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LOT 172
Scarce W.H. Hyatt Marked Silver Inlaid Percussion Miller Patent/Billinghurst
Type Percussion Revolving Rifle - NSN, 44 cal., 29 3/4 inch octagon bbl., brown/silver finish, deluxe
walnut stock. This Miller patent/Billinghurst style revolving rifle is adapted for use with percussion caps rather than
the usual pill primers. The left side of the breech plate is marked “W.H. HYATT” for gunsmith William Henry Hyatt (1817-
1879) who was born in New York and moved to Wisconsin around the mid-1840s. The rifle has a German silver blade front
sight, adjustable sporting rear sight, serrated manually revolvers cylinder, border engraving, iron mounts, pewter forend cap, a silver
wear plate and escutcheons on the forearm, silver cheekpiece and left stock flat inlays, pin decorated wrist, and nicely figured butt.
CONDITION: Good with mostly dark brown patina, attractively aged patina on the silver, one absent nipple, forged repaired/replacement hammer,
minor pitting, and a couple of cracks in the re-oiled buttstock. The engraving remains mostly distinct, and the stock has very attractive figure.
Mechanically fine.
Provenance: The Charles Marx Collection.
Estimate: 3,000 - 4,500
LOT 171
Fine Miller Patent Pill Lock Revolving Rifle by G.R. Pierce
of Grand Rapids - NSN, 44 cal., 27 inch octagon bbl., blue/brown/casehardened
finish, walnut stock. These distinctive American revolving rifles were manufactured circa 1835 to
1850 by several gunmakers based on the designs of John and James Miller. This rifle was manufactured by G.R. Pierce of
Grand Rapids. The octagon barrel has a low dovetailed blade front sight and U-notch buckhorn rear sight and is maker marked
“G.R. PIERCE/GRAND RAPIDS” on top. The lock is marked “BELL/LONDON” with flourishes of scroll pattern engraving. Ramrod mounted on
the bottom of the barrel, walnut forend with classic pewter cap, and walnut buttstock with brass furniture.
CONDITION: Fine, retains 70% original blue finish turned to a plum brown patina on the barrel, smooth brown patina on the cylinder and latch
section, strong traces of case colors visible on the frame showing mostly smooth gray patina, with a few patches of light surface freckling, attractive golden
aged patina on the brass, and defined markings and edges in the metal overall. Wood is also fine, with some scattered light scratches and dents and defined
edges. Mechanically fine.
Provenance: The Charles Marx Collection.
Estimate: 3,500 - 5,500
LOT 170
Rare Gold Mounted and Panel Scene Engraved J. & J. Miller Revolving Pill Lock Rifle
- NSN, 50 cal., 31 3/4 inch part octagon bbl., brown/casehardened/gold finish, highly figured
walnut stock. James Miller/Millar patented this system on June 11, 1829, and Miller patent revolving rifles
with Miller markings are particularly desirable as they are among the earliest revolving firearms. This is one of the early
examples with the front of the cylinder enclosed. The cylinder is serrated to make it easier to grip for manual rotation between
shots. The top barrel flat is marked “J. & J. Miller Rochester” in Gothic script, and the top strap is marked “PATENT”. The lock plate is engraved
with a scene of a deer in a pastoral scene. The barrel is equipped with a small fixed blade front sight, dovetailed notch rear sight, and solid
under rib carrying a hickory ramrod with a distinctive extendable section. The rifle is mounted with a deluxe walnut buttstock and forearm with gold forend cap,
entry pipe, wedge escutcheons and engraved iron trigger guard and buttplate.
CONDITION: Good with bright gold, dark brown patina, mild oxidation, repaired lower tang and wrist of the stock, minor chips and thin cracks, attractive figure, and
distinct engraving and markings. Mechanically fine.
Provenance: The Charles Marx Collection.
Estimate: 5,000 - 7,500
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