GUN SPRING 2016
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/14/2016
FINE & RARE KEEN WALKER CONFEDERATE BRASS FRAME TILT BREECH CARBINE.KEEN-WALKERCS BRASS FRAMENSN54Cal. 54. This is a beautiful "as found" example of a rare Confederate carbine. The Keen, Walker & Co. carbine long known as the Confederate ''Perry'' or ''Tilting Breech'' carbine was the subject of much speculation as to where it was manufactured in early texts, scholarly research identifies it definitively as the product of Keen, Walker & Co. in Danville, Virginia. John Murphy & Howard Madaus in their comprehensive 2002 text Confederate Carbines & Musketoons devote a chapter on this manufacturer. They note a receipt for 101 breech loading carbines delivered May 19, 1862 to the Confederate Ordnance Department. The frame is of brass and unmarked except for Roman numeral "XXV" internally on both the iron & brass frame tangs, & upper channel of the buttstock. The 22-1/2″ bbl is rifled and unmarked except for an inspection proof ''P'' on the right side near the breech. This specimen has the initials ''WHB'' carved on the right side of stock. I have noted a high percentage of this pattern with initials in wood, maybe 6 or 8 of the 10 or so I have seen. It might be possible to identify these guns by initials if unit they were issued to is also possibly re-searchable. This is a fine example that appears in near "attic", untouched condition. It would be difficult to find a more aesthetically pleasing specimen of this scarce Confederate carbine. CONDITION: Very good to fine overall and among the best of this pattern. Gun appears 100% orig & complete with hints of orig case colors on lever & breech. There is thin orig fire blue on floor plate. The bbl shows traces of plum color in protected areas overall mottled gray with staining & pitting. Stock is sound with slight gap at frame with hand worn patina & areas of raised grain. The action is crisp with good tight seal from breech to bbl; most examples encountered saw hard use with loose actions & poor seals. Bore exhibits well-defined rifling though pitted. 50133-1 JS (20,000-30,000)