GUN FALL 2016
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 4, 2016.
EXTREMELY FINE CONFEDERATE GRISWOLD 2ND MODEL REVOLVER. GRISWOLD NAVY 2046 36 Cal. 36. The most popular brass frame Griswold Revolver was made by Samuel Griswold from converted cotton gin factory near Macon, Georgia. Confederate soldiers lucky enough to be issued a Confederate made "Colt" often wrote of their pride in ownership of such high Southern quality. Rare are these revolvers in high condition. This is a standard 2nd Model Griswold revolver having half oct bbl housing being among the finest "as found" 100% orig, matching and authentic examples. This gun overall is in very good condition by NRA standards but extremely fine and among the best for Confederate revolvers. Metal on this gun was somehow cleaned many years ago, though there are no abrasive marks on wood, brass or steel from cleaning. The gun was then varnished or shellacked with traces still seen on stocks and metal recesses. This gun is SNd 2046 on right side of bbl housing, frame, and cylinder. Secondary number "6" found stamped on wedge, hammer, trigger, hand, loading arm, bottom of trigger guard, bottom of grip strap and stamped on right grip on butt. A cryptic "B" is found on back of frame on right, right side of trigger guard, right side of backstrap and back of cylinder. A Roman numeral "VII" is found on backstrap and trigger guard. This extremely fine Griswold revolver though only exhibits thin traces of external finish, looks almost new internally and ranks among the top surviving Confederate brass framed revolvers. PROVENANCE: Ex-Damon Mills Collection, Montgomery, Alabama; Ex-Donald Tharpe Collection, 1991; Ex-Dr. Robert Jaffee Collection, 1999; Estate of Tig Sogoian. CONDITION: Overall extremely fine and crisp, very sharp edges. Metal is bright/grey and as stated does not appear to have been cleaned. Brass has a similar bright matching color with light mustard patina. Traces of bright blue in protected areas. Iron surfaces overall show areas of lamination that really highlight the poor quality of iron and steel Samuel Griswold utilized in manufacture. Of the numerous Griswold revolvers that I have examined over many years, I have never seen a crisper example and have never seen the visible flaws in the iron and brass as seen on this example. This gun has always been a conversation piece among the most advanced of Confederate collectors since it was orig discovered by Damon Mills almost 40 years ago. Every screw in this gun appears orig and crisp, still showing the distinctive finishing marks associated with this maker. Cylinder retains all 6 safety pins and rarely seen crisp cryptic mark protected by a safety pin. Ratcheting is still crisp and sharp. Grips are well fit with dark hand worn patina with rounding at each toe. Butt was used as tack hammer and there are numerous small marks on the butt of either grip and buttstrap; the secondary number "6" is still crisp on buttstrap but only partially discernible on right grip. Grips have shrunk slightly and have several small cosmetic dents and scratches. All markings described are crisp and clearly struck. Mechanically, the gun is sound. Sharp, well discerned rifling with light areas of pitting in the bore. 50763-4 JS (30,000-40,000)