GUN FALL 2017
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 31, 2017.
RARE AND FINE J.P. MURRAY, COLUMBUS, GEORGIA 1864 DATED CONFEDERATE ALABAMA CONTRACT RIFLE.JP MURRAYRIFLE6758Cal. 58. This is among the most aesthetically pleasing J.P. Murray rifles you will find with fine dark "attic" patina, one of very few surviving today. Lockplate is marked in small letters in front of hammer "J.P. MURRAY / COLUMBUS GA". Mounted in a 1-pc walnut stock with brass mounts consisting of nose cap, two flat spring retained bbl bands, 2-pc trigger guard and buttplate. Trigger guard has an iron sling swivel with corresponding swivel on upper bbl band. Accompanied by a contemporary unthreaded ramrod. SN "67" was observed on inside of lockplate, inside hammer, bottom of bbl near breech plug and bbl channel of the stock. There is also a secondary number "15" found internally on bbl, trigger, hammer below SN, lock screws and tang screw. Bbl is also marked externally on left side of breech "ALA. 1864". It is unknown the quantities of arms produced by this facility except for 262 rifles and 73 carbines delivered under Alabama state contract in 1864 such as this particular carbine. Regardless, these rifles are quite scarce and desirable Confederate arms. John Murphy & Howard Madaus discuss this manufacturer at length in their 1996 text Confederate Rifles and Muskets, they refer to this gun as a Type I made without model 1841 style lock escutcheon. Renowned Confederate collector Fred Edmunds wrote a letter of authenticity on this example which is found in provenance. PROVENANCE: Fred Edmunds collection, 1993; The Confederate and Civil War estate collection of Fred Donaldson. CONDITION: Very good overall. Well marked with dark patina and well fit stock which is spliced under rear band. Bbl bands, sights, nose cap and forestock are restorations in this catalogers opinion, however in the 1993 letter of authenticity written by renowned Confederate collector Fred Edmunds, he states as you can read in provenance, that gun is totally original and the splice is factory. Bbl originally was rifled in 58 caliber, is now smooth bore 64 caliber which is often seen on guns carried home by soldiers for use as fowlers. Regardless this is still a beautiful example that would display well in any Confederate collection. Mechanically sound with smooth clear bore. 52430-22 JS (10,000-15,000)