December 10-13, 2024 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/12/2024
This 1862 dated rifle-musket was one of the first 1,000 guns delivered by the Jenks company to the Fenian Brotherhood in January 1866, as it is marked with an “IR” and a shamrock on its stock, opposite the lock plate. The next 6,500 guns were marked with an “IN”, as were a few other long arms acquired by the Fenians in the spring of 1866. It very well could have seen service at the Battle of Ridgeway in 1866, and most likely did at Eccles Hill in 1870 as it has been fired, and shows signs of neglect with its badly pitted bore. The gun came from a Vermont estate via an antique arms dealer from Maine. When the rifle-musket was restored by the Fenians, after its return to them in 1867, the Fenians replaced the middle barrel band with a hand made part, and replaced its rear sight with a crude “V” sight, both of which are present. Removing sights on confiscated muzzleloaders was the federal government’s method of temporary demilitarization. This musket has been featured in an online Sep 2020 article about the First Fenian Raid in the American Rifleman, and has been displayed in several exhibits about Fenian arms in the Mid-Atlantic region. Although conserved and preserved, it looks like how it would have appeared after being picked up at Eccles Hill in 1870. PROVENANCE: Kenneth Smith-Christmas collection. CONDITION: Barrel largely a smooth gunmetal grey with some ochre discoloration, and heavy pitting about the breech as befits heavy use, such as at Eccles Hill. Stock very good as cleaned and conserved, with some dings and marks; shamrock and IR cartouche crisp. Mechanically fine, bore pitted as aforementioned.