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CIVIL WAR GUNS
17-08-20... Extremely Rare French Contract P-1853 Enfield Rifle Musket: In the forty five years I have collected and traded antique guns, this is the first of these unsigned French Enfields I have owned. Classic P1853 Enfield in overall VG ++ condition. The barrel has many interesting proof marks including a cartouched "D" flanked by two five pointed stars, a crown over P, and letter D inside a vertical oval. A truly top quality contract piece made in France under contract. Rear sight has a crown over F. The underside of the stock is stamped RV in front of the trigger guard tang. 100% original, 100% complete, and mechanically perfect. These French Enfields were used in the Crimean War (1854-1856), and with France’s close ties to the Confederacy they have a Southern connection as well. A very solid Enfield and darn scarce ... $1,950.00 sold
17-08-21..... FIRST MODEL MERRILL CARBINE...These breech loading, .54 caliber, Baltimore-made carbines were issued to the 1st, 5th, 18th NY cavalry; the 11th, 17th, 18th Pennsylvania, and other units. 99% of surviving examples show evidence of wear from actual wartime use. The Merrill is one of the most difficult guns for collectors to find in high finish or "minty" condition, because nearly all were carried in the Civil War. In 45 years I have found only ONE in near mint condition. That was thirty odd years ago and I wish I had kept it. These things saw heavy use. Flayderman says that only 14,495 were produced during the war. Many were produced before the war and were used by Virginia confederates. I have owned two 100% documented Merrill’s carried by Virginia Confederate troopers. They are perfect to display with Confederate artifacts as well as Union. A hinged loading arm raises up on top and draws back a plunger allowing insertion of a cartridge and rams it tightly home when closed. This one is serial number 9942 and follows Merrill’s first model, having a brass patchbox and bearing the serial number at the rear of the lock plate. It has the improved second-type button head latch on the breech lever. Clear Merrill patent stamps on the lock; visible but slightly rubbed on top of the lever. Some chips out of the forward edge of the lock platform and some handling dings on the offside under the sling ring bar and two dings just aft of the barrel band on the right. Wood has a tight fit to the metal. Barrel shows a dull, pewter gray. The loading assembly shows some rubbing to the patent stamp and one small patch of shallow pitting. Nice mellow patina to the brass mounts. A classic early war carbine with true connections to Virginia Confederate troopers. $1,895.00 sold Call us @ 419-842-1863
17-08-22....DARLING AND HARRIS MICHIGAN MADE OVER & UNDER MULE EAR SIDE HAMMER RIFLE & SHOTGUN COMBO:... This gun, is like the wife of the old farmer, who was, “not much for pretty, but hell for strong.” This one sports a 45 caliber rifle barrel over a 12 gauge shotgun barrel. Perfect for even large game like elk which once were plentiful in Michigan. The mechanism is simple and effective. The upper barrel is stamped “ ..]rling. C.H. Harris Otsego Mich” on the top (and also marked “cast steel,”) the left being partly obscured by the long rear sight. This is certainly the mark of William K. Darling and C.H. Harris, who worked as gunsmiths in Otsego (Allegan County) Michigan and are recorded in Chapin’s 1867-1868 business directory for the state, though they were certainly in business much earlier. This gun must have been a good one and well liked by the owner. The tang has provision for a lollipop peep sight in addition to the standard sights present on the top of the barrel. Double set triggers actuate the side hammers. The top hammer cocks and functions. The shotgun hammer has good spring tension but the sear is worn and it will not stay on cock. The ramrod is side mounted on the left. The trigger guard is rather crudely cast, and the gun is decorated sparsely with a small brass patch box in the right butt, which still has some patches in it, a small compartment on the underside behind the trigger guard tang for caps, and an inlaid silver crescent moon on the left butt flat. The lock is mounted with a single side screw. A wood screw shows on the upper left butt flat just forward of the brass crescent butt plate, but what its function was is unclear since there is no repair, and it doesn’t appear to secure any part of portion of the gun. A very folky rifle, full of character circa 1860. $1,250.00 Call us @ 419-842-1863
