GUN FALL 2016
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 4, 2016.
WONDERFUL BATTLE FIELD RELIC CONFEDERATE 1ST MODEL GRISWOLD REVOLVER. GRISWOLD NAVY 877 36 Cal. 36. This revolver resided in The Civil War Life and Home Front Museum in Fredericksburg, VA from 2000-2012 when it closed. This is a most unusual early battle field pick-up with a wonderful surface, clearly showing two exploded chambers that reveal the flawed iron that was utilized in manufacture. Samuel Griswold, the largest producer of Confederate revolvers, had an ingenious idea of hardening iron by twisting heated bar stock. The twist is clearly seen in this cylinder and the breaks follow those lines. There is not another example extant that so vividly shows Confederate ingenuity that did not work in this particular instance. PROVENANCE: Terry Thomann purchased in 2000 from family who stated it had been in family since 1906 and was found near Virginia battlefield. Civil War Life and Home Front Museum, Fredericksburg, VA, 2000-2012. CONDITION: Very good overall, traces of blue in protected areas, otherwise iron is dark plum/brown. This gun is all orig and matching with exception of base pin which has been replaced with a threaded bolt quite cleverly as it must have broken when the chambers exploded. Brass with old burnish, catch is loose in dove tailed slot. Bbl measures 7-5/16" being slightly trimmed from the orig 7-1/2", the front sight has been altered to a short brass blade instead of the standard brass pin. Grips are orig, well fit with light tacking marks on butt. Matching SN 877 is found on right side of bbl, cylinder and frame. Secondary number 77 is found on loading arm, hammer and trigger guard. The wedge is not numbered and is of spring-type, however it has matching patina and appears contemporary to use of gun, wedge screw is missing. Cryptic "B" is found on bottom of bbl near catch, right side of frame, backstrap and trigger guard. An additional cryptic "0" is found on backstrap and trigger guard along with Roman number "IIII". Crisp rifling in bore and mechanically still indexes and cocks. 50346-1 JS (15,000-20,000)