Historic Firearms & Early Militaria
Historic Firearms & Early Militaria
See Special Terms for additional fees
Description
Powder Horn Engraved "William Robblee"
Lot # 27 (Sale Order: 26 of 370)
Condition: Horn has nice dark amber to brown patina. Very nice large horn with a name engraved.
EST $1000 - 1500
Engraved Powder Horn of Captain James Holmes
Lot # 28 (Sale Order: 27 of 370)
Condition: Missing spout plug and wood base. Overall good with nice untouched patina. This horn was more than likely shorten at the base and also at the spout. Has a slight bubble in the horn around the Capt. James engraving.
EST $1500 - 3000
Jonathan Patt's Revolutionary War Soldier's Folk Art Powder Horn,
Lot # 29 (Sale Order: 28 of 370)
With original Guthman Americana printed and typed tag stating; Jonathan Pratt From Townsend, Mass. Marched on alarm, April 19, 1775, Capt. James Hosley's company, Col. Wm. Prescott's Reg., marched to Cambridge, enlisted army ap April 25, 1775, Capt. Farwell Compy., col Wm Prescott's Mass. regt. muster roll dated Aug 1, 1775 (Mass. rolls)
Condition: Lobe is chipped and has short crack extending .6" into horn, and .3" area at plug missing from the horn. Horn with nice untouched dark amber to yellow patina. Overall very good.
EST $3000 - 5000
Springfield US Model 1816 Type III Dated 1836
Lot # 30 (Sale Order: 29 of 370)
Condition: Very good as reconverted to flint. Metal cleaned to bright with all markings remaining crisp and clear. Some scattered surface oxidation is present and some light pitting. Mechanically functional, very good bore is mostly bright with some dirt near the muzzle. Stock crisp with clear markings, showing scattered bumps, dings and mars, some scuffs and a couple of tiny chips.
EST $1000 - 1500
Militia Presentation US Model 1816 Type III Contract Musket
Lot # 31 (Sale Order: 30 of 370)
H.T. Cooper was a New York gunsmith and retailer who worked in New York City ca1840s-1850s. This is likely a local militia musket the was either decorated by Cooper or was built by Cooper from parts acquired from Asa Waters after the M1816 pattern of arms were obsolete. An interesting "presentation" militia musket worthy of additional research to see if A.S. Black can be identified.
Condition: Good. Metal with an oxidized gray and brown patina and with substantial dried oil and grease on many parts that has discolored to a yellowish brown color. Markings in barrel clear, applied German silver plates about fine. Mechanically functional, lock reconverted to flint with a poorly fit original pan and added external parts. Barrel with some vise marks at the breech below the stock line and indications of reconversion from a percussion drum system. Stock fair with substantial repairs around the lock mortise, a 3" piece of wood missing from the top edge of the stock at the counterpane and numerous scattered bumps, dings and mars.
EST $1500 - 2500
Model 1819 Hall Dated 1838 with Bayonet
Lot # 32 (Sale Order: 31 of 370)
Condition: Very fine. Retains most of the browned finish, with some wear and loss, particularly on the buttplate. Breechblock with dull gray case coloring and crisp markings, mechanically excellent, fine bore is dirty near the muzzle. Stock crisp and fine with scattered bumps and dings and some minor loss along the vent holes around the receiver. Bayonet very good.
EST $3500 - 4500
U.S. Model 1816 Flintlock Type I Musket by Wickham
Lot # 33 (Sale Order: 32 of 370)
Marine T Wickham had been apprenticed to John Armstrong, an Emmitsburg, MD based gunmaker who worked from 1793-1841 (Sellers). After completing his apprenticeship, Wickham apparently started working as an armorer at the newly established Harpers Ferry Arsenal. His work was of such high quality that on November 9, 1808, Wickham was appointed the Master Armorer at Harpers Ferry. On March 16, 1811, Wickham was appointed to the position of Inspector of Small Arms by the Secretary of War William Eustis, and was moved to the Philadelphia area to inspect arms delivered by contractors at the Schuylkill Arsenal. Wickham spent the next few years as an arms inspector not only working from his Philadelphia base, but also traveling to other US arsenals and to the contractor's premises to perform his duties. Wickham was engaged as an arms inspector through the summer of 1815, with the crisis of the War of 1812 keeping him extremely busy from 1812-1814.
After the conclusion of the war, Wickham began thinking about returning to his original vocation as an arms maker. His intimate knowledge of the arms contract procurement process, combined with his manufacturing experience and term as Master Armorer at Harpers Ferry placed Wickham in the position to establish himself as a major arms contractor for the US government. In 1816, Wickham received his first contract to produce US arms, a total of 5,000 Standard Model of 1815 flintlock muskets. His next musket contract would be received in 1819, again for 5,000 stands of arms, with another 5,000-musket contract being received in 1822. Wickham would receive two additional muskets contracts during the 1816 musket production period, one in 1823 for 10,000 arms and a final one in 1829 for 8,750, of which only 8,450 would be delivered.
