GUN FALL 2017
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 31, 2017.
RARE EARLY SPILLER & BURR, ATLANTA, GEORGIA CONFEDERATE REVOLVER WITH FULL FIRM MARKING, "CS" AND SERIAL NUMBERED CYLINDER. SPILLER & BURR NAVY 43 36 Cal. 36. Spiller & Burrs were made in Atlanta and Macon, Georgia with a total production of less than 1,500 guns. This particular brass framed copy of a Whitney revolver is the most difficult of the major Confederate manufacturers to find complete and orig. It is also difficult to find these guns with the firm marking on bbl and cylinders which are SNd. This gun exhibits both these features and also has "CS" stamped on right side of frame. Extrapolated from Matthew Norman's 1996 scholarly text Colonel Burton's Spiller & Burr Revolver, this particular example SN "43" was one of 112 guns submitted for inspection August of 1863. One hundred guns were accepted and these pistols were then sent by Express for final issue to John Wharton's Division of Cavalry under Major Gen Joseph Wheeler. The first lot of New Pattern revolvers would have been issued in time to be field tested at the Confederate victory at the Battle of Chickamauga. There are various thoughts as to why so few Spillers have SNd cylinders and why only about half have "CS" stamped on frames. It's probable that these pistols were actually accepted and inspected for Confederate Ordnance Dept. in Macon, Georgia, where the "CS" surcharge was added. This is among the few early Spiller & Burrs that can be documented as issued in 1863. PROVENANCE: Bill Gary Collection, Prescott, AZ, 1995; Don Bryan Collection; private collection, 1996. CONDITION: Good to very good overall. Gun appears orig with matching SNs on bbl, frame, trigger guard, loading lever, cylinder and internally penciled on each grip. The cylinder pin has no discernible number but appears orig from time of use. Cryptic "M" is found stamped internally on right side of grip frame. Fairly smooth surfaces with pitting, scattered dents, dings and scratches. Brass frame shows old cleaning with a medium mustard patina. Gun appears all matching and orig with exception of restored bbl latch and some internal parts such as hand, cylinder has added small flange between ratchets to aid in guns mechanics. "SPILLER & BURR" markings on bbl flat are well discerned. Stocks are sound, solid and well fit with hand worn patina. This gun conforms to other standard model Spillers, functioning well with well-defined rifling in bore. 51571-5 JS (20,000-30,000)