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LOT 227
Scarce Civil War James Warner Breech Loading Carbine - Serial no. 1466, 50 RF cal., 20 inch round bbl., bright/blue finish, walnut stock. This carbine is marked “JAMES WARNER, SPRINGFIELD, MASS./WARNER’S/PATENT” on the left side of the brass frame. Only 1,501 of these carbines are believed to have been manufactured by Warner in 1864. These initial carbines saw some use by Wisconsin units and others during the last part of the war. Another 2,500 were produced by Greene Rifle Works. After the Civil War, the Warner carbines were sold as surplus and then Schuyler, Hartley & Graham resold them to France in 1870. This carbine has a round blade front sight, folding leaf rear sight with “3”, “5”, and “8” markings on the leaf (300-800 yards), “C.S.L.” (Charles S. Lowell) inspection mark on the left of the breech, a smooth walnut forearm, manual extractor, a straight wrist walnut buttstock, a saddle ring on the left side of the action, “L” on the bottom of the frame and buttplate tang, “1466” on the bottom of the barrel, front of the
frame, and buttplate, and “7” assembly number on the frame and breechblock. “GDM” (George D. Moller) collection initials on the toe of the stock. Includes wood tampion. CONDITION: Very good with some patches of light pitting, scattered dents on left forward frame, attractive natural aged patina on the brass, and moderate overall wear. The wood is good, with a crack visible along the left side of the wrist, chips around the upper tang, a small crack behind the upper tang, and mild scrapes and dings. Mechanically fine, with an absent firing pin tip. Provenance: The George Moller Collection. Estimate: 3,250 - 4,750
LOT 228 Dwight, Chapin & Company Ballards Patent Civil War Carbine - Serial no. 1833, 56-56 cal., 22 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. After Dwight, Chapin & Co. went into bankruptcy, the leftover parts and guns on hand were acquired by Merwin & Bray who sent them to Ball & Williams to complete; approximately 1,000 carbines were assembled and sold to the state of Kentucky in April of 1864. The right side has the standard Ballard patent marking, and the left has the Merwin & Bray marking. Features include a blade front sight, notch and folding leaf rear sight, and manual extractor. “GDM” (George D. Moller) collection initials marked at the toe of the stock. Includes wood tampion and a period leather sling. CONDITION: Very good, retaining 20% original blue finish concentrated at the breech end of barrel and near the edges of the forend, with scattered mild spotting. Wood is good with some scattered dents, chips, and scratches, and a crack visible on the left at the wrist. Mechanically fine. Provenance: The George Moller Collection. Estimate: 1,800 - 2,750 LOT 229 Civil War Merrill First Model Percussion Carbine - Serial no. 8344, 54 cal., 22 1/8 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened finish, walnut stock. Total production of type I and II Merrill carbines by James H. Merrill of Baltimore, Maryland, was just under 14,500, and nearly all were issued to Union cavalry units including several from New York and Pennsylvania. Merrill was in Washington, D.C. in 1816 and initially worked with his brother William as a gunsmith in Baltimore in the 1840s. His first breech loading design was patented in 1856. Features include a brass patch box and furniture, blade front and notch rear sight with two folding leaves marked for 300 and 500 yards, a sling bar and ring attached to the brass side plate on the left stock flat, matching serial numbers on the tail of the lock and lever. Boxed script “GDS” (Grandville D. Shattuck) cartouche on the left stock flat. “GDM” (George D. Moller) collection initials marked at the toe of the stock. Includes wood tampion. CONDITION: Very good, gray patina overall with some light pitting, and brass retains attractive bright surfaces. Wood is fine as re-oiled with a crisp cartouche. Mechanically excellent. Provenance: The George Moller Collection. Estimate: 1,800 - 2,750
LOT 230 Civil War Era Ball & Williams Ballard Carbine - Serial no. 8968, 44 RF cal., 22 inch part octagon bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. Around 6,600 Ballard carbines were manufactured by Ball & Williams during the Civil War. All are believed to have been manufactured to fill contracts with various Union states, primarily Kentucky. They also received federal contracts later in the war. This example has a blade front sight, standard notch and folding leaf rear sight, Ball & Williams and Merwin & Bray markings on the barrel flats, and sling swivels on the barrel band and butt. Includes reproduction leather sling and wood tampion. CONDITION: Very good plus, retaining a smooth brown patina overall with 30% of the original blue finish on the barrel and rear edges of the frame, and a few patches of very light pitting. Wood is fine with some light dents and scratches, and some chips on the right rear and at the top edges of the buttplate. Mechanically excellent. Provenance: The George Moller Collection. Estimate: 2,250 - 3,500
LOT 231 Civil War Spencer Model 1860 Saddle Ring Carbine - Serial no. 55904, 52 RF cal., 22 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened finish, walnut stock. Manufactured from 1863-1865 with a total production of about 50,000, the Spencer was one of the most widely used and popular Civil War firearms. Fixed blade front sight and folding rear sight graduated to 800 yards. Combination trigger guard and lever operates the unique Spencer action, extracting the spent casing on the down stroke and chambering a fresh round from the tube magazine in the buttstock on the upstroke. The top of the receiver is marked “SPENCER REPEATING/RIFLE CO. BOSTON, MASS./PAT’D MARCH 6, 1860”. There is a small “S” on the left rear of the barrel, “R” on the left rear of the receiver and “M” on the lever and breechblock components. Mounted with a smooth walnut forearm and straight grip stock with a saddle ring and bar mounted on the
left wrist, two boxed script cartouches, sling swivel and an iron buttplate. “GDM” (George D. Moller) collection initials marked at the toe of the stock. Includes wood tampion. CONDITION: Very good plus, retaining 20% thinning original blue finish on the barrel, and 30% original case colors on the frame and lever with scattered mild spotting. Wood is very fine with some light handling marks, and clear cartouches. Mechanically excellent. Provenance: The George Moller Collection. Estimate: 2,000 - 3,000
Collector’s Fact
Only 1,501 James Warner Breech Loading carbines were produced.
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