April 24-25, 2019 Extraordinary, Sporting, & Collector Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/24/2019
These rare carbines were made 1855 to 1856 by A.H. Waters of Milbury, Massachusetts; quantities under 1,500 with 1,200 carbines documented sold to the US government. Features brass single barrel band and buttplate, iron mountings, sling ring mounted on left side of stock. Lock was case hardened and barrel was blued. Of the 1,200 ordered by the United States Government, the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Ohio Cavalry had 100 issued to each division and another 250 went to the 6th Ohio. These Joslyn carbines were issued early in 1862. In the Fall of 1862, detachments of the 3rd and 4th Ohio Cavalry were captured in Lexington Kentucky by John Hunt Morgan's Confederate Raiders, thus putting numerous Monkeytails into the hands of the Confederates. The 6th Ohio armed with the Monkeytail carbine remained in the Shenandoah Valley in the summer of 1862, seeing action against Stonewall Jackson and later in the second Battle of Bull Run. These carbines were referred to as "Monkeytails" due to the long upper tang with loop lever that pushed forward to expose the chamber. The top of this tang is stamped "PATD BY B.F. JOSLYN AUGUST 23 1855". The action is stamped "A.H. WATERS & CO. MILBURY MASS". Features include saddle ring and bar, single brass barrel band, round barrel, dovetail front sight, ladder rear sight, side hammer, brass trigger guard, brass buttplate, and walnut stock. CONDITION: Any inspectors marks that would have been found on the stock are now gone. Brass has toned. Metal is a soft grey-brown patina with average age spotting. Wood is excellent, proud to metal. Carbine has never been refinished and is all original as issued except for a period replaced front sight. Fine action. Strong, well defined, bright rifled bore with minor abrasion. This is an extremely difficult Civil War carbine to add to your collection due to extremely low production.
Caliber/Bore
.54 Percussion