GUN FALL 2017
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 31, 2017.
VERY RARE EARLY CONFEDERATE COLUMBUS MISSISSIPPI MADE LEECH & RIGDON REVOLVER SN 59. LEECH & RIGDON NAVY 59 36 Cal. 36. This rare Confederate revolver with small die variation stamped "LEECH & RIGDON" only is first noted on the earliest production. These earliest guns probably total only 75 revolvers made in Columbus, Mississippi (per document cited in text by Bill Gary, Confederate Revolvers) due to the factory being forced to move their manufacturing operation in December 1862 due to Union threat. A great detail of production notes and opinion concerning these rare pistols can be found in William Gary Confederate Revolvers and American Society of Arms Collectors articles published by Ted Meredith and Kent Wall. (Kent Wall & the late Bruce Kusrow, leading Leech scholars opine and reason in these articles that possibly all 375 "small die" guns were made in Columbus). Regardless, there are only 10 known Columbus, Mississippi surviving guns SN under 75 that show the dramatic physical changes as the company improved their product. This is among the best provenanced and well known of Columbus, Mississippi produced revolvers by Leech & Rigdon and this is a fine complete example being originally in the famous Ted Meredith collection. The consecutive numbered gun SN 60 which is being sold in the following lot has equally fine condition and provenance. This gun in additional to having matching SNs found on the normal places Leeches are numbered, bbl, frame, trigger guard, backstrap, loading arm, latch and wedge is also numbered on the lever screw. This is only noted on four other early Leechs SN 15, 26 (though it is mismatched 36), 52 and 60. PROVENANCE: H.D. Steward, Miami, FL, Gun Report, Nov-Dec 1975; Ted Meredith Collection, Boca Raton, FL, 1986; ASAC Bulletin #72 May 1995 p 23; Burney Crooke collection, Pensacola, FL, 2000; outstanding estate collection of Confederate and historical arms of Morris Racker, 2006. CONDITION: Very good overall. Iron is overall a mottled gray/brown with staining and pitting. Markings very good and discernible. Tiny traces of finish are found in protected areas. Brass has a mustard patina. Grips are fairly well fit with some shrinkage and tacking marks at butt. Mechanically functional with crisp rifled bore. 51957-7 JS (30,000-50,000)