In all, Wickham would deliver some 33,450 flintlock muskets to the US government over a two-decade period, with his final deliveries from his last contract being made during 1836. Wickham’s arms were delivered with two different lock plate markings. The guns from his first two contracts, and part of his third contract, were simply marked M.T. WICKHAM in an arc over PHILA below the pan. These guns were not marked on the tail of the locks and were not dated. During the third contract deliveries, Wickham moved the “PHILA” mark to the tail of the lock and added a date in that location as well.
Wickham’s earliest arms deliveries were inspected by George Flegel, who had previously been a Schuylkill Arsenal foreman under the direction of Wickham. Flegel inspected Wickham’s arms that were delivered to the Schuylkill Arsenal through April 29, 1823, when arsenal inspector Luther Sage took over that duty. This particular example was probably manufactured during the beginning of Wickham’s 1822 contract for 5,000 muskets. The musket is a Type I, a pure Model 1816, but is also finished "National Armory brown," a finish not regularly encountered on Type I M1816 muskets and associated with Type II (M1822) examples. The browning of muskets started to be experimented with at the national armories during the summer of 1820, and was official policy by the summer of 1822. This gun appears to be one of the early deliveries from Wickham’s 1822 contract, which utilized older “Type I” parts, but had the newly adopted finish applied to it. The last Wickham contract arms inspected by Flegel were received on April 29, 1823, thus this gun was delivered no later than that date. This is an extremely scarce example of a National Armory Browned Type I US Model 1816 Musket that remains in a very nice state of preservation and would be a wonderful addition to any collection that focuses on US martial arms from the period of the War of 1812 through the Mexican American War.
Condition: Fine. For condition details, please go to cowans.com.
EST $3500 - 4500
US Model 1836 Flintlock Pistol by R. Johnson
Lot # 34 (Sale Order: 33 of 370)
Condition: Very good. Metal lightly cleaned to bright with some scattered light to moderate pinpricking on the barrel and furniture. Lock with minute traces of case color. All markings clear and crisp, mechanically functional, very good bore with some scattered pitting. Stock very good, remaining crisp with clear cartouches. A small grain crack is present at the rear of the lock mortise and the wood shows scattered bumps, dings and mars.
EST $1500 - 2500
Engraved Powder Horn by Tim Tansel Dated 1849
Lot # 35 (Sale Order: 34 of 370)
Condition: A very good example of a patriotic engraved powder horn with General Taylor. A very pleasing yellowing patina throughout with very sharp and crisp engraving. The base, throat, raised ring and spout with a brown patina. Most of the wear isolated to the spout and base. Very good overall condition.
EST $1500 - 3000
Northeastern Woodlands Powder Horns
Lot # 36 (Sale Order: 35 of 370)
Condition: Some wear from age along with some minor, stable age splitting on grain.
EST $800 - 1200
Tim Tansel Engraved Powder Horn Dated 1850
Lot # 37 (Sale Order: 36 of 370)
Condition: A fine example of a Tim Tansel engraved powder horn and dated. The horn proper displays a pleasing dark yellow to a browning mustard color patina. Dark brown base, throat, raised ring and spout. The spout is chipped therefore missing a piece. Sharp and crisp engraving.
EST $2000 - 4000
Dutch Engraved Powder Horn with Flowers
Lot # 38 (Sale Order: 37 of 370)
Condition: Overall attractive warm caramel patination with some separation of plug at base and some additional chips at plug.
EST $700 - 900
Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle Musket
Lot # 39 (Sale Order: 38 of 370)
Condition: Very good. Retains some applied brown finish and no original blue. Metal lightly cleaned, markings mostly clear, mechanically functional, very good bore. Stock lightly sanded, but retaining good edges and slightly proud of some of the furniture.
EST $1500 - 2500
US Model 1861 Rifle Musket by C.B. Hoard
Lot # 40 (Sale Order: 39 of 370)
Condition: Very good. Metal cleaned to bright with scattered flecks of older surface oxidation. Markings remain clear in the metal, weaker in wood. Cartouche unnaturally crisp on counterpane. Mechanically functional, fine bore that is dirty the last few inches near the muzzle. Stock lightly sanded with some areas more moderately sanded, and with scattered bumps, dings and mars. Some small areas of wood loss are present around the tang and there is some chipping forward of the lock and forward of the triggerguard. A small crack is present forward of the lock as well.
EST $2000 - 3000
2nd Model Merrill Carbine
Lot # 41 (Sale Order: 40 of 370)
Condition: Very good. Metal cleaned to bright with markings mostly clear and legible. Barrel with scattered surface oxidation and some areas of minor pitting and some scattered dings and impact marks. Mechanically functional, good bore with scattered pitting. Stock with numerous scattered bumps and dings, particularly around the lock mortise.