- 16-08-22 ...EARLY PRODUCTION (1870) NRA EXCELLENT CONDITION MODEL 1866 WINCHESTER RIFLE:... I can’t praise this gun enough. The absolute finest 66 rifle I have owned, and perhaps the best condition example currently for sale. 44 caliber, 100% original, 100% complete, mechanically perfect, and way beyond extra fine condition. THE gun that won the west in screaming top end condition. NRA “Excellent+” condition. A true gem. OK… enough of that. The photos do not justly capture the blue finish. 24” octagon barrel retains 95% of its original bright factory blue finish. Mint edges and mint markings. The hammer exhibits 90% case color. Bore is superb. The brass frame and furniture has an absolutely PERFECT undisturbed dark mustard age patina. No nicks, no cleaned areas, perfect and untouched. Rear sight is simple fixed notch block sight. Fitted with sling swivels. The wood is likewise excellent with sharp edges and no damage. Serial number 39066-B puts the date of manufacture at 1870. If this was a Henry rifle it would fetch around a hundred thousand dollars. It is not mint but it isn’t far off. If you can find a comparable gun at this price… you should buy it! If you know of a comparable gun for sale at "a margin" less than this price, tell me and I'll buy it. $22,500.00 Call us @ 419-842-1863
13-11-15 ... 13-10-10 ... Nathan Starr 1816 Pattern Musket dated 1830, with an arsenal percussion conversion. Few American arms makers are better known than Starr, who had a wide variety of US contracts for muskets, pistols, sabers, and cutlasses over a long period. Here is a solid example of his 1816 Pattern Type 3 flintlock with the “cone-in-barrel” or “Belgian” style conversion favored by US arsenals. Starr made some 15,000 of these muskets between 1829 and 1840. This is one of the earliest versions, second year, and bears the 8-pointed star or floral motif at rear of the lock behind “MIDDtn/ CONN/1830.” Forward of the hammer is the standard small US over a sunburst and N. Starr. The lower portion of the sunburst and the Starr name are rubbed as is often the case when the arsenal ground down the brass flash pan and added a military percussion hammer. The US mark is sharp. Clear eagle head and sunken “P” proofmarks on the left barrel near breach. Good strong edges on wood around lock and a good butt stock and fore stock. Some wood dings opposite the lock, very minor chips to edge of triggerguard tang on underside and a carved letter “H” from a previous owner or soldier. Lock plate shows cloudy gray of faded case color, barrel is dull silver with rising brown areas, but smooth overall with just a couple of corrosion dimples near the nipple from firing. Correct swivels, ramrod, barrel bands and springs, mechanics good. After the percussion system was adopted by the U.S. government flintlock arms held by arsenals were divided into classes by age and condition and the newest and best condition guns were converted to the new system by several methods. The cone-in-barrel style was the one favored by the arsenals. These became the weapons issued to volunteers in the early years of the Civil War as the army expanded and new production could not keep up. This gun has surely seen some good history, a pre-Alamo and Seminole War musket that later found its way into the ranks of the north or south, in 1861. Very good to near fine condition. 100% original, 100% complete, and mechanically perfect. A very affordable musket from America’s early days ... $975.00 SOLD Call us @ 419-842-1863
