GUN FALL 2015
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/5/2015
VERY RARE AND FINE SPRINGFIELD MODEL 1855 CAVALRY CARBINE.SPRINGFIELD1855 CARBINENSN54Fine rare carbine with 22″ rifled rnd bbl, half moon pinched front sight and 2-leaf rear sight. Top rear left of bbl is marked with "V", "P" and eagle head proofs. Lockplate has a small American eagle over a tiny "US" in front of hammer with "SPRING / FIELD / 1854″ vertically behind the hammer. The date "1855″ is also stamped on the top of tang. Mounted in a 1-pc walnut stock with long wrist and about 3/4 length with brass nosecap and iron furniture. Bottom of bbl at the muzzle has integral large ring to which is attached a large wire loop containing a captive button-head ramrod. Trigger guard is 2-pc with a large round cavalry sling ring in the rear. Buttplate is smooth carbine style with "US" on the tang. These rare carbines of which about 1000 were made saw use on the frontier primarily in Texas and New Mexico prior to Civil War. In 1856 Lt. Col. Robert E. Lee was assigned to Camp Cooper, Texas, in command of two squadrons (8 companies) of cavalry whose assigned duty it was to control the Indians on the frontier. Lt. Col. Lee's troops were issued both Springfield carbines and Springfield musketoons and in June 1856 he led four squadrons of cavalry, armed as noted above, on a 40-day, 1,600 mile campaign against the Indians. Many 1855 carbines were captured by the Confederacy when they captured the San Antonio Arsenal. It is ironic that surviving carbines are rarer than the Confederate version copied by Billharz & Hall of Pittsylvania Court House, VA of which only about 500 were made. This is a nice example of a rare primary U.S. military carbine. CONDITION: Very good to fine. Appears orig and complete. Metal has old cleaning and is gray-white overall. Bbl and lock markings are easily discerned as can be seen in photographs. Brass nosecap has mustard colored patina. Stock is sound and solid with some raised grain and hand-worn patina. Reverse forestock has numerous small dings and dents between bbl band and escutcheon. One inspector's cartouche is discernible in profile opposite lock. There are two 1-1/2" hairline cracks on bottom of forestock just forward of trigger guard and between trigger guard and lock. A small set of inspector's initials "JH" are found behind trigger guard. Mechanically, gun functions well with a good crisp discernible rifled bore. 49632-1 JS (12,500-17,500)