Notable Sales & Legacy Collections
Over 50+ years, Gary Hendershott has handled some of the most important artifacts ever to appear on the private market. These notable sales represent a fraction of the extraordinary material that has passed through his hands.
The breadth and significance of these transactions reflect a career devoted to identifying, authenticating, and placing the finest historical artifacts with collectors and institutions who will preserve them for future generations. From presidential portraits to outlaw memorabilia, from Civil War battle flags to frontier firearms, each sale represents a moment when an object of profound historical importance found its proper steward.
Many of the most important transactions are conducted privately and never appear in public records. The items highlighted here represent only those sales whose historical significance warrants public acknowledgment. Gary's emphasis on discretion means that the full scope of his work remains known only to the collectors and institutions he serves.
Notable Items & Collections
Gilbert Stuart's Washington Portrait
The iconic "Dollar Bill" portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart, one of the most recognized images in American history. This painting defined the public image of the nation's first president for over two centuries.
The Dalton Gang Collection
A comprehensive collection of artifacts, photographs, and personal effects related to the Dalton Gang, one of the most notorious outlaw bands of the American frontier era. Assembled over decades from family sources.
General Nathan Bedford Forrest's Sword
The personal battle sword of Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest, one of the most feared cavalry commanders of the Civil War. A weapon of extraordinary historical significance with impeccable provenance.
JEB Stuart's Battle Flag
The personal headquarters battle flag of General JEB Stuart, the legendary Confederate cavalry commander. One of the most important Confederate artifacts to appear on the private market in modern times.
Gatling Gun — Custer Model
A Gatling gun of the model available to George Armstrong Custer's command, representing one of the most significant military firearms of the frontier era. An artifact of extraordinary rarity and historical importance.
1876 Centennial Items
A curated group of important artifacts from the 1876 American Centennial, including commemorative items, original artwork, and material of national significance from this pivotal moment in American history.
Beyond the Highlights
The items listed above represent only a portion of the notable material Gary has handled. Over the decades, he has also facilitated the sale of Emanuel Leutze's celebrated Washington Crossing the Delaware, Mary Cassatt's first portrait painted in 1871, masterworks by the Taos artists, and the personal effects of Robert E. Lee, George Washington, Ulysses S. Grant, George Custer, and many other figures of American history.
His client list includes major museums, private foundations, and individual collectors who share a commitment to preserving these objects for posterity. In every transaction, the priority remains the same: placing important material with stewards who will honor its historical significance.
Great Collectors
Over more than 50+ years in this field, the relationships Gary has built with fellow collectors and dealers are among his most valued achievements. These individuals — each remarkable in their own right — have shaped the world of historical collecting and enriched Gary's life and career in ways that no single artifact ever could.
Dr. Edward Boagni III
The greatest collector in Louisiana, Dr. Boagni is pictured here donating Admiral Raphael Semmes' uniform and sword, along with CSA General Paul Semmes' uniform and kepi — the general killed in action at Gettysburg — to the Confederate Museum. The Semmes family is seated in the front row, with his friend and fellow collector Bill Moore assisting in the ceremony. Known affectionately as "Dr. Books," he assembled one of the finest private libraries in the South and made regular pilgrimages to Maggs Book Store in London. Gary often accompanied him on those trips, helping carry the books home.
Steve Mullinax
The greatest collector of Confederate belt plates — and the Confederacy in general — Steve is pictured here with his wife Tricia beside a ten-pound Parrott rifled cannon that he sold to Gary on the way to the airport one day, decades ago. He later sold Gary an embossed CS canteen during a flight from Charleston to Atlanta. Gary was seated at the front of the plane while Steve and Tricia were several rows behind. The flight attendant passed handwritten notes back and forth between them as they negotiated the price. By the time the plane landed, Gary was the proud new owner of a Confederate embossed canteen — and the flight attendant was glad to see them off the aircraft.
Erga Gartenberg
Erga Gartenberg fled Nazi Germany with his collection packed into a single suitcase and began his new life in America funded by sales from that very suitcase. He lost his left leg during the war and always maintained that "Hitler took his leg." A more generous person one could not find — he loved collecting and shared his knowledge and time freely with everyone he met. He hand-painted ties for the Kiwanis Club using his beautiful German script and kept books to fund his never-ending passion for collecting.
Tony, Gary, Ronnie & John Heflin
The greatest Civil War dealer family in Nashville. John found more outstanding Civil War uniforms and weapons than anyone else in the state of Tennessee and issued his own catalogs for many years. Together the Heflin brothers built a legendary reputation among collectors across the South.
Bob Weisz
A lifelong collector who always gave you more than you bargained for, Bob was generous to his core and never stopped collecting. Gary first met him in Chicago at the age of fourteen, and they remained friends for a lifetime. At that very first meeting, Bob sold the young Gary suitcases full of historical items — and threw in the suitcases themselves. They were so overstuffed he had to tie ropes around them. Gary looked like a European immigrant at the airport, hauling battered luggage from Eastern Europe. Bob always bragged that Gary was his youngest customer.
Richard Freidemann
Gary's friend Richard Freidemann was a Holocaust survivor who endured seven Nazi death camps as a teenager, including Auschwitz and Dachau. A lifelong collector, they met in Chicago and stayed up all night in the lobby of the Palmer House, talking about the war and the Holocaust. Gary was the first person Richard ever told his entire life story to — and Gary never forgot it. They became lifelong friends.
Bill Turner
The quintessential Virginia Confederate collector, Bill found and owned more "neat stuff" — as he called it — than anyone Gary has ever known, and he loved every minute of it. At the original Gettysburg Civil War shows, Bill ruled supreme: anything worth having, he got it first. Gary learned early on not to compete with him but rather to wait and find Bill at the end of each day to get first pick of his newly discovered treasures. In one memorable photograph, Gary holds Bill's favorite Confederate Bowie knife to his throat while Mike Kramer wears Bill's prized Confederate kepi — they all had a good laugh.
Ken Laurence
Ken Laurence was the first person to frame historical autographs for collectors to display in their homes and offices. His frames remain to this day the most elaborate and archivally sound presentations of letters by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and other famous Americans. His magnificent designs are quite simply the finest ever produced. A builder and real estate developer who served as past president of the Miami Home Builders Association, Ken was an avid collector throughout his entire life — a great collector and a gentleman in every respect.
Seeking Something Extraordinary?
Many of the most important artifacts are acquired and sold privately. If you are seeking a specific piece or wish to discuss the sale of significant material, Gary welcomes your confidential inquiry.
Begin a Private Inquiry