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Previously Sold Items

   

       
     
 

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CONFEDERATE
COOK & BROTHER NAVAL CUTLASS
MANUFACTURED BY
COOK & BROTHER, NEW ORLEANS
(WITH CAPTURE HISTORY)

This is a very nice condition Cook & Brother Naval Cutlass made in New Orleans prior to the end of 1862.  The blade is bright and in nice condition with some pitting and clearly discernable forging flaws in the metal.  The brass guard is pleasantly patinaed and clearly marked Cook & Brother in the correct place.  The scabbard is old and in nice condition, opening up at the tip, but otherwise sound.  The neat part is that written on the scabbard, in his own hand, is "Corporal Isaac Flowers of Company F, 28the Michigan Infantry's death bed wish.  While his penmanship is pretty good, his sentence construction is failing.  However it basically says that this is a relic of the "Rebellion of 1861" captured by him and that at his death he wants it given to his youngest child to keep as long as he lives and transferred to his descendants, if he has any.  This has recently come out of a family who has dutifully kept it.  It is accompanied by a small monograph, which is the record of the 28th Michigan Infantry and appears to be published by the State of Michigan.  Corporal Isaac Flowers is listed in this book as having enlisted in Company F, 28th Infantry as Corporal, August 29, 1864 to serve for three years.  He mustered out at Raleigh, North Carolina June 5, 1866.  There is also a book published by Robertson titled Michigan in the War, 1861-1865.  This was published by W. S. George & Company, State Printers in 1882.  A really nice, historic grouping with very interesting history attached.   SOLD!!

 

MODEL 1842 MUSKET
MANUFACTURED BY
BENJAMIN FLAGG & COMPANY
MILLBURY, MASSACHUSETTS
(WILLIAM GLAZE & SOUTH CAROLINA)

This is the only totally complete Benjamin Flagg Model 1842 Musket I have ever seen.  They are extremely rare.  Everything about this gun seems to be correct and contemporary with its origins.  The barrel and stock do not have U.S. proof and inspection marks and they should not.  Various component parts are marked with what looks more like a cryptic mark than an inspection mark.  The butt plate is marked U.S. turned sideways.  The lock is marked with an Eagle over US forward of the hammer and B. Flagg & Company over Millbury over Mass over 1849 to the rear of the hammer.  There is a brass escutcheon on the wrist of the stock, behind the barrel tang with the number 70 engraved on it.  The gun is in a solid, very good condition with all its component parts, sound wood and metal.  Jack Meyer's book "William Glaze and the Palmetto Armory" indicates that William Glaze of South Carolina had a contract for muskets with the State of South Carolina.  He purchased, under contract, 660 muskets from Benjamin Flagg in 1849.  They were delivered to the State of South Carolina by December of 1850.  Twenty of the muskets failed to pass inspection and he was eventually paid for 640 Benjamin Flagg muskets in November of 1851.  Further, I suspect he bought machinery from Benjamin Flagg for the production of the Palmetto musket.  Although, there is just as much evidence to indicate that he was buying parts from Benjamin Flagg or wherever he could get them and finishing them to assemble the Palmetto musket.  At any rate, when South Carolina entered into their contracts with William Glaze, it intended that he produce a stand-alone industry capable of producing weapons in the state.  When it found out he had not, there was much turmoil and he remained out of favor and without contracts throughout the Civil War.  A rare gun with a neat bit of history.  SOLD!!

 

 

CONFEDERATE
3RD MODEL
VIRGINIA MANUFACTORY
CAVALRY SABER
WITH
CORRECT AMES CONTRACT SCABBARD
ISSUED TO 4TH VIRGINIA REGIMENT

Before the War of 1812, the State of Virginia manufactured at the Virginia Manufactory, a number of heavy Dragoon swords that were so long and cumbersome that in many cases the troops rejected them.  Many of them remained in storage until just prior to the American Civil War when the state began preparing for hostilities.  They took what was useful, shortened and thinned the blades and contracted with Ames of Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts for scabbards.  These scabbards have an iron drag with brass ring mounts.  These swords were issued to Virginia's Cavalry during the Civil War and apparently did good service.  This one has its original 1812 period issue mark on top of the blade.  It was originally issued to the 4th Virginia Regiment.  The sword is in solid, very good condition with a nice blade that has a couple of minor chips.  SOLD!!

