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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$400 – $800
.45-70. 24" barrel secured by a single barrel band. SN: 276311. Manufactured circa 1885. Blued and color casehardened finish, iron furniture, walnut stock. Lock marked with the usual "{Spread-Winged Eagle}" and "U.S./SPRINGFIELD". Breechblock marked "US/MODEL/1873". Standard "V/P/{Elate Head}" proof marks on barrel. Late production Model 1879 Rifle cut to "carbine" length with upper barrel band removed, forend cut back to 10.75" from the muzzle, "R" marked 1879 ladder rear sight and added musket-style front sight attached with old lead solder. Low arch breech, three-click tumbler, two-piece triggerguard, grooved trigger, solid buttplate without trap door. Triggerguard turned around with old replacement sling swivel facing backwards to serve as a carbine sling ring. Crack in wrist reinforced with bailing wire. Mr. Ness' tag notes that this well used, but still functional cut-down rifle was "purchased from Indians at Mission SD" but no additional provenance or paperwork is present. A well used frontier frontier gun that could well have served Native American owners in the collection of game well into the 20th century.
The Collection of Larry Ness
Good, hard used with heavy wear. Metal with a heavily oxidized brown and gray patina with large patches of surface roughness, pitting and age discoloration. Mechanically functional, bore heavily worn with weak rifling but only moderately oxidized and lightly pitted indicating the rifle was well cared from from a functionality standpoint during its useful life. Stock very worn, shortened and showing numerous chips and slivered loss, particularly in the forend with cracks there and around the lock as well. Wood heavily scuffed, marked and marred.
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Tim Carey
Associate Vice President, Head of Department, Arms, Armor and Militaria
