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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$4,000 – $6,000
.55 caliber. 35" pinned three-stage octagon to round barrel with baluster turned rings at the transitions. SN: NSN. Moderately oxidized grayish brown metal, brass and iron furniture, walnut stock. Percussion altered three screw lock marked with the "{Fox in a Circle}" under the bolster and "WHATELY" in an arc at the tail. Top flat of barrel marked with the same "{Fox in a Circle}" mark, "LONDON" and with a pair of pre-1813 Birmingham crowned crossed-scepter proofs with a "{CROWN/3}" inspection between them. Three-screw serpent side plate, over sized iron triggerguard, nailed brass buttplate, raised carved moldings around breech plug tang, corrugated brass pipes with wood ramrod. Like many of the long time gunmaking families in England, the Whately (also spelled Whateley) family appears to have been in the trade for several generations, working in both London and later Birmingham. This gun is likely the product of the Birmingham firm of Henry & John Whately (Whateley) who worked circa 1799-1817 and during the War of 1812 received a contract from the Board of Ordnance to deliver arms for distribution to the Natives allied to the British. A total of 1,580 guns were delivered by the Whatelys under that contract between 1813 and 1816. Surviving records do not show any major sales by them to the prominent fur trade companies of the period.
The Collection of Larry Ness
Good. Metal moderately oxidized with a nice brown patina on the barrel that was cleaned in the breech area to make the markings more visible. Lock with a mottled gray and brown appearance. All metal with scattered roughness and some pitting. Lock mechanically functional, bore dark, dirty and pitted. Stock with moderate wear, cracks and some slivered loss in the forend, showing some glued repairs. Otherwise with the expected bumps, dings and mars of a Native used trade gun.
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Tim Carey
Associate Vice President, Head of Department, Arms, Armor and Militaria