13-11-30 ... 13-09-58 ... Special Model 1861 Colt Rifle Musket with Rare Amoskeag Lock: Colt made nearly 100,000 of these special models for the US government and various state contracts. He was ahead of US arsenal developments in several innovations: the contoured hammer profile, lack of bolster cleanout screw, and the use of split friction- bands with tension screws (eliminating band springs). Only Colt, Amoskeag, and Lamson, Goodnow and Yale produced this Special Model pattern and their parts are interchangeable as are most CW contract muskets. In this case at some point an Amoskeag lock was placed in the stock. Whether this occurred in 1864 or 1964 I do not know. I considered switching locks with a Colt pattern but it looks like the Amoskeag lock has been in there a long, long time. I will leave it to the next owner to decide whether to keep the current lock or to swap it out for a Colt lock. The 1863 date and Amoskeag marks are crisp, as is the eagle above on the bolster. The barrel shows an 1862 barrel date on top, Colt style VP proof on the left flat, and a New Jersey “NJ” barrel stamp on the left, along with the Colt marking of “Steel” on the barrel. These guns were finished “in the bright” and this one has just few small brown spots on the butt plate tang and inside of the hammer along with some very light flash peppering from firing on the hammer and around the nipple. Wood is very good, lightly cleaned at some point, partial NJ cartouche still visible in the wood. Mechanically excellent, great bore, original rod, swivels, type-II rear sight, etc. Call us @ 419-842-1863
13-11-31 ... 13-09-77: Extremely Scarce M-1855 Harpers Ferry “Patchbox” Rifle Musket: Among the Holy Grails of Civil War longarms are these Harpers Ferry ’55 rifle muskets with the Maynard tape primer system. The reason being ... this is the arm that was on hand when the Confederates captured the arsenal in 1861, and many, if not most of them, wound up in the hands of the Johnny Rebs. And those that were not captured by the rebs had likely been issued to US Regulars who were already in the field when the war broke out. The Springfield examples are very desirable, the Harpers Ferry examples are ultra desirable. This gun is totally original and complete and is also mechanically perfect. Metal is overall gun-metal grey with vivid sharp markings and some age staining and areas of light pitting. The lock date and barrel date are matched “1859 Stock edges are very good++ and “JS” cartouche is partially visible. The rear sight is the proper short range pattern found on the “patchbox models” of the ’55. The bore is about VG. This is a totally original and honest Harpers Ferry ’55. It is 100% original, 100% complete, and mechanically perfect. Proper in every way for an early war Confederate display. ... $3850.00 SOLD Call us @ 419-842-1863
13-11-32 ... 13-09-05 ... Lamson, Goodnow and Yale Special Model 1861 Rifle Musket. These Special Model 1861 rifle-muskets were very similar to the 1863 Springfields and were produced only by Colt, Lamson Goodnow & Yale, and Amoskeag. The hammer configuration is the most obvious change like a 63 style, and the use of split barrel bands without springs are likewise as on the 63 Springfields. The lock is clearly marked US over L.G.&Y. over Windsor Vt. forward of the hammer and 1863 to the rear. Eagle on bolster. Barrel has clear VP/eagle proofs on left barrel flat and clear 1864 date on top of barrel near breach indicating assembly in early 1864 using a lock plate made at the end of 1863 (one year differences in date stampings are totally acceptabled, a plate made in December 1863, can be assembled with a barrel made in January 1864… unlike a two year spread in dates where “Lucy might have some ‘splainin to do”. Wood rates vg+ with no chips, dings or splits, just some rounding of edges from handling and use. Cartouches are still visible on the offside. Very slight shrinkage at edge of buttplate tang. These were finished “in the bright” and the smooth metal retains a lot of it below some surface brown spots. 100% proper with correct second type rear sight, original front sight firmly in place, correct barrel bands, swivels, and correct ramrod. Lockplate and hammer show signs of case color that has shifted toward a smoky hue. Mechanically perfect, VG bore. This is a nice midwar gun in very good condition and a variant ... $1,550.00 SOLD Call us @ 419-842-1863
13-11-33 ... 13-03-01 - Extra Fine - High Finish - Engraved - Belgian Transition Revolver: From the standpoint of condition, quality, and form … this is one of the finest guns I have owned. When I found it for sale while visiting in Colorado I couldn’t get my wallet open fast enough. The 6.5 inch barrel exhibits 98% vivid factory blue. The cylinder has nearly that much just showing slightly more wear. The silvered frame, trigger guard, back strap, and butt strap are magnificently hand engraved with floral and foliate scrolls. There is even a bunch of apples or peaches engraved on the left frame. Bore is roughly .40 caliber or so… Right side of barrel lug signed “T.L. Hoist / Brevette / Cheratte” These “transition revolvers” are so named because they are a transition in arms technology from the pepperbox design to the modern revolver design. There are dozens of variations on them, usually English and western European. This has the frame, and mechanical design of a pepperbox, but the hammer, grip, cylinder and barrel are like the early style Colts. This is roughly the size of a Colt Navy revolver. Top shelf in all respects. Call us @ 419-842-1863
