GUN SPRING 2017
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, April 11, 2017.
EXTREMELY RARE AND SPECTACULAR CONDITION, FINEST OF ONLY TWO ROBERT JONES LIVERPOOL MARKED ENGLISH CONFEDERATE LEMAT GRAPESHOT REVOLVERS MADE 1862-1863. SN: 16. Cal. 42/18. This is no doubt the finest example of two extant specimens. The only other example is SN 6, which was offered by James D. Julia and sold in 2002 was well used. This gun, like its mate, shares the early LeMat characteristics of reciprocating pin mechanism to turn and lock cylinder. This mechanism proved defective in the field, and in 1863 the ratchet system like Colt was utilized. The Tipping & Lawden Confederate navy contract of 1864 produced 1,000 London LeMats which are quite different then these varieties and are all SNd 8000-9000. Even this group of London LeMats, though a 1,000 were produced, survival is quite low as the census is quite small; many must have been lost on a blockade runner, though that history is not documented as of yet. Like the other rare London LeMat & Girard patent offered in this sale, this was also a prize of the Clifford Young Collection. SN 16 is noted on most major parts and Roman Numeral II on others. Bbl markings "ROBERT JONES, NO 6 CHAPEL ST. LIVERPOOL" is engraved on top bbl flat. Ed Simmons in his Lemat research published in Confederate Handguns, 1963, Albaugh, Benet & Simmons; pg 99 in correspondence between the Confederate Navy Agent Bullock and Caleb Huse Confederate Agent "we have been very disappointed. The proposal we made to these gentlemen of Liverpool was not at all disastrous for them, we only asked them to give us the necessary money for the manufacture of their arms; these arms would have been delivered to them for further dispatching to American and the payment would have been made to them.... we asked them to indicate us another firm in Liverpool which we could make an arrangement...there is evidently an agreement between them and Major Hues, in order to keep the monopoly of the commerce between the Confederate States". With all of the problems Girard was having with the English production of his guns, could this Robert Jones, Livrpool made gun be part of this September 1862 correspondence? We do know the English agent Perreaux & Company of London did receive November 8, 1862 500 LeMat revolvers destined for the Confederate States War Department that were sent abroad on the ship Lustika, November 8, 1862. It was always believed that this initial shipment was strictly Paris addressed guns, but based on this correspondence, English made varieties could have easily been included and it is to note that all of these early Paris guns are quite rare also. This is a unique opportunity to obtain an extremely fine and rare Confederate LeMat with these unique markings. SIZE: PROVENANCE: Clifford Young Collection; pictured on pg 78 and described on pg 82 of "The Confederate LeMat Revolver", Doug Adams, 2005. CONDITION: Fine overall. Strong traces of bright blue are found on frame, bbl, shotgun bbl, cylinder and loading assembly. There is a number "3827" stamped on left stock which we believe may be a number from the US Cartridge Collection (more research required and this inventory # is possible key). Gun is functional with crisp, shiny rifled bore and smooth shotgun cylinder. There are areas of scattered denting and pitting which do not affect the overall aesthetics of this arm. 51410-2 JS (20,000-30,000)