GUN SPRING 2016
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/14/2016
EXTREMELY FINE DANCE NAVY REVOLVER INSCRIBED TO TEXAS CONFEDERATE CAVALRYMAN CHARLES HILL, COMPANY H, 35TH TEXAS CAVALRY.DANCE (WRS)NAVY5136 CALCal. 36. This is the finest Dance Navy revolver extant. Gun is in remarkable condition, retaining much of its original finish, all original and authentic with the inscription on butt "Ch HILL / Co H / BROWNS". Charles Hill was a Corporal in Company H Brown's regiment Texas Cavalry. At least 23 of Dance Brothers factory workers in Columbia, TX., were members of Brown's regiment, 35th Texas Cavalry. James Henry Dance was one of the unit's officers. There is no other Dance revolver in any configuration known with such an impeccable provenance as to identify it by inscription to a Confederate soldier who carried it and possibly even aided in its manufacture. This particular revolver is photographed and described in detail in Bill Gary's 1987 text Confederate Revolvers, pgs. 66-68. This gun is also photographed and described in Dance & Brothers; Texas Gunmakers of the Confederacy by Gary Wiggins, 1986, pgs. 50-51. There are only 5 known Dance Navy's with recoil shields; SNs 21, 48, 49, 50 and this example is the highest known SN. There is a large file of history and provenance accompanying this lot, including copies of correspondence between Bill Albaugh and Richard Steuart from 1956-1962 concerning the discovery of this revolver. PROVENANCE: E.M. Hubbard, Weimar, TX; Bob Owens Collection; Donald Tharpe Collection; Don & Kathlee Bryan Collection, 1968. CONDITION: Fine to excellent overall with sharp crisp edges and markings, hints of original finish in protected areas, but overall iron is silver/gray on frame and plum/gray on other parts, brass backstrap and trigger guard have smooth mustard color patina. Grips are sound, well fit with nice red-hued grain, hand worn patina, traces of original factory varnish and soldier applied inscription, quite discernible on grips and buttstrap as can be seen in photos. Matching SNs are found on bbl, cyl, frame, arbor, loading arm, catch, hammer, trigger guard and backstrap. Grips were not removed to check for numbers, though they are no doubt original to the gun. Mechanically sound, though cyl is sluggish. Bore is crisp with well-defined rifling. Accompanying holster fits gun well, has unusual small ball button attached as finial for closure, crudely twisted sewn as can be seen in photos with integral belt loop simply cut from back flat of leather. Holster is overall sound and solid with craquelure and several scuffs and cuts, seam is partially re-sewn. 50122-9 JS (100,000-150,000)