GUN FALL 2017
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/31/2017
VERY FINE AND RARE, EARLY CONFEDERATE DANCE ARMY REVOLVER, SERIAL NUMBER 14.DANCEARMY1444Cal. 44. This is a very fine orig, authentic & complete early specimen of the Confederate Dance Brothers revolver, probably made at East Columbia, TX in July 1862 before moving to Anderson, TX according to Dance expert Gary Wiggins, author of Dance & Brothers Texas Gunmakers of the Confederacy,1986. Dance made approx 325 or so Dragoon-sized Army Revolvers of which less than 90 are known to have survived. Dance Revolvers are much like Colt Dragoons in appearance with the exception of the lack of recoil shields. Dance Revolvers, like other Confederates, saw hard use and rarely are found this nice and complete. Indeed, this is among the finest examples known. This gun conforms to the normal configuration having a 7-7/8" half oct-rnd bbl with low brass blade front sight. This gun is properly SNd with matching number "14" found in all areas normally SNd which include bbl housing, frame, trigger guard, backstrap, cyl, arbor, grips, loading arm and loading arm latch. The hammer is classic Dance being similar to a Colt Dragoon but without the knurling that Colt put on the spur and SNed 14 on right side. Overall, edges are crisp & sharp, metal is smooth with a beautiful plum color overall where orig blue has turned. Mechanically, gun functions well and exhibits good crisp rifling to bore. By NRA standards, this gun grades Good to Very Good, but by Confederate standards, this gun is Excellent. All screws, cones, sight and internal parts appear orig, even the wedge screw which is often lost appears orig. Accompanying this revolver are letters of provenance and authenticity by Fred Edmunds and Gary Wiggins, as well as special limited edition No. 14 leather bound Dance & Brothers 1988 text by Wiggins, signed by the author and the two living Dance descendants at time of publication. PROVENANCE: Donald Sayrs, West Collingswood, NJ, purchased gun from Texan at unknown date though he states "many years ago" in his 1961 letter; Collection of Ashley Halsey, Charleston, SC, 1961; Pictured on pages 36-37 of Gary Wiggins' "Dance & Brothers Texas Gunmakers of the Confederacy"; Fred Edmunds; Outstanding estate collection of Confederate and historical arms of Morris Racker, 2000. CONDITION: Very good overall, excellent for a Confederate revolver. Gun shows light use with all safety pins intact. Gun appears 100% orig with exception of non-serialized Colt-style spring wedge that Edmunds refers to in his letter as potentially of contemporary replacement. According to letter from Wiggins, main spring and hand spring are replacements. This may be reason for gun being so fine and showing so light use. A vertical hairline crack is found on the right side of the frame through forward frame screw which is seen on several other early Dances which does not affect aesthetics or functionality. SNs are all well-struck and fully discernible. Metal surfaces overall are brown/plum with scattered areas of staining & pitting. Brass backstrap and trigger guard have light mustard patina with minor cosmetic blemishes. Grips are sound & solid, well fit with edge wear, hand worn patina with light cosmetic blemishes, still retaining traces of orig thin varnish. Mechanically, gun functions well with crisp rifling in bore. 51957-18 JS (40,000-60,000)