Rare Double US Navy Inspected Whitney Navy Revolver

American Civil War

.36 caliber. 7.5" octagonal barrel. SN: 28596. No finish remaining, brass triggerguard, two-piece smooth walnut grips. Single action percussion revolver with six-chambered un-fluted cylinder, frame notch rear sight and brass post front sight. Top of barrel marked E. WHITNEY/N HAVEN and with a small {ANCHOR} US Navy re-inspection mark where the barrel meets the frame. Face of cylinder with the P/GG inspection of US Navy Commander Guert Gansevoort who was the naval ordnance inspector at the Brooklyn Navy Yard circa 1860-1862 and in 1865. Matching serial numbers on the bottom of the barrel, loading lever, cylinder arbor pin, rear face of cylinder and in left grip. No number present on the frame or in the right grip. Many Whitney Navy revolvers saw service with the Atlantic Blockading Squadron during the last couple of years of the American Civil War and as a Brooklyn Navy Yard inspected example, this gun likely did as well. Based on the known serial numbers of Whitney Navy revolvers inspected on December 8, 1864 at the Washington Navy Yard, which end in the mid-26,XXX range, this gun was likely delivered at the very end of 1864 or in early 1865 as Gansevoort returned to inspection duties in New York. From the Collection of Charles Worman, co-author of the two volume set Firearms of the American West. A scarce example of a cylinder inspected US Navy Whitney Navy, much less common than the FCW inspected naval arms which Frank C Warner inspected at the Whitney factory.

From the Collection of Charles Worman

This lot is located in Cincinnati.

Good. Bore good, moderately oxidized with some pitting and decent rifling. Metal with a mottled oxidized gray patina with scattered surface roughness, age discoloration and some scattered areas of light pitting. Markings legible on barrel, no scene visible on cylinder. Arbor catch retention screw an old replacement. Mechanically functional action. Grips with moderate wear, lightly sanded and showing scattered bumps, dings and mars.

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Arms, Armor and Militaria

Rare Double US Navy Inspected Whitney Navy Revolver

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