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LOT 60
Historic Documented New York Engraved and Gilded Remington No. 2 Rolling Block Sporting Rifle with L.C. Cummins Scope Owned by Inventor Leonard Geiger and Passed Down Through His Family - Serial no. 27689, 25-20 SS cal., 24 inch round bbl., blue/gold finish, deluxe walnut stock. The No. 2 rifles were manufactured c. 1873-1909. This rifle was passed down through the family of inventor Leonard M. Geiger (1829-1904). He was of Polish ancestry, immigrated to the U.S. from Germany in 1849, and was a stone cutter by trade and a talented marksman. He settled in Hudson, N.Y., and invented a “swinging breech” breech-loading rifle (patent 37,501 of 1/27/1863) and the jacketed bullet (patent 343,269 of 6/8/1886). His patent pre-dated the designs of Joseph Rider (patent 45,123 of 11/15/1864), and the rights were purchased by Remington in 1865 for a 50 cent royalty per Rolling Block Rifle produced which led to Geiger being widely credited as the inventor. Rider may have seen and been influenced by his design. Edward Hull in “Leonard Geiger Inventor of the ‘Rolling Block Rifle’” in the December 2010 issue of “Man at Arms” made the case that Geiger and Joseph Rider had developed their designs independently and indicates Remington purchased the Geiger patent rights
to prevent it from becoming a competitor or a legal complication rather than to use it as the basis for their designs. This rifle is
illustrated in the article. Gary James writing for the American Rifleman in 2023 summarized the Geiger/Rider issue nicely: “In January 1863, Leonard Geiger patented a clever breechloader that employed an action involving a rotating breechblock backed by a centrally mounted hammer. Some 11 months later, coincidentally, Remington Arms designer Joseph Rider also registered a mechanism so similar to the earlier patent that the firm decided it would be commercially prudent to purchase the rights to Geiger’s invention.” Geiger’s design was clearly a predecessor to the Remington design, and his rifle designs were certainly part of the important transition from muzzleloading rifles to breech-loading rifles in the 1860s and were tested by the U.S. Ordnance. Geiger’s patent was clearly under consideration as Remington was developing their design which was widely used throughout the late 1800s and into the 1900s.
Geiger continued to tinker in his workshop, remained a serious marksman long after his patent was sold, and promoted Remington’s rifles. His family reported that he would fire ten shots a day at a target on a large stump behind his home, and he competed in various competitions in the late 19th century. Some publications specified that he used a Remington Creedmoor rifle. In 1876, he was noted as the first winner of the Amateur Rifle Club’s match at Creedmoor in July 1875 with a score of 174 out of 225, including 23 bull’s-eyes. The gold “Geiger Badge” was offered by him as the award for the next year and won by Major Henry Fulton. Geiger competed on the Hudson River Rifle Association’s team in another match in 1875 and won a match in 1878 at the opening of the rifle range for the 3rd N.Y. Division with a score of 44 out of 50 and was on the team of the Parthian Club of Hudson, N.Y., at the NRA’s match. In 1880, he won another match at the 3rd N.Y. Div.’s annual matches with 74 out of 75 at 600 yards. He competed until at least 1887 when he participated in the Bullard Match in Springfield and had a net worth of over $300,000. Includes information on his life, the development of the Remington Rolling Block Rifle, and on the rifle being passed down to Geiger’s great-great grandson. Also includes a stag handled walking stick, framed portrait of Leonard Geiger (a piece noted as absent in firearms literature), and a framed remembrance for George W. Geiger, one of his sons.
The rifle features a custom barrel possibly installed by Geiger himself. The barrel is unmarked but is noted as chambered in .25-20 Single Shot and has a a dovetailed globe front sight, empty rear sight dovetail, additional pair of dovetails holding the mounting rings for the affixed scope which has a blued tube with light engraving towards the rear, a German silver eye-piece, and is marked “L.C. CUMMINGS/MONTPELIER VT./PAT. JUNE 6, 1893” (also appears to have an 1892 date). The distinctive No. 2 frame features beautiful American scroll engraving and a gold plated finish and was likely engraved by L.D. Nimschke. The patterns are similar to those documented in Nimschke’s pull-book on other Remington Rolling Block frames (see page 24 of “L.D. Nimschke Firearms Engraver” by Wilson). The only marking visible on the frame is the serial number on the lower tang. The Schnabel tip forearm has a contrasting grip insert and some figure, and the nicely figured walnut buttstock has a custom blued steel shotgun style buttplate in place of a curved buttplate, again possibly fitted by Geiger himself.
CONDITION: Fine. The engraving remains crisp. The barrel, breech block, trigger, and buttplate retain over 75% of the blue finish, and the frame and hammer retain 20% of the gold plating. The scope has slightly hazy optics and no crosshair, and the exterior has patches of original blue finish and otherwise mostly smooth brown patina. The stock and forearm are fine and have attractive figure, minor checks in the figure, and generally minor overall wear, including some small flakes, scratches, and dings. Mechanically excellent. The personal items are generally good with moderate age and storage wear including some cracks and chips in the wood. This is a very rare, attractive, and historically interesting Remington Rolling Block Rifle identified as passed down through the family of the man credited as the original inventor of the “swinging breech” mechanism: Leonard Geiger. Provenance: Inventor Leonard Geiger; The Geiger Family. Estimate: 4,500 - 7,000
sights. Fitted with a unique set trigger “switch”, mounted just behind the trigger guard/in the rear bow of the trigger guard. To engage the set trigger with it in the down/
forward position, the rifle is fully cocked and then the switch pushed up towards the lower tang. The writer does not recall seeing another example like this. The set trigger appears to
have been installed after the rifle left the factory but is certainly factory quality work. Nicely figured forearm and straight grip, slightly perch bellied stock with a crescent buttplate. CONDITION: Fine, retains 70% of the faded original blue finish, 60% of the original case colors, and 60% of the original nitre blue, with some blue touch up finish on the lower tang corresponding with the set trigger work and the balance a smooth grey patina with a few scattered patches of light pitting. The highly figured wood is very fine with some scattered minor
handling marks. Mechanically excellent. Estimate: 2,500 - 3,750
73
LOT 61
Very Fine Remington No. 1 Short Range Rolling Block Rifle Fitted with Unique Set Trigger/Half-Cock Notch Switch - NSN, 38 RF cal., 30 inch octagon bbl., blue/casehardened finish, walnut stock. Manufactured c. 1875-1890 with only a few thousand produced. This example certainly shows traits above the standard grade of rifle. The standard two-line Remington address and patent dates is marked on top of the barrel as well as on the upper tang. There are no markings on the bottom of barrel. The left sides of the upper and lower tang are marked with the assembly number “47569”. Judging by the appearance of the chamber, the rifle is likely configured for the .38 Extra Long RF cartridge. German silver blade front and the typical, folding, combination open notch/peep rear