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Arms, Armor & Militaria
|
- Sale 1293
Live
| Cincinnati
Oct 24 | 10:00 AM EDT
Live
| Cincinnati
Sale 1293
| Cincinnati
| Cincinnati
Estimate$4,000 – $6,000
.56 caliber (pistol bore). 36" pinned three-stage octagon to round barrel. SN: NSN. Blued finish, iron and brass furniture, hardwood full-length stock. Single shot flintlock muzzleloading smoothbore trade gun. Lock remains in original flint and is marked in an arc at the rear H.E. LEMAN and with Leman's {Tombstone Fox}/PA trademark forward of the cock. Primary internal lock parts are all numbered 52, including the pan, tumbler, sear and bridle. The lock has an integral fenced and bridled rounded iron pan and a rounded swan neck cock. Barrel markings are not visible due to a very old sinew-sewn leather wrapped repair at the wrist which also covers the lock mortise and a couple of inches forward of the lock. Lock and barrel remain in original flint. Traditional "North West" gun features include a flat brass buttplate, secured by two screws, a large iron triggerguard and corrugated brass ramrod pipes. The gun is equipped with a fixed notch rear sight and a blade front sight sight. The gun is decorated with a large number of old, all brass construction square shanked tacks. They decorate the butt of the gun along the buttplate and are also found on the forend. A cross was tacked into the butt on the obverse, but the heads are all missing now, leaving only the shafts. An old brass tipped wooden ramrod is frozen in the ramrod channel.
Henry Leman was the largest maker of "Indian Guns" (aka North West Guns) for the US government, delivering some 9,000 of them between 1842 and 1860. The large majority of the guns were flintlocks, although many were no doubt later altered to percussion by their users. Of 410 Native American used guns recovered and studied from the Little Bighorn battlefield by the US Government, 160 were muzzleloaders and of those 92 were made by Leman. His reputation for quality arms made them quite popular and highly coveted by the native dwellers on the Great Plains. Overall a very solid and great looking Northwest Gun by Leman that has the earmarks of being a real Native used piece with a wonderful look.
Very good. Smooth bore is moderately oxidized and pitted. Barrel with some minute traces of blue near the leather wrap repair, but otherwise moderately oxidized with a mottled brown and gray patina and some scattered light pitting and surface roughness. Lock well marked, remains in original flint and is mechanically functional. Brass with a rich, uncleaned patina. Stock with sinew sewn leather repair at wrist, showing scattered bumps, dings and mars. The sheet brass forend reinforcing plate is missing, leaving a shadow of where it was originally located near the muzzle, and one tack is missing from the forend. The tacks that formed a cross on the obverse butt are all missing their heads. Overall a neat flintlock Leman North West gun with a great look.
The physical condition of lots in our auctions can vary due to age, normal wear and tear, previous damage, and restoration/repair. All lots are sold "AS IS," in the condition they are in at the time of the auction, and we and the seller make no representation or warranty and assume no liability of any kind as to a lot's condition. Any reference to condition in a catalogue description or a condition report shall not amount to a full accounting of condition. Condition reports prepared by Freeman's staff are provided as a convenience and may be requested from the Department prior to bidding.
The absence of a posted condition report on the Freeman's website or in our catalogues should not be interpreted as commentary on an item's condition. Prospective buyers are responsible for inspecting a lot or sending their agent or conservator to inspect the lot on their behalf, and for ensuring that they have requested, received and understood any condition report provided by Freeman's.
Please email [email protected] for any additional information or questions you may have regarding this lot.
To request further details about this lot, please email [email protected]
Tim Carey
Associate Vice President, Head of Department, Arms, Armor and Militaria
Ms. Emma Fulmer
ATF Manager, Senior Coordinator, Arms, Armor & Militaria
