Eagleville (Eagle Manufacturing Co) Contract US Model 1861 Rifle Musket

American Civil War

.58 caliber. 40" barrel secured by three flat, spring retained bands. NSN. Bright finish, steel furniture, walnut musket stock. Single shot percussion muzzleloading military rifle musket with M1861 pattern three leaf rear sight, Barleycorn combination front sight and socket bayonet lug, sling swivels and a swelled shank tulip head ramrod. Lock marked with a {Spread-Winged Eagle} forward of the hammer and U.S./Eagleville in two lines. Tail of lock dated 1863 horizontally with a matching 1863 date on the top of the breech. Upper left angled breech flat with standard V/P/{Eagle Head} proofs. A pair of script cartouches are present on the counterpane, the JM of James Mills in the forward position and the OWA of Oliver W Ainsworth in the rear position. The Eagle Manufacturing Company was established in late 1861 and received a contract to deliver 25,000 US Model 1861 Rifle Muskets at the rate of $20 each. The principles in the company were Henry Almy and James D Mowry. The firm delivered only 5,500 guns under the contract in 1863, before the firm was acquired by Mowry's newly formed Norwich Arms Company. Norwich would deliver the balance of the Eagle Mfg. Co. contract. Eagle Manufacturing was responsible for one of the three smallest deliveries of US M1861 contract rifle muskets with Sarson & Roberts being the least successful contractor at 5,140 deliveries and Eagle Mfg. Co. and James Mulholland tying for the second least successful contractors with both delivering 5,500 guns. Eagleville marked muskets are particularly scarce on the collector market. {ANTIQUE}

This lot is located in Cincinnati.

Very Good. Bore partly bright with moderate oxidation and some pitting and good rifling. Metal cleaned with some minor pitting at the breech and some scuff marks from cleaning on the barrel. Lock with some minor pitting and apparent forging flaws as well. Markings remain clear and legible throughout, including the cartouches. Mechanically functional lock. Stock very good and fairly crisp with strong edges and scattered bumps, dings and mars.

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Mr. Tim Prince

Senior Consulting Specialist, Arms, Armor & Militaria

[email protected]312 280 1212

Tim Prince has more than 30-years of experience in the field of antique and collectible arms and is a nationally recognized expert in the area of Civil War small arms. A long-time researcher and author, Tim has been a contributing author to two major books about Civil War firearms, including The English Connection: Arms, Material and Support Furnished to the Confederate States of America by Great Britain (2014) and Confederate Shotguns and Southern Agent Marked Shotguns (2017). He was also a major contributor to the recently updated Blue Book of Antique American Firearms & Values – 2nd Edition (2019) as well as the 2010 updates to the Civil War Collector's Price Guide - 12th edition. Over the last decade Tim has authored more than 50 articles on 19th century collectible and military arms, which have been published in such varied publications as Civil War News, North-South Trader, and Military Antique Collector. Since 2016 has appeared as a featured appraiser in the field of Arms & Militaria on the popular PBS television series Antiques Roadshow. He is a member of the American Society of Arms Collectors and currently serves on the board of directors of that organization. He is also a member of and formerly served on the board of directors of the Society of American Bayonet Collectors. Tim is a life member of the Ohio Valley Military Society, the Tennessee Military Collectors Association, the Alabama Military Collectors Association, is a member of the Company of Military Historians and is a member of numerous other colleting groups and societies. He is the owner of College Hill Arsenal, a web based antique and collectible arms retail web site, specializing in the American Civil War and related military items. Tim has engaged in the business of buying, selling, researching, and appraising antique and collectible arms and associated military items for some three decades. Since 2016 he has also served as a senior Consulting Specialist in the field of Arms, Armor & Militaria for Cowan’s Auctions, a Freeman's Company.

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Eagleville (Eagle Manufacturing Co) Contract US Model 1861 Rifle Musket

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