined by testing some of his remaining hair that a large amount of poison was present showing that he was indeed possibly silenced to keep him from embarrassing Stanton and Pres. Johnson as they, at that point, could not be sure what he might do or say in his then mistrust of everyone. Described in other books such as Anatomy of an Assassination. John Cottrell, and Death to Traitors, Jacob Mogelever, and In the Shadow Of Lincoln’s Death, Otto Eisenshiml. These items have a special place in our American history. 4-60705 (27,500-47,500) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2006 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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