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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$1,500 – $2,500
.60 caliber. 42" three-stage pinned octagon to round barrel. SN: NSN. Heavily oxidized metal, brass and iron furniture, full-length walnut stock. Percussion lock is an old replacement using a re-profiled U.S. Model 1855 Rifle Musket lock and hammer. The lock was a never finished and shows the shadow of where the tape primer magazine recess would have been, but which was never milled. The lock is dated 1858 at the tail and the inside of the lock shows the crude beginning of the milling for the primer feed arm and the stirrup link is of the triangular pattern with the extra hole for the primer feed arm. The hammer has the tape cutter edge typical of an 1855 hammer. Typical trade gun features include the three-screw brass serpentine side plate, the raised carved aprons at the tang and around the tail of the counterpane and lock mortise, the large iron triggerguard and the flat brass buttplate. Two corrugated brass pipes secure the wood ramrod. A really interesting period re-work of a trade gun that uses an unfinished U.S. M1855 lock that is quite an intriguing study in period gunsmithing. Eli Whitney Jr. was known for acquiring parts from US arsenals that were condemned, unused and even unfinished. Other gunmakers likely availed themselves of this source of potentially inexpensive parts as well.
The Collection of Larry Ness
Good. Metal heavily oxidized with surface roughness and some pitting. Lock mechanically functional, bore fair and heavily oxidized. Stock about good with numerous repaid cracks in the lock mortise area and scattered bumps, dings and mars.
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Tim Carey
Associate Vice President, Head of Department, Arms, Armor and Militaria