 

 

1807 CONTRACT PISTOL
BY J. HENRY, PHILa

This is an 1807 J. Henry Contract Flintlock Pistol which has been converted to percussion and certainly seen better days.  These 1807 guns were used up during the War of 1812 and are today very difficult to find.  This one has lost a part of its forearm but still retains very nice lock markings.  There is a sailor's heart tacked onto the wrist of the stock and it does look like a belt hook may have been mounted on it.  I guess it could actually be one of Henry's Navy contract pistols.  As you can tell, it will need a lot of TLC.    SOLD!!

 

 

 

CONFEDERATE
COLUMBUS ARMORY CARBINE
MANUFACTURED FOR
STATE OF ALABAMA 1864

This is one of 73 carbines manufactured by Greenwood & Gray of Columbus, Georgia for the State of Alabama.  The payment records for these carbines still exists in the Adjutant General's records in the State of Alabama Archives.  There is some confusion about whether these guns should be called "Columbus Armory", "Greenwood & Gray" or "J. P. Murray."  Whatever you call them, existing records indicate that production is far more limited than one might think.  From the records, production may not have exceeded 1000 guns total, 1500 would be the maximum.  Both long guns and carbines were built for the State of Alabama and there was a 1000 gun contract for Confederate Ordnance, which may not have been fulfilled.  I prefer to call them Greenwood & Gray.  They were the founders of the company.  J. P. Murray was an Englishman, a master armorer who supervised production.  Why his name wound up on some of them, nobody knows.  None of the 73 carbines purchased by the State of Alabama have any lock markings.  The barrels are marked on the left rear "PRO over FCH."  This is the proof mark of Major Frederick C. Humphries, who was the Confederate ordnance inspector at the Columbus Arsenal.  The State of Alabama acceptance mark, which is STATE OF ALA. 1864 is also found on the left rear of the barrel.  This gun appears to be 100% intact and of the period.  It is in .58 caliber with strong rifling in the bore and all markings are sharp.  The tang screw, one lockplate screw, the hammer and the inside of the lockplate are stamped with serial number 7.  The rear lockplate screw is an original Greenwood & Gray screw, which is stamped serial number 11.  That is the only deviation from original configuration that I can find.  There is some stressing of the wood around the lockplate but it is still solid.  An extremely rare Alabama Contract Carbine.   SOLD!!

 

CONFEDERATE
LEECH & RIGDON
FOOT OFFICER'S SWORD

This is an attic condition Leech & Rigdon Foot Officer's Sword.  The blade is slightly cleaned but with no major disfiguring.  The scabbard is original, missing the upper mount and the drag.  The grip wrap, both leather and wire, is 100% intact.  The brasses are all heavily tarnished and uncleaned.  The guard has a CS in an oval cast into it, on the left side.  A really solid, honest Leech & Rigdon which might respond to a little TLC.  SOLD.

 

 

LONDON ARMOURY COMPANY
ADAMS REVOLVER
SN 34988

This is a London Armoury Company Adams Revolver which is marked on top of the frame "Robert Adams, 76 King Street, London."  The gun has no finish, basically cleaned to bright but still a sharp gun with good markings and excellent grips.  The London Armoury Company sold the Confederate Government Adams Revolvers, Kerr's Patent Revolvers, Enfield Rifles and Kerr's Patent .451 Sharpshooter Rifles.  Now Robert Adams was one of the founders of the London Armoury Company and a major shareholder.  His brother, John Adams made the Webley Wedge Frame Revolver, which was shipped into the South.  It seems that if you were a Confederate purchasing agent, Robert Adams was the go-to guy in London.  He seems to be behind the scenes and connected to the sale and transport of a large quantity of arms into the Confederacy.  This gun is 12 serial numbers below 35,000.  Two of these London Armoury Company Adams are listed on the Pratt List in the 36,000 range.  This gun is more than like historically associated with the Confederacy.  SOLD!!

