GUN FALL 2017
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 31, 2017.
RARE, FINE AND POSSIBLY UNIQUE JEAN BAPTIST REVOL NEW ORLEANS BREECH LOADING HAMMERLESS PERCUSSION RIFLE.REVOLCARBINENSNUNKCal. 36. Multi-groove rifling. 20-15/16" oct bbl with adjustable rear sight and hooded front sight, double set triggers, post attachment on tang for peep sight, brown & case hardened finish. Pivoting breech block which exposes nipple and chamber while loading. Front trigger cocks hammer, which is in turn released by the rear set trigger for firing. Jean Baptist Revol (1799-1886) according to Kit Gorman in her excellent 2005 text New Orleans Gunsmiths "...was among the top-rung of New Orleans gunmakers. His guns were honored in local competitions and are still highly prized by collectors of 19th century Southern firearms. Born in France, Revol arrived in New Orleans about 1838". Revol appears in city directories from 1838 through 1859 and later directories through 1885. Revol's exhibit at the Louisiana Grand State Fair 1868 earned him a gold medal for the "Best double shotguns made in Louisiana". This particular gun thought to be of Revol's design is made about 1850 and is stamped on the left side of frame "J.R. Revol / N. Orleans". Accompanying this rare Southern breech loader is a limited edition of Kit Gorman's New Orleans Gunsmiths No. 78 of 200 printed. PROVENANCE: Collection of Stanley Diefenthal (1918-1992), New Orleans; The Confederate and Civil War estate collection of Fred Donaldson. CONDITION: Very good to fine. Bbl retains about 75% thinning brown finish with staining and pitting. Frame is overall silver/gray with muted case colors especially in the protected areas. Mechanically functional with crisp rifled bore. Stock is sound and solid with hand worn patina. Buttplate still retains screwed in sling swivel eye which can be removed and screwed into stock. 52430-16 JS (5,000-7,000)