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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$2,000 – $3,000
.58 caliber. 27.25" three-stage pinned octagon to round barrel with baluster turned rings at the transitions. SN: NSN. Bright finish, iron and brass furniture, walnut stock. Round-tailed lock in original flint configuration with a rounded, fenced and bridled iron pan and rounded reinforced cock. Lock marked in a two-line arc at the tail "BARNETT/1863" and with the Hudson Bay Company's "{Tombstone Fox/EB}" trademark under the pan. This same mark appears on the breech of the barrel along with London commercial proof marks, a "24" gauge mark (indicating .58 caliber) and the "*/TB" maker's mark of Thomas Barnett. The gun has been shortened during the period of use with between 5" and possibly as much as 10" removed from the barrel and forend. The buttplate was removed as well. Thomas Barnett & Sons entered into their first Hudson's Bay Company contract for Northwest Trade Guns in 1821 and continued to provide arms to the company through the turn of the 20th century. In 1832 the firm became John Edward Barnett and in 1842 it became J.E. Barnett & Sons, but apparently continued to use the old */TB touch mark on barrels long after the death of Thomas. Barnett was probably the most prolific of the HBC gun contractors during the latter part of the 19th century.
The Collection of Larry Ness
Good as period shortened. Metal with a heavily oxidized brown patina, scattered surface roughness and some scattered pitting. Lock remains in original flint but is non-functional as the mainspring is missing and the tumbler is wedged against the upper boss of the lock internally, leaving it jammed in place. Stock with moderate wear, showing scattered bumps, dings and mars, some chipping around the pins and a couple of tiny grain cracks.
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Tim Carey
Associate Vice President, Head of Department, Arms, Armor and Militaria
