Allegheny City Civil War veteran's effects fetch more than $4K at auction

Aug. 30—A cache of military relics and a wooden locker belonging to an Allegheny County Civil War veteran sold for $4,600 at auction on Sunday, commanding more than 250% of its estimated value.

The collection of items originally belonged to Alfred W. Kredel, a German-American resident of Allegheny City's Troy Hill, now a neighborhood of Pittsburgh'sNorth Side.

Along with period photos, including some of Kredel in uniform, the Union officer's personal effects included a brass buckle and spurs, an artillery cap and lieutenant's shoulder straps. Other items of interest included Kredel's military discharge and pension papers and a silver pocket watch he received as a gift from fellow members of Battery G of Pennsylvania's212th Regiment, 6th Heavy Artillery.

Offered as part of an Estate and Arts auction conducted by White's Auctions of Middleboro, Mass., a lot including Kredel's locker and artifacts had been expected to fetch between $1,200 and $1,800.

But competing bids for the lot rose from $3,200 to the final hammer price of $4,600.

"It was a very interesting auction," said Kathryn Black, partner and manager of White's Auctions. "There was quite a lot of interest. People like military and historical things.

"We had quite a number of people in-house."

Online bids also were received for the Kredel lot and other items.

The auction featured some period firearms, including a 1700s flintlock rifle that commanded a top bid of $15,500, according to Black.

The Kredel artifacts and other items came from the collection of a family that once dealt in antiques and auctions in Pennsylvania, before moving their business to Massachusetts.

Black said White's hopes to offer additional items from that collection.

Kredel was noted for serving two stints with the Union army. He initially joined Pennsylvania's38th Regiment, 9th Reserves in Pittsburgh in May 1861. He was discharged in August of the following year because of gunshot wounds to both shoulders suffered in action at Gaines' Mill in Virginia.

He served again, with the artillery unit, from August 1864 through June 1865.

He had a civilian career as a druggist and apothecary in Allegheny City.

Jeff Himler is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Jeff at 724-836-6622, jhimler@triblive.com or via Twitter .

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