 

 

 

CONFEDERATE STAFF & FIELD OFFICER'S SWORD
MANUFACTURED BY
LOUIS FROELICH
KENANSVILLE, NC

An absolutely superb Kenansville Staff & Field Officer's Sword.  It has a superb blade with very light pin-prick blemishes and a virtually perfect original grip wrap with all the leather and wire.  The blade is 31 inches in length and the grip wire is single strand iron.  There is no scabbard and no history.   SOLD!!

 

 

COLT BABY DRAGOON
SN 12737

This is a really decent little  Baby Dragoon which still retains 98% of the grip varnish and at least 98% of the silver plate on the backstrap and trigger guard.  It has all matching numbers to include the backstrap, trigger guard, frame, barrel,  cylinder, cylinder pin and barrel wedge.  I haven't looked but I know the grips are numbered to the gun.  The gun as a very pleasant, smooth patina with virtually all the cylinder scene intact.  It is mechanically excellent and I see nothing replaced or modified.  It is a late production Baby Dragoon which has the stagecoach hold-up scene and rectangular locking notches on the cylinder.  It was manufactured in 1850.  A nice, honest little gun.  SOLD!!

 

 

WILLIAM UHLINGER
POCKET REVOLVER
.32 RIMFIRE
MARKED J. P. LOWER

These pistols were actually produced from 1861 through 1865 by William Uhlinger of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  They are a direct patent infringement of the Smith & Wesson Rollin-White patent.  In order to disguise their origin, Uhlinger stamped various markings on top of the barrels, one of which was J. P. Lower.  At the time the gun was produced, J. P. Lower was working for J. P. Grubb, which was a large arms dealer in Philadelphia.  Later in life, J. P. Lower became well known as a dealer in Denver, Colorado.  I don't see many of these guns but they were no doubt bought and carried into the Civil War.  This gun has turned up in an estate sale here in Montgomery, Alabama.  It is no longer functioning properly and seems to be missing the ejector rod.   SOLD!!

 

 

TRANTER REVOLVER

A decent Tranter Revolver with liberal traces of blue mixing with an untouched brown patina.  It is in .44 caliber and functions perfectly both double action and single action.  The action is crisp.  The grips are fully checkered and showing moderate wear.  The gun has no significant pitting and has an overall attic look.  It is missing the flat loading lever which is typically attached.  The top of the barrel is marked R. S. Garden, 29 Piccadilly, London.  Click on image for additional views SOLD!!

 

 

 

MODEL 1875 REMINGTON REVOLVER
.44 CALIBER
EGYPTIAN CONTRACT
WITH ORIGINAL HOLSTER

This is a rare Egyptian Contract Model 1875 Remington which is in beautiful condition.  The barrel, ejector housing, trigger guard and cylinder retain over 90% of the original blue.  The frame has flaked until there is about 25% bright blue left.  The bore and chambers are new.  The mechanical function is perfect and the hammer still displays much of the original case hardening.  The grips are excellent original oil finish.  The left side of the barrel and frame bear the correct star and "R" sub-inspection, which is correct for the Egyptian Contract.  The left grip bears an almost perfect JWR cartouche, which is also correct for the Egyptian Contract.  The gun is in its original flap holster which is in solid honest condition.  This piece was purchased by the gentleman whom I purchased it from, 40 to 50 years ago in London.  He was told that it came out of the East, perhaps India or Egypt.  The Egyptian Contract is a pretty scarce variation of the Remington 1875.  Apparently the original contract in 1875 was for 10,000 revolvers for the Egyptian Government.  At the time, the Egyptian Government was behind in its payments for previous contracts and this contract was terminated for failure to perform.  Very few were produced and apparently very few turn up in Egypt.  A really solid gun in fine to excellent condition.  SOLD!!

