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Frontier Firearms from the Lifetime Collection of Larry Ness
|
- Sale 1987
Live
| Cincinnati
Jun 8 | 10:00 AM EDT
Live
| Cincinnati
Sale 1987
| Cincinnati
| Cincinnati
Estimate$10,000 – $20,000
.52 caliber (56-56 Spencer). 29" double keyed heavy octagonal barrel. SN: 51569. Browned and color casehardened finish, iron mountings, smooth walnut stock with raised cheek rest and Hawken style crescent buttplate and smooth forend. Standard 3-line Spencer markings on top of receiver. Heavy barrel measures 1" across the flats at the muzzle is marked "S. HAWKEN ST. LOUIS". Dovetailed fixed buckhorn rear sight, dovetailed German silver blade front sight, double barrel wedges secure the forend with iron escutcheons and an iron nose cap. Sling bar and ring removed, with mounting plate in place. Model 1860 magazine follower tube with smooth base plate. It is almost certain that these Hawken marked Spencer plains rifles we really assembled by J.P. Gemmer, after Gemmer bought Samuel Hawken's shop circa 1862. Gemmer likely utilized left over parts in the shop inventory to create these scarce rifles. A solid and scarce example of a very desirable plains rifle built from a Spencer carbine action and marked by the famous Hawken gun shop in St. Louis.
The Collection of Larry Ness
Good. Metal moderately oxidized with a mottled brown and gray patina, showing some surface oxidation and pitting. Markings remain legible, mechanically functional, good bore with moderate oxidation and strong rifling. Stock with moderate wear, showing scattered bumps, dings and mars with a chip missing from the obverse forend where it meets the receiver.
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Tim Carey
Associate Vice President, Head of Department, Arms, Armor and Militaria
