Page 94 - Auction84-Book2

LOT 1207
Scarce Civil War Era Butterfield Army Model Percussion Revolver - Serial no. 163, 41 cal., 7 inch octagon bbl., blue/silver finish, walnut grips. The Butterfield Revolvers were manufactured by Jesse Butterfield of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1862.
Collector’s Fact
One of only approximately 640 Butterfield Army revolvers manufactured. Production was halted when no government contracts were awarded.
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LOT 1206
Scarce Massachusetts Arms Co. Wesson & Leavitt Percussion Revolver - Serial no. 199, 40 cal., 7 1/8 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened finish. Manufactured from 1850 to 1851 with total production around 1,000. Production was halted due to a patent infringement suit won by Colt. “WESSON’S & LEAVITT’S PATENT” marked on the action, patent marking on the rear cylinder face and Mass. Arms address on the top strap. “109” is marked on the front of the frame, underside of the back strap, rear of the frame, and front face of the grip. “199” is marked on the top strap lug. CONDITION: Very good, retains 30% of original blue and casehardened finishes with the balance primarily a smooth grey patina with some scattered patches of light pitting. The grips are fine with some scattered minor dings throughout, a minor chip absent from the left toe, and some minor hammering marks on the butts. Mechanically excellent. Estimate: 4,000 - 6,000
They are considered by collectors to be secondary U.S. martial handgun since they were manufactured in anticipation of an unrealized government contract. Because no contract was awarded, production was limited to only about 640 revolvers. It is equipped
with a special disc priming device loaded by loosening a thumb-screw in front of the trigger guard. The top strap is marked “BUTTERFIELD’S/PATENT DEC 11. 1855/PHILADA”. Various components have the matching serial number “163”, including the bottoms of both grips. All of the visible serial numbers match. CONDITION: Good, retains 40% of the original silver plating with the balance of the brass showing an attractive antique patina, the cylinder showing a plum brown patina with some dark oxidation, and the balance mostly a grey patina with extensive light pitting overall. The grips are also good with repair/filler visible at the toes and otherwise minor handling marks and flaking of the varnish. Mechanically fine. Estimate: 3,500 - 5,500
LOT 1208
Civil War Era Joslyn Firearms Co. Army Model
Percussion Revolver - Serial no. 495, 44 cal., 8 inch
octagon bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. Only about 3,000 Army Model
revolvers were manufactured in 1861 and 1862 by the Joslyn Firearms
Company in Stonington, Connecticut. The Joslyn is one of the scarcest of
all the revolvers used by the Union Army and Navy, with only 100 in total purchased by the
U.S. Navy and delivered in October 1861 and 1,100 purchased on the open market, which were
primarily issued to Ohio units including the 5th and 6th Ohio Cavalry. Dovetailed blade front
sight, a sighting groove in the top strap. “B.F. JOSLYN/PATD MAY 4TH 1858.” on top of the barrel at
the breech. Matching serial number on the bottom of the barrel, butt, left of the grip frame, two
pieces of the loading lever, and the hand marked on the back of each grip.
CONDITION: Very good, retains 25% of the original blue finish with the majority visible on the trigger guard plate with the balance mostly a smooth grey patina, spotted with some brown, and showing some evidence of mild cleaning. The grips are also very good with cracks at the bottom of each panel, some scattered minor chips and dings, and mostly well-defined checkering. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 2,500 - 3,750
LOT 1209
Scarce Commercial
Massachusetts
Arms Co. Adams Patent Navy Model Percussion
Revolver - Serial no. 858, 36 cal., 6 inch octagon bbl.,
blue finish, walnut grips. This is one of only approximately 400
commercially sold revolvers out of the 1,000 Adams Navy Model
revolvers manufactured by the Massachusetts Arms Co. in the late 1850s
and early 1860s. The revolver has the Kerr patent rammer on the left
side of the barrel, safety bar on the right side of the frame, hammer with
coarse knurled spur, and one-piece, checkered walnut grip with a provision in center of grips for a
lanyard. The top strap is stamped: “MANUFACTURED BY/MASS. ARMS CO./CHICOPEE FALLS.” in three
lines. Matching serial number “858” marked on the cylinder, loading lever, left side of the frame, and
top of the grip. “ADAMS.PATENT/MAY 3. 1858” is roll-stamped on the left side of the frame. “PATENT/
JUNE 3.1856” is stamped on the right side of the frame. There is a small “W” on the left of the frame
below the serial number. Approximately 600 of these Massachusetts Arms Co. manufactured Navy
Model revolvers were purchased and inspected by the U.S. government during the Civil War and it is likely that many of these remaining 400 “commercial” revolvers were purchased privately for use during the war. CONDITION: Fine, retains 75% plus of the period refreshed blue finish with the balance having thinned to mostly a smooth brown-grey patina, some very slightly softened markings, and some scattered patches of very light pitting visible under the finish on the refinished cylinder. The grip is also fine with some scattered minor dings an crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 1,600 - 2,500
LOT 1210
Very Fine Civil War Martially Inspected Remington
New Model Army Percussion Revolver - Serial no. 66679,
44 cal., 8 inch octagon bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. The New Model
Army revolver was one of the major handguns of the Civil War with this
example having a script letter cartouche on the left grip panel. The barrel
is numbered “66673” which may have been a factory error as the trigger guard is numbered
“669/679” which is correct if the first “9” wasn’t present. The top flat is marked “PATENTED SEPT.
14. 1858/E.REMINGTON & SONS. ILION. NEW YORK. U.S.A/NEW-MODEL.” The major components
have single letter inspection marks including the bottoms of the grip panels (mostly “L”). The
grips are numbered to the revolver in pencil, and the left grip has a script “BH” cartouche.
CONDITION: Very fine with 70% of the original blue finish, some fading mainly on the grip straps, drag lines and some minor flaking on the cylinder, attractive aged patina on the trigger guard, and generally minor overall wear. The grips are fine and have light edge and handling wear and a distinct cartouche. Mechanically fine. Estimate: 2,500 - 3,750