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LOT 1199
Desirable Documented Engraved Edwin Wesson Percussion Sharpshooter/Target Rifle with Scope, Case, and Accessories Formerly Owned by Noted California Politician and Marksman Dr. Enoch H. Pardee - Serial no. 521, 42 cal., 32 7/8 inch octagon bbl., blue/ casehardened/German silver finish, walnut stock. This c. 1840s rifle and the rifle in the following
lot were formerly in The Pardee Home Museum in Oakland, California, as shown in the included inventory of firearms from the museum. They were owned by Dr. Enoch H. Pardee (1829-1786) who came to California during the Gold Rush, settled in San Francisco, and was a prominent Republican serving in state and local office, including as mayor of Oakland in the 1870s. In “California Gunsmiths 1846-1900,” Lawrence P. Shelton notes that “Dr. Enoch Homer Pardee became the most noted marksman with” telescopic target rifles “in the 1860s-1880s. No man in California had a more profound knowledge of the mechanism of the rifle, the laws of trajectory, the science of loading, or in fact, of all that relates to the philosophy of the rifle. Though Dr. Pardee was not a gunsmith you will find he has been included in the gunsmiths’ biographical section of this book because no other one man contributed as much as he did to the knowledge and art of rifle shooting in California during this period.”The biographical section discusses his collection of 35 rifles and his nation-wide reputation for marksmanship after winning a match against Warren Loud in 1866. He worked on his own guns and even made his own gun powder and invented a repeating rifle. George C. Pardee (1857-1941) followed in his father’s footsteps and became mayor of Oakland as well as governor of California.
Edwin Wesson’s (1811-1849) shop in Northboro, Massachusetts, produced some of the world’s finest target rifles and pistols. His younger brothers Daniel Baird Wesson (1825- 1906) of Smith & Wesson fame and Franklin Wesson (1828-1899) were trained in the shop and may have even worked on this rifle. D.B. Wesson continued to produce rifles in his brother’s shop briefly after his brother’s death in 1839. Edwin Wesson also held the rights to Alvan Clark’s patented false muzzle seen on this rifle and licensed its use to other gunmakers. Rifles like this were designed for shooting matches, but Wesson “telescope rifles” are also known to have been used by sharpshooters during the American Civil War, including by Edwin J. Stanclift of the 8th Company of the 1st Battalion of New York Sharpshooters (see Smithsonian collection accession number 164794). This classic Wesson target rifle features a false muzzle with four posts and a sight cover, a 38 1/4 inch long scope, removable palm rest, eagles flanking “WESSON/ NORTHBORO/MASS” and “CAST-STEEL/521” on the top of the barrel along with two small holes, sculpted breech plug with pierced gold plug, nice engraving, “WESSON/NORTHBORO/MASS” on the lock, adjustable double set triggers, and walnut half-stock with German silver furniture consisting of a spurred trigger guard, cap/patchbox, toe plate, buttplate with small compartment in the heel, and an inlay. The rifle comes in a modern case with a variety of accessories, including a bullet starter and mold. CONDITION: Very good with strong original blue finish on the scope tube, lighter original blue mixed with smooth gray patina on the barrel, 25% original case colors on the action, attractively aged patina on the German silver, crisp engraving and markings, one absent scope mounting screw, and general mild wear including a patch of corrosion from percussion caps on the scope tube by the nipple. The stock is fine and has smooth finish, some scrapes and dings, minor overall wear, and attractive grain pattern. The optics need cleaned. Mechanically fine. This is a very desirable example of an Edwin Wesson rifle with historical provenance tying it to a renowned American marksman and ‘49er. Provenance: The Pardee Home Museum; Norm Flayderman, Inc.; Property of a Gentleman. Estimate: 6,000 - 9,000 LOT 1200 Historic Documented Engraved American Percussion Sharpshooter/Target Rifle with Scope, Case, and Accessories Formerly Owned by Noted California Politician and Marksman Dr. Enoch H. Pardee - NSN, 52 cal., 27 7/8 inch octagon bbl., blue/casehardened finish, walnut stock. This mid-19th century target rifle and the similar Edwin Wesson rifle in the previous lot were formerly in The Pardee Home Museum in Oakland, California, as shown in the included inventory of firearms from the museum. They were owned by Dr. Enoch H. Pardee (1829-1786) who came to California during the Gold Rush, settled in San Francisco, and was a prominent Republican serving in state and local office, including as mayor of Oakland in the 1870s. In “California Gunsmiths 1846-1900,” Lawrence P. Shelton notes that “Dr. Enoch Homer Pardee became the most noted marksman with” telescopic target rifles “in the 1860s-1880s. No man in California had a more profound knowledge of the mechanism of the rifle, the laws of trajectory, the science of loading, or in fact, of all that relates to the philosophy of the rifle. Though Dr. Pardee was not a gunsmith you will find he has been included in the gunsmiths’ biographical section of this book because no other one man contributed as much as he did to the knowledge and art of rifle shooting in California during this period.”The biographical section discusses his collection of 35 rifles and his nation-wide reputation for marksmanship after winning a match against Warren Loud in 1866. He worked on his own guns and even made his own gun powder and invented a repeating rifle. George C. Pardee (1857-1941) followed in his father’s footsteps and became mayor of Oakland as well as governor of California.
This rifle follows the same pattern as the exceptional rifles manufactured by Edwin Wesson but may have been produced by L. Amadon of Bellow Falls, Vermont, given the marking on the rear scope mount and lack of Wesson markings. Amadon advertised “Premium Telescopic Rifles! Pronounced by the best Judges, to be superior to any in the country. Have in every instance drawn a premium. Manufactured and for Sale, by L. Amadon. Bellow Falls, Vt., Oct. 5, 1865.” By that period, Edwin Wesson had long been laid to rest and his brother Daniel Baird Wesson had moved on to form Smith & Wesson. Given the larger barrel diameter, it may have been rebarreled by Pardee removing the original maker marked barrel, or the barrel may well be the original and simply not marked by Amadon. It was clearly installed and used in the 19th century, and the barrel has a partially visible “REMINGTON/CAST STEEL” marking and “CS. 28” on the lower right at the breech and a tapped hole towards the muzzle for mounting a rest. The rifle also features a false muzzle, with a sight block, a 31 7/8 inch scope with “L. AMADON/B. FALLS/VT” marked on the rear mount, adjustable double set triggers scroll engraving, a varnished walnut stock, and iron furniture. It is accompanied by a modern case with a variety of accessories, including a starter and bullet mold. CONDITION: Very good with light original blue and casehardened finish, primarily gray and brown patina, some mild pitting mainly from corrosive caps, crisp engraving, and general mild overall wear. Aside from some checks, the re-varnished stock is fine and has some light scratches and dings. The optics are clear. Mechanically fine.
Provenance: The Pardee Home Museum; Norm Flayderman, Inc.; Property of a Gentleman. 195 Estimate: 4,000 - 6,000
Dr. Enoch Pardee