EST $1500 - 3000
Smith Carbine
Lot # 42 (Sale Order: 41 of 370)
Condition: Fine. Retains most of the barrel blue with some thinning and fading. Receiver with much of the vivid case colors, with some dulling and fading due to age. The triggerguard and top latch retain muchl of their fire blue, with the barrel band plum brown and the buttplate only retaining traces of finish. All markings clear and sharp. Mechanically functional, very crisp and tight. Fine bore. Stock very good with some scattered bumps and dings.
EST $2000 - 3000
British Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle Musket
Lot # 43 (Sale Order: 42 of 370)
Condition: Good. Retains no finish with scattered surface oxidation, discoloration, and some lightly scattered pitting. Marks remain clear and legible in metal, lock functional, bore good with visible rifling and scattered pitting. Stock sanded, showing scattered bumps and dings and a couple of small surface cracks at the obverse wrist near the triggerguard tang.
EST $900 - 1200
Starr Percussion Carbine
Lot # 44 (Sale Order: 43 of 370)
Condition: Good. Retains no finish with a mottled and oxidized brown over gray patina and some scattered surface roughness. Markings in metal remain clear and legible, cartouche weak. Mechanically functional, very good bore with some scattered oxidation. Stock with wear, possibly lightly sanded and numerous scattered bumps, dings and mars.
EST $1000 - 1500
H&P Altered U.S. Model 1822 Springfield Musket
Lot # 45 (Sale Order: 44 of 370)
Condition: Fine. Retains some browned finish mixed with an oxidized brown patina, markings in metal are crips and clear, markings in wood slightly worn. Mechanically functional, very good bore with the last few inches nearest the muzzle dirty and somewhat pitted. Stock crisp with sharp edges, showing scattered bumps, dings and mars, some minor slivering and a repaired crack between the counterpane and triggerguard. A handful of tight, hairline grain cracks are present as well, but appear non-structural.
EST $1000 - 1500
US Model 1861 Naval Rifle by Whitney with Bayonet
Lot # 46 (Sale Order: 45 of 370)
Condition: Very good. Metal cleaned to bright with some pitting at the breech. Clear markings on lock, less so on barrel. Mechanically functional, fine bore. Stock expertly cleaned and very lightly sanded, retaining good edges and lines, but showing some light handling marks and some minor surface mars on the counterpane.
EST $2000 - 3000
Marital Marked American Machine Works Smith Carbine
Lot # 47 (Sale Order: 46 of 370)
Condition: Very fine. Retains most of the barrel blue with some thinning and fading. Receiver with much of the vivid case colors. The triggerguard and top latch retain nearly all of their blue, with the barrel band flaking and the buttplate only retaining traces of finish. All markings clear and sharp. Mechanically functional, very crisp and tight. Fine bore. Stock fine with some scattered bumps and dings and a tiny surface chip at the toe.
EST $3000 - 4000
Colt Special Model 1861 Rifle Musket
Lot # 48 (Sale Order: 47 of 370)
Condition: Fine. Metal mostly bright with some hazing and dulling, showing scattered minor surface freckling and with all marks remaining crisp and clear. Mechanically functional, fine bore that is dirty near the muzzle. Stock crisp with fine edges and some scattered handling and storage dings and a couple of small chips around the front of the triggerguard and forward of the lock.
EST $3000 - 4000
London Armoury Company Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle Musket
Lot # 49 (Sale Order: 48 of 370)
Condition: Fine. Retains some streaky thin blue on the barrel, which has mostly turned plum. Metal mostly smooth with some scattered surface oxidation, freckling, minor roughness and a thumb sized patch of light pitting between the middle and upper barrel bands. Markings remain clear and crisp throughout. Lock with much of the mottled case hardening, and mechanically excellent. Fine bore with some dirt near the muzzle. Stock fine, with sharp edges, crisp checkering, some minor handling marks, dings and mars and some added finish in the wood.
EST $4000 - 5000
Starr Model 1858 Double Action Army Percussion Revolver
Lot # 50 (Sale Order: 49 of 370)
Condition: Good to very good. Retains some streaky blue on the frame, with some traces on the barrel. The balance of the metal with a smooth plum brown patina. Hammer with some traces of case color. Markings in metal clear, mechanically functional, bore good with some surface rust in the last 2-3 inches near the muzzle. Grips with wear, lightly sanded and with weak cartouches, showing numerous bumps and dings.
EST $1000 - 1500
Four-Screw Colt Model 1860 Army Revolver
Lot # 51 (Sale Order: 50 of 370)
Condition: Good. Retains no finish, metal cleaned with a lightly oxidized patina and some scattered pitting. Cylinder scene cleaned off, all safety pins battered, worn or missing. Replaced wedge, mechanically functional, fair bore with pitting. Grip fair with a large repaired crack on the left side, large chips missing, sanded and refinished.
EST $1000 - 1500