This is an extraordinary, 1st Series Civil War era Whitworth Military Target Rifle (Sniper Rifle).  The gun has a 33 inch barrel, bright hexagonal bore and an overall length of 49 inches.  It has three barrel bands and a round patch box at the right rear of the stock.  The gun has matching numbers.  The serial number is found on top of the barrel at the rear, on the bottom of the barrel, on the breech plug, all three barrel bands, patch box lid, inside of the lock and hammer, stock, and on the rack and pinion rear sight.  It has almost all the blue on the barrel, barrel bands and trigger guard.  The case hardened surfaces, ie. butt plate, patch box cover, lock assembly and nose cap are toning off to a very pleasant, smooth patina. 

The rifle was manufactured about mid 1860.  But they were so expensive, they did not sell and most of them remained in the factory.  Meanwhile, Whitworth continued to develop his sighting systems.  The rack and pinion rear sight and the micro-adjustable front sight were a result of his work.  Sales seemed to pick up at about the time of the American Civil War and as the rifles were sold, many of them were retrofitted for the new rack and pinion rear sight and micro-adjustable front sight.  This gun is among those which were retrofitted.  According to Bill Curtis, Curator at the NRA museum in Great Britain, this gun would have been retrofitted between 1861 and 1863. 

Information regarding the Whitworth Rifle and its use during the American Civil War is very scarce.  The South armed men with Whitworths and used them in a manner which in today's terms would be described as a sniper.  I.E. A Sharpshooter who was free to roam the lines, detached from a unit and pick targets of opportunity.  Today, these guys are heralded as heroes.  Not so during the Victorian period.  It was considered immoral at best, during the Victorian period, to shoot an enemy who was not given the opportunity to acquit himself.  You might compare it to today's concept of murder.  The scarcity of information regarding these men and these tactics probably emerges from this moral convention.  It was not something to boast about, not something you tell the grandchildren later in life.  As a matter of fact, if a man were captured or surrendered with a Whitworth Rifle, the Yankees would most likely shoot him dead on the spot.  The guns would have been discarded before surrender which leads to a scarcity of surviving rifles today.  Very little would ever have been spoken of or written down regarding use of the guns in battle and therefore a dearth of information.  We know that Confederate Central Government Ordnance purchased a small number of Whitworths, some of which were equipped with a telescopic sight.  These guns are marked 2nd Quality, have two barrel bands, standard sights and have no safety on the lock.  We also know that at the beginning of the Civil War, there was no central government system.  The states were arming themselves utilizing importers in the various regions.  For instance, we know that at the beginning of the Civil War, Cook & Brother of New Orleans immediately ordered 20 Whitworth Rifles.  It is highly probable that importers in the various states, from Texas to Virginia around the southern coast, also ordered small numbers of these guns.  Serial number 983  is certainly not among the known purchases that Confederate Ordnance made.  But it has the correct  configuration of a gun which could have  been ordered by an importer and paid for by either local contributions or state funds.  We will probably never know for certain but it is surely a beautiful condition Civil War era Whitworth Military Rifle.  Click on image for additional views.  P.O.R.  SOLD!!

This is a classic Conning Staff & Field Officer's Sword.  The blade is typically Conning with a 31 inch length, unstopped fuller and a rounded back.  The guard casting is one of the more handsome products produced in the South during the Civil War.  It has the CS between the ornamental branches and is very nicely done.  There is a considerable amount of the original gold wash still showing on the guard and traces on the pommel cap.  The guard on Conning Staff & Field Officer Swords was molded off a pattern which belonged to Jacob Fazier of Macon, Mississippi.  Fazier obtained the patter piece from Windham in Philadelphia.  It was bequeathed to him upon Windham's death.  He changed the "U" to a "C" on the pattern piece.  It then became the basis for swords that he made as well as those made at Conning.  He was employed by Conning to set up Conning's sword manufactory.  This sword is solid, has a nice grip wrap and a bright blade which shows its age but is not grossly disfigured by pitting or chips.  There is no scabbard and that is where Conning marked his Staff & Field Officer's swords.  He normally engraved his name and location on the upper brass mount of the scabbard.  A very attractive piece of Confederate Civil War history.  Click on image for additional views.   SOLD!!

This consecutively numbered pair of Colt 3rd Model Cut-For-Stock Dragoons are NOT reproductions.  Neither are they fakes.  They were restored by a collaborative effort between Tommy Haas, Sr. and Horacio Acevedo.  The work was probably done 40 or more years ago.  They are picking up minor handling wear and patination and they look great!.  Tommy Haas, Sr. was a master machinist, more like a tool & die maker.  Horacio Acevedo was a master metal finisher and master engraver.  The cylinder scenes on these guns were applied with a round roll die, which Acevedo hand engraved in the obverse.  For those of you who knew Tommy, he was a bit of a rascal, while Horacio always seemed the perfect gentleman.  Both men are gone now and these guns were restored during a time frame when not everybody was sure whether full bore restorations were a mistake.  Today, full bore restorations, especially on percussion Colts is rarely ever attempted.  The skills to do a set of guns like these, in all probability, don't exist anymore.  I think the cylinder scene dies, which Horacio made, are still out there but have suffered some rust damage and are seldom, if ever used anymore.

With that said, these are beautiful, original, authentic 3rd Model Cut-For-Stock Colt Dragoons.  They have matching serial numbers, excellent actions and are tight and crisp.  The flask that accompanies the guns, I believe is an original body with replaced spout and bullet compartment lid.  I believe the body of the flask is the same as the item pictured at #830 on Page 354 of The Powder Flask Book by Ray Riling.  The spout and the bullet compartment door look to me like have been pulled off a reproduction.  The flask is marked Colt's Patent and embossed on both sides with the typical Colt panoply of arms.  The case is a mahogany veneer case of the  period, which would be appropriate for these guns.  It would need a dust shield, new partitions and lining of course and restoration to the veneer on the top.  But it would make for a very appropriate casing of these two guns.  Click on image for additional views.  SOLD!!