 

 

IDENTIFIED CONFEDERATE
1851 COLT NAVY
SHIPPED TO
JAMES CONNING, MOBILE, ALABAMA

This gun is one of a very few 1851 Navies shipped to James Conning, Mobile, Alabama on January 15, 1861.  It is amazing but it is accompanied by an authentic Colt factory letter, which identifies the gun by serial number and date of shipment.  Even better, the gun has a legible and researchable name scratched into the butt.  The name is Alfred R. Rayford.  His military records indicate that Rayford was a native of the Mobile area who enlisted May 4, 1861 at Pensacola, Florida in what was called Ketchum's Battery.  Indications are that the unit he enlisted in became Company A, Alabama State Artillery.  He was enlisted again August 31, 1862 by Captain Ketchum.  The battery he served in was engaged at Shiloh and Farmington.  It moved into Kentucky as a part of Chalmer's Brigade.  It was at Munfordville, Perryville and Wild-Cat Gap.  It was also at Murfreesboro, Chicamauga and Mission Ridge.  The battery was in front of Sherman, day and night, as he moved on Atlanta and suffered considerably.  It fought at Franklin, Nashville and endured the seige of Spanish Fort.  It surrendered at Meridian, Mississippi.  His military records indicate that Mr. Rayford was wounded at the Battle of Stone's River, December 31, 1862 and sent to a hospital at Murfreesboro, Tennessee.  It appears that while in the hospital, he was captured.

The gun itself is in a solid, very good condition and is serial number 99182 with a Hartford address and all matching serial numbers.  It has a light, visible cylinder scene all the way around the circumference of the cylinder and has excellent mechanical function.  It has wear on the left muzzle of the barrel, which is usually the result of riding a wagon or artillery limber.  The barrel rubs against the seat.  The barrel wear actually matches what you would expect to find on an artilleryman's pistol.  A good gun with wonderful documentation and extremely historic.  SOLD!!

 

 

HALF STOCK RIFLE
BY CHRISTIAN SIEBERT
COLUMBUS, OHIO

Christian Siebert set up his gun shop in Columbus Ohio in 1851.  He continued his work in Columbus until he died in 1886.  He was well known for some pretty sophisticated target rifles.  This particular example of his work is plain, solid and utilitarian.  The barrel measures 30 inches with an overall length of 46 1/2 inches.  The gun is in .36 caliber with a turned muzzle and a very long breech tang.  The butt plate and trigger guard are iron and the nose cap is pewter.  The barrel is fairly heavy, measuring 1 1/8 inches across the flats.  The action still functions but the set trigger does not seem to be tripping.  The gun is in attic condition, uncleaned, untouched with a very smooth patination and a very nice, straight grain walnut stock.  It comes from a family that moved down South some years ago and was originally owned by Thomas Despain of Burlington, Iowa.  The family's recollection was that he was a Civil War Soldier.  Click on image for additional views SOLD!!

 

 

 

MAGNIFICENT
IDENTIFIED SOUTHERN RIFLE
BY E. H. ROGERS
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA

This gun sold before we could get it photographed and on the web site.  But I thought some of you might  appreciate looking at it.  We will also post it to our Previously Sold Page so that it may be referenced later on.  It is the finest Southern Rifle I have ever owned.  The barrel is 33 3/4 inches in length with an overall length of approximately 50 1/2 inches.  It is in about .44 caliber with a nice rifled bore.  It has a loading block fitted to the muzzle and a mount for what looks like a lollipop site behind the tang.  The barrel is basically a round barrel with three of the most precisely cut flats (like Rigby flats) which run its entire length.  I don't even know how you would make a barrel like that.  It is patent breech with platinum banding and platinum clean-out plug.  The stock is cut from intensely burled walnut.  The trigger guard, toe plate, butt plate, breech, lock and hammer, etc. are very nicely engraved.  It is hard to believe but the ramrod pipes, the tail pipe, the nose cap, the trigger guard, trigger plate and the toe plate etc. are made from solid coin silver (NOT German silver, COIN silver).  The barrel key escutcheons, the wrist escutcheon, the ID inlay plate and the two complex inlays on either side of the butt stock are made from 10 carat rose gold.  The entire gun is executed subtley and exquisitely.  The top of the barrel and the lock are both marked E. H. Rogers, Augusta, GA.

This gun is accompanied by solid documentation and provenance which indicates it was owned by Isaac Charles Parker, better known as "Hanging Judge Parker" of Fort Smith, Arkansas.  He was the U. S. District Judge presiding over the U. S. District Court for the western district of Arkansas, which also had jurisdiction over the Indian Nations in Oklahoma.   SOLD!!

