Bannerman: America's Mogul of Militaria

Directed by Bayley Silleck

Born in Scotland in 1851 and raised in Brooklyn, Francis Bannerman VI helped out in his family’s junk and produce business. After the Civil War, enormous quantities of military equipment were put up for public auction at federal arsenals across the nation, and young Francis, along with more established dealers, saw an opportunity. Attending dozens of such auctions, he won large lots of cannons, riffles, flags, swords, uniforms, and accouterments - often at pennies on the dollar. By 1910, he had a famed arms emporium on Broadway (NYYC) and a spectacular castle on an island in the Hudson. Godfather of the Army-Navy surplus business, Bannerman is credited with saving the vast numbers of antique arms for collectors everywhere.