13-11-14 ... 13-09-71 ... 13-09-71 ... Confederate Richmond Rifle Musket: The real deal --- a totally honest “Richmond” that is 100% “Richmond” from muzzle to butt plate… except for the crude ramrod which is either a CS replacement or a hillbilly replacement. This old war horse shows plenty of wear and use… but no abuse and no modern repairs or cobbles. Has proper brass butt plate, brass nose cap, straight ramrod channel, etc… etc… etc… The lock is marked 1862 behind the hammer and CS Richmond Va. ahead of the hammer. The rear sight is the proper Richmond version of the 1855 short range pattern and it has been slightly shortened along the front (forward) end. The barrel proofs are visible but worn. The barrel date is completely worn away. All steel surfaces are a mixture of gun-metal grey and smoky patina with light rust pitting over 60%. The stock shows plenty of handling and wear. It is full length, unbroken, and unaltered. Both sling swivels are present. The bore is good with decent well-worn rifling. I would judge this musket to have been produced late in 1862 due to the fact that ALL the parts are Richmond made, with no US “leftovers” in the recipe. Early Richmonds utilized captured US parts from Harpers Ferry. Later war Richmonds utilized US parts captured from prisoners guns or picked up off battlefields. It is the mid-war Richmonds that are most desirable as they are generally “purer” Richmond. If you are looking for a REAL RICHMOND RIFLE MUSKET ... here she is ... $6,800.00 SOLD
Call us @ 419-842-1863
Quality 18th Century Mediterranean Pirate Pistol: High Large – roughly 19 inches overall - full stock flintlock pistol. Circa 1750 or earlier. Has beautifully relief carved stock. Nose cap is a wonderful piece of elephant ivory carved with horizontal flutes. The trigger guard and butt cap are deeply chiseled and engraved in the deepest and highest quality. The twelve inch barrel shows worn hand engraved decorations near the breech that were certainly gold inlaid when the gun was new. The lines and form of this marvelous ancient pistol show that it hails from the eastern Mediterranean area into the Islamic regions. It is immeasurably higher quality than the common middle eastern junque we usually see. A truly high quality antique firearm in fine condition, exhibiting top end craftsmanship. ... $1,250.00 SOLD Call us @ 419-842-1863
or Call us @ 419-842-1863
A superb presentation inscribed revolver in extra fine condition ... $2,395.00 SOLD
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16-08-24 ...A TRUE MATCHED PAIR OF FINE CONDITION COLT POCKET REVOLVERS ...A genuine matching pair of Colt pocket revolvers. Serial numbers 312636 and 312811. Both manufactured within a day or two of each other in 1869, with matching fine condition and patina, and less than 200 numbers apart. Matching near perfect walnut grips on both rate excellent plus. Both grips have the desirable Henry rifle type varnished red-orange color and tone. Medium patina on the brass on each gun, a tad darker on 811. Matching faded blue on both 4 inch barrels and matching traces of case color on both frames. The cylinder on 811 shows a bit more brown and slightly less crisp scene and marks, but both are nicely visible. 636 also shows a slightly sharper barrel address, so it looks like 811 was the pistol the owner carried more. Probably the “right hand gun”. These would look great cased together if you happen to know where an empty 2-gun casing can be found, or if you want to make or buy a custom box, that would be neat. Or… if you have a pair of period holsters and a belt, (or buy same at the next antique arms show), that would really make a heck of a cowboy display with these great old matched Colts. A very handsome, true matched pair of very early western Colt pockets. $3,500.00
