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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
.54 caliber. 21.875" pinned three-stage octagon to round barrel with baluster turned rings at the transition. SN: NSN. Heavily oxidized brown metal, brass and iron furniture, walnut stock. Flat pointed flint lock marked "H.E. LEMAN" in a vertical act at the tail and with the "{Tombstone Fox/PA}" mark typical of Leman's Northwest Trade Guns. Barrel with Birmingham proofs on the left angled flat and marked "H.E. LEMAN" in an arc and "LANCASTER, PA" on the top flat. The gun appears to have been cut down during the period of use to a much handier length with about 14" of barrel and probably 24" of stock removed, and a brass blade sight added near the muzzle. Butt shortened about 1" and buttplate reattached. Shortening trade guns to "carbine" length was quite popular with the Native Americans, making the guns easier to use on horseback or carry in dense brush. This gun is well worn with heavy period use and damage and also shows a number of old tack holes in the butt and forend where brass tacks were in place at one point in time. A salty and completely honest, well-used Native trade gun.
The Collection of Larry Ness
Fair. Well worn with heavily oxidized metal showing surface roughness and some pitting. Markings remain mostly legible, lock needs mechanical attention and is only partly functional with broken frizzen and no full cock. Bore dark, heavily oxidized and pitted. Front of triggerguard plate broken, reattached buttplate ill fitting due to shortened stock. Wood heavily worn with numerous deep marks, mars, gouges, etc. Cracks and splits are present in the forened, with wood loss around pin holes, a screw has been added in the ramrod channel to help secure the barrel and the tang screw is an incorrect replacement.
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Tim Carey
Associate Vice President, Head of Department, Arms, Armor and Militaria
