Five centuries of military and American history take center stage at Richmond Auctions’ November 19-21 sale

Greenville, SC - Spanning nearly five centuries, Richmond Auctions’ November 19–21 Premier Firearms, Military & Sportsman Advertising Auction brings together an extraordinary range of objects connected not only to the evolution of warfare, but to the people and pivotal moments that shaped American history.

The approximately 1,400-lot, three-day auction reaches from arms and artifacts dating to the 1500s through the Revolutionary War, Civil War, World Wars, Cold War and into the modern War on Terrorism. Historic firearms, edged weapons, militaria, wartime training materials, inert ordnance, and ephemera will be joined by remarkable pieces with direct connections to some of the most recognizable names and events in the nation's history.

Among the historical highlights are authenticated letters bearing the signature of George Washington, along with preserved locks of Washington’s hair—remarkably personal artifacts associated with the commander of the Continental Army and first President of the United States.

Another extraordinary piece carries a far darker connection to American history: a knife documented as having been used during the attempted assassination of Secretary of State William H. Seward on April 14, 1865. While John Wilkes Booth attacked President Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre, conspirator Lewis Powell entered Seward’s Washington home and violently attacked the bedridden Secretary of State. Seward survived the assassination attempt, making the documented knife a chilling artifact associated with the broader conspiracy that unfolded on one of the most consequential nights in American history.

The auction’s Civil War offerings continue with a scarce Colt Model 1860 Army revolver from the approximately 1,000-gun shipment ordered directly by Ordnance officer Captain Silas Crispin for the 11th New York Regiment. Manufactured in 1861, the revolver represents an unusual government-associated Colt shipment that bypassed the standard U.S. military inspection process.

From there, the auction moves through the dramatic technological changes of the 20th century, with material representing World War I, World War II, Vietnam and the Cold War before continuing into the conflicts and equipment of the modern War on Terrorism.

Together, the objects tell a story much larger than any individual firearm or artifact. They offer collectors the opportunity to encounter nearly 500 years of military innovation and American history—not simply through accounts written about the past, but through tangible objects connected to the people, conflicts and events themselves.

Richmond Auctions’ Premier Firearms, Military & Sportsman Advertising
WHEN: November 19-21, 2026
WHERE: In-Person at 526 Congaree Road, Greenville, SC 2960  & Online at guns.richmondauctions.com
TIME: 10am EST

Full catalog and event details at guns.richmondauctions.com.  For more information, contact firearms@richmondauctions.com. Sign up for our auction alerts to be notified about upcoming auctions at www.richmondauctions.com.

Viewing:  Wednesday, November 18, 2026 from 10 AM to 5 PM Eastern

26 Congaree Road
Greenville, SC 29607
United States
+1 (864) 991-5949
www.richmondauctions.com

We know you love military history and vehicles, but do you collect anything else? Ever wonder about the baseball cards in a box in the basement or Grandma’s old coins in a jar?  Do you love old cars or spin vinyl? Head on over to Collect.com and see what you are missing. Collect.com is the who, what, when and where of the collecting world! https://www.collect.com/