GUN FALL 2017
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 31, 2017.
VERY RARE CONFEDERATE COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI MADE LEECH & RIGDON REVOLVER, SN 60. LEECH & RIGDON NAVY 60 36 Cal. 36. This particular revolver from the famous Dr. Robert Moore Collection is consecutively numbered to the previous lot in comparable if not slightly better condition. What an opportunity to have the rarest consecutive pair of Confederate revolvers that Mr. Racker spent years putting together. This rare Confederate revolver with small die 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 guns by Leech & Rigdon and this is a fine complete example being originally in the famous Ted Meredith collection. The consecutive numbered gun SN 59 which was sold in the previous 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 59. PROVENANCE: Billingslea Collection 1930's; Wm. Locke Collection 1973; Pictured ASAC Bulletin #30, Fall 1974 p. 121; Pictured "Confederate Revolvers" by Wm. Gary pp 12 & 16, 1989; ASAC Bulletin #72, May 1995, p. 25; Collection of Dr. Robert L. Moore, Philadelphia, MS; Conestoga Auctions, June 2000, Lot 174; outstanding estate collection of Confederate and historical arms of Morris Racker, 2000. CONDITION: Very good overall, all matching and complete. This is one of the first Leech and Rigdons to show inset braised repair to frame which is seen on several later Leech products. This gun has the crispest "LEECH & RIGDON" marking of this style known. Mechanically functional with crisp fine bore. Tiny traces of finish in protected areas. Well discerned SNs. Stocks are sound and well fit with hand worn patina. Brass has a light mustard patina. 51957-8 JS (30,000-50,000)