December 10-13, 2024 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/12/2024
The Irish Constabulary was granted the title “Royal” by Queen Victoria, after the successful suppression of the Fenian ‘Rising’ in 1867. The Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) adopted a short-barreled variation of the double-action Webley revolver, and Webley capitalized on this endorsement. While revolvers actually acquired and used by the RIC are marked as such on the front of the frame (this revolver is not), commercial revolvers simply have the “RIC” in the bullet stamping on the side of the frame. The revolver was a commercial success. This example was found at a Virginia militaria shop in the late 1970s and is complete, with the exception of its lanyard ring. This revolver was featured in a 2004 Shooters’ Bible article about Irish firearms and has been displayed in numerous exhibits about Irish Nationalist firearms in the Mid-Atlantic region. PROVENANCE: Kenneth Smith-Christmas collection. CONDITION: Metal is essentially a smooth mix of soft brown patina mixed with areas of gunmetal grey, primarily to barrel, and flashes of bright high-polish blue in protected areas, such as recoil shields and barrel shank. Mechanically fine, cylinder stop worn and cylinder will spin freely at half cock, bore is good with well defined rifling and some mild oxidation in latter half of barrel.
Manufacturer
P. Webley & Son