 

 

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
WWII M-7 SHOULDER HOLSTER
FOR 1911 A-1

This holster rig is the WWII M-7 manufactured by Boyt and dated 1945.  The rig is original and seems to be totally complete and in decent condition.  SOLD!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

CASE FOR
MASSACHUSETTS ARMS
ADAMS .36 CALIBER REVOLVER

This beautiful condition, oddly configured case turned up not long ago.  It presented a bit of a puzzle but I am certain that it is for the Massachusetts Arms Adams .36 caliber revolver.  The condition of the case is just superb.  It is certainly among the rarest boxes I have seen.  Click on image for additional viewsSOLD!!

 

 

 

CASED TRANTER
.36 CALIBER REVOLVER

A wonderfully complete casing of the Tranter .36 caliber revolver.  As you can see, the lining of the case is still a vibrant, original green color, all the accessories are nice and completely intact.  The flask and the oiler are marked James Dixon & Son, Sheffield.  The bullet lube tin still has the grease in it.  The cap tin has caps and there are a few original bullets in the bullet tin.  The gun is nicely engraved with no agent markings and functions perfectly.  There is an old note in the case that indicates it was bought from a ship's master in New Orleans in 1861.  Now I don't doubt that it was bought from a ship's master but it was not in 1861.  You will notice that the gun is in the 21,000 serial number range.  That would place its production closer to 1865.  A really nice, complete, mahogany cased example of the Tranter Revolver.  Click on image for additional viewsSOLD!!

 

 

CONFEDERATE ADAMS REVOLVER
MANUFACTURED BY
LONDON ARMOURY COMPANY

A solid, very good condition, well marked example of the London Armoury Company Adams Revolver which was imported into the South during the Civil War.  The grips are nice and solid with good checkering.  The markings are sharp and the action functions perfectly.  The gun is totally complete with the exception of the plunger which has been lost from the loading lever.  The serial number of this gun is 36749 which is 140 numbers from the highest number London Armoury Company Adams found on the Pratt List.  The serial number of the LAC Adams on the Pratt List is 36609.  There is little doubt that this gun was issued by Confederate Ordnance.  A solid, honest example of a Confederate Revolver that is difficult to find.   SOLD!!

 

 

HYDE & GOODRICH
BINOCULARS
CA. 1850

A fabulous set of Southern Binoculars sold by Hyde & Goodrich of New Orleans.  These binoculars retain almost all of the original gold wash finish with both eye pieces marked Hyde & Goodrich, New Orleans.  The adjusting wheel is made from a solid piece of mother-of-pearl.  They also have an interesting two finger handle which allows you to support them while viewing.  Now Hyde & Goodrich was bought out by Thomas Griswold in early 1861.  So these binoculars will certainly date to the 1850's.  The lenses are clear and focus very nicely.  I have never seen anything quite like them.  The type of luxury good which the pre-Civil War plantation economy generated the wealth to purchase.  SOLD!!

 

 

CONFEDERATE
PAIR OF PRESENTATION INSCRIBED
TRYON PHILADELPHIA DERINGERS

This pair of Tryon Philadelphia Deringers are inscribed "B. B. Walker from W. T. Rogers."  Both men were from the State of Alabama and served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War.  B. B. Walker, the recipient, served with the 4th Alabama Infantry.  W. T. Rogers was a Captain under the command of Major J. O. Banks.  These guns have 5 1/2 inch barrels with an overall length of 9 1/4 inches, original iron tipped ramrods, iron trigger guards with pineapple finials and an eight petalled Philadelphia patterned inlays on their butts.  The locks are marked "TRYON" and the barrels are marked "PHILADa".  The bores are rifled and in approximately .44 caliber.  It is very rare to find Alabama associated presentation pair of Deringers.   Click on thumbnail for additional views SOLD!!

