Civil War memorabilia in local auction
A local school teacher’s collection also will be offered at Thursday’s event.
Print
Share
Email to a friend
Add This
Article RatingImages
Kasey DeJesus of Kasey’s Auction shows off an 1861 Springfield rifle that was used at the Battle of Gettysburg.(Karissa Zimmer/The Sentinel)
An 1861 Springfield rifle found on the Gettysburg Battlefield is among Civil War items for sale Thursday at a Mt. Holly Springs auction house.
The rifle, discovered by Uriah and Adam Keefauver, is completely original and has been authenticated by the curator of the Gettysburg Museum, said Kasey DeJesus, owner of Kasey’s Auction in the former Pennsylvania Dutch Candy building on Baltimore Avenue, Mt. Holly Springs. The spring antiques and collectible sale begins at 4 p.m. Doors open at 2:30 p.m.
Kasey said he has gone to extraordinary lengths to provide all information possible for the rifle, including a 1895 photograph of the Keefauvers at the quarry site where the rifle was probably found. (The stone for many monuments on the Gettysburg Battlefield were quarried on site.) Kasey explained that until the early 1900s scavenging on the battlefield was allowed. The only restriction was that articles found had to be reported.
Also up for sale
Other Civil War memorabilia to be auctioned include a sharpshooter’s frock, buckle and saber belt, a preacher’s coat, a ladies’ wool waist cape, tintype photographs, a set of chaplain’s shoulder boards and a $5 Confederate bill.
The sharpshooter’s frock was green (the original camouflage) but has turned black over time. It has no collar, because that would have interfered with firing a weapon, and two concealed pockets for sidearms in case of capture. Buttons are cloth-covered to avoid reflection.
Local items
Of local interest are items from Elizabeth “Tibby” Heberlig, who taught at Stevens Elementary School in Carlisle for more than 40 years. The building on Franklin Street is now home to the Stuart Community Center
Among souvenirs from her many travels and collections are matchbooks from local businesses, including the Carlisle Deposit Trust Co.
Heberlig documented her life in meticulous diaries from 1930 on with original Milton Bradley crayons and postcards with pictures of the Indian School library (1924), “The Last Train on High Street” (1936), the High Street and Pitt Street Railroad Station (1936) and cards featuring landmarks in Boiling Springs and Newville.
For the toy collector, the sale offers board games, dolls and three peddle cars. The most unusual of these is a Vespa Scooter. Although Vespa is an Italian vehicle, the peddle Vespa was made in the United States. All are in excellent condition.
Kasey’s Auction House itself is of local interest. Located in the former PA Dutch Candy building, Kasey has preserved artwork from the building’s candy days.