 

 

SOUTHERN PISTOL
BY J. M. HAPPOLDT
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

John M. Happoldt made dueling pistols and perhaps Deringers in Charleston, South Carolina from 1826 through 1865.  His guns were very distinctive in style and very high quality.  This gun is typical of his dueling pistols.  It conforms to the Code Duello in that it is smooth bore with an adjustable, single set trigger and fine sights.  Even though it is today called a dueling pistol and does conform to the type,  I suspect that many of these did good duty as belt pistols.  This on has a 8 1/4 inch barrel with an overall length of 13 1/4 inches and a crisp, sharp lock mechanism.  There is a very professionally done, period repair on the back of the grip.  It stabilized a fine grain crack which runs through the grip.  The gun has a patent or hook breech and is in solid, very good condition.  The lock is engraved J. M. Happoldt, Charleston, SC.  Click on thumbnail for additional views SOLD!!

 

 

SOUTHERN MADE
TENNESSEE RIFLE
BY GABRIEL MCINTURFF

This is a very unusual Tennessee Rifle.  Gabriel McInturff was making rifles around present day Unicoi County, Tennessee in 1838.  He was born in 1805 in Washington County, Tennessee so much of his work may actually predate 1838.  This gun has nice architecture that is very graceful.  It has a tiger stripe maple stock with a Tennessee style barrel tang, a fairly elaborate counter pane inlay, six pointed Star of David on the right side of the stock, a thumb print inlay on the wrist and a missing tear drop inlay in front of the butt plate tang.  Remarkably it is incise carved in "S" and "C" scrolls on the right side of the butt, on both sides where the comb of the stock meets the wrist and is molded along the bottom of the butt and the forearm.  It was made with a mixture of brass, German silver and pewter.  It actually has a solid pewter trigger guard and butt plate, which I have never seen before.  The top of the barrel is deeply stamped "G. McInturff, WARTd".  The barrel is 46 3/4 inches long in approximately 36 caliber.  The overall length is 62 1/2 inches.  There is considerable chippage along the forearm, where it meets the barrel, especially on the right side and some chip out at forward bottom of the lockplate.  Even so, the gun is attic, untouched, unrestored and I really like it.  Click on thumbnail for additional views.   SOLD!!

 

 

SOUTHERN KENTUCKY PISTOL
MADE BY
THOMAS M. EDEN
MACON, GEORGIA

A rare Southern made pistol.  The only example of a Georgia made pistol by Thomas M. Eden that I am aware of.  The barrel is 6 3/4 inches in length.  It looks to be about .52 caliber, rifled and the muzzle measures 1 1/8 inches across the flats.  The barrel has a patent or hook breech.  The stock is a straight grain walnut with a pewter nose cap, iron trigger guard and German silver mountings otherwise.  The mechanism works nicely and the barrel and lock are both marked with Thomas M. Eden stamp.  Click on thumbnail for additional views SOLD!!

 

 

 

SOUTHERN DERINGER
MADE BY
F. H. CLARK, MEMPHIS

This little gun is absolutely untouched, attic condition.  It has a barrel which measures 4 3/4 inches in length with an overall length of eight inches and is in about .45 caliber.  The breech of the gun is marked F. H. Clark & Co., Memphis.  The wood is sound, retaining much of its original finish and the lock mechanism works fine.  The gun is completely untouched and a little crusty but it looks like some of the original brown finish is still on the barrel.  I noticed the nipple had been broken off.  Sometimes that is done to disarm one of these that is still loaded.  When I checked the bore, sure enough, it is fully loaded with a nice round ball.  What are the odds of this thing staying loaded all these years?  Now this is not an agent marked Clark Deringer.  This is what is referred to as the Clark Clark.  In other words, F. H. Clark made this gun.  It is truly out of the woods and untouched.   Click on thumbnail for additional views  SOLD!!

 

 

CONFEDERATE CAVALRY SABER
BY JAMES CONNING
MOBILE, ALABAMA

A really nice example of the James Conning Confederate Cavalry Saber.  This sword has an intact grip wrapping with slightly copper colored wire, a fantastic blade which has strong markings.  The hilt is very tight and the scabbard is correct for the sword.  There is a three digit assembly number on the pommel, guard and the back of the blade where it meets the guard.  A seriously nice example of this sword.  Click on thumbnail for additional views.    SOLD!!


 

CONFEDERATE
BOYLE & GAMBLE
FOOT OFFICER'S SWORD
ETCHED BLADE AND INSCRIBED

This is a narrow bladed Boyle & Gamble Foot Officer's Sword.  The blade retains all of the very distinctive etching including CSA in the left side panel and Boyle Gamble & Company on the left side ricasso.  The grip is near perfect, both leather and wire.  The blade is a smooth gray with some light pitting toward the end.  The right side of the blade, just forward of the etched panel is marked "Frank M. Shouse, 31st Ala. Regt, Talladega, ALA."  The left side of the blade is also marked "Frank M. Shouse" and in front of that it looks like Lieutentant.  Frank M. Shouse was a captain of E Company, 31st Alabama Regiment.  They were originally in the Army of the Mississippi and took part in the early foray into Kentucky.  They later opposed Grant as he moved down the Mississippi and came under siege at Vicksburg.  The unit was surrendered in the surrender at Vicksburg and went into Parole Camp at Demopolis, Alabama until exchanged.  The regiment then joined the Army of Tennessee before Atlanta.  They took part in Hood's attack into Tennessee while Sherman marched to the sea.  After the Battle of Nashville, they were the rear guard for the Army of the Tennessee.  They were then sent to North Carolina, were engaged at the Battle of Bentonville and surrendered at Greensboro.  They started out with approximately 1,100 men.  They surrendered with about 222.  P.O.R. Click on thumbnail for additional views.   SOLD!!

 

 

SOUTHERN KENTUCKY PISTOL
BY
WILEY C. HIGGINS
BUTTS COUNTY, GEORGIA

This gun is exquisite.  It is one of the finest Southern Kentucky Pistols I have ever seen.  It is solid silver mounted with inlays with shapes and dimensions that only Higgins could come up with.  The smooth bore barrel is about .50 caliber.  It is patent breech and extremely well made.  The lock mechanism is again, extremely well made and lightly engraved.  The gun is not marked but nobody seems to have trouble figuring out who made it.  He is one of the few gunsmiths in the South that worked in solid silver and his work is virtually unique as to shape and form.  One of his signature elements is to surround the lock with a silver border, which is very nicely fitted.  A really neat little gun.  SOLD!!

 

U.S. WORLD WAR II
COLT COMMANDO REVOLVERS
ALABAMA NATIONAL GUARD
NEW UNFIRED IN BOX

We have obtained a quantity of Military Colt Commando Revolvers which were produced about 1943.  These .38 Special Revolvers are all new, unfired, in the grease.  They are still in the original Kraft shipping boxes with paraphernalia.  The serial number range on these guns is from 31870 to 32502.  They are in military finish, usually referred to as Parkerizing, which is actually a sandblast under blue.  They have Colt Wood brown plastic military grips.  Each one is U. S. Ordnance inspected and stamped GHD over an ordnance bomb on the upper left frame.  The barrel of each gun is marked "Colt Commando .38 Special."  We have cleaned the grease off the outside of each gun and left it on the internal parts.  No gun shows any signs of ever having been fired.  They are as new as you can get.  The total production on WWII Colt Commando Revolvers is about 50.000, not to be compared to the virtually unlimited production of the Smith & Wesson Victory Model .38. 

Early in WWII the U. S. Army withdrew the .45 Automatics from the Alabama National Guard.  There was a shortage and I'm sure many other state's 1911's were also withdrawn.  The Alabama National Guard immediately placed an order for Colt Commandos to replace the .45 Automatics.  We don't know exactly how many, but perhaps 200.  Before the Colt Commandos were delivered, Army Ordnance re-issued the state national guards with .45 Automatics.  When the Colt Commandos were delivered, they were placed in storage and never issued.  They remained in storage for 68 years, from about 1943 to March of 2011.  They were then donated the the Marion Military Institute museum here in the state of Alabama.  The museum has de-accessioned them and you now find them presented here.

We have five pairs of consecutively numbered guns.  We also have two sets of three guns which are consecutively numbered.  The rest are individual guns that are all numbered between 31870 and 32502.  Each gun is accompanied by its original Kraft box with the serial number penciled on the lid, Colt parts brochure, bore brush, etc.  Each gun is also accompanied by a statement of the above history with the serial number of the gun, addressed "To Whom It may Concern" and is printed on Marion Military Museum letterhead.  FFL REQUIRED!!  SOLD!!

 

 

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