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LOT 1248
Extremely Rare Engraved European Six-Shot Flintlock Hand-Revolving Sporting Gun
with Carved and Silver Wire Inlaid Stock Attributed to the Tula Arms Factory - NSN, 28
gauge, 32 3/4 inch part octagon bbl., bright/gold/blue finish, walnut stock. Early revolving
firearms are scarce and historically significant. Though the revolver is widely associated with
American gunmakers, beautiful revolving firearms were being manufactured by talented
gunmakers in Europe long before Samuel Colt was born, and the Russian tsars appear to have
taken a particular interest in revolving arms. Samuel Colt and his attorney Edward Dickerson
were aware of these early Russian revolving arms, and traveled to Russia multiple times,
establishing connections with Tsar Nicholas I in 1840 or 1841 and again in 1854, and Colt and
his wife were also guests at the coronation of Alexander II in 1856 during their honeymoon
furthering is connections to the Russian court. It is easy to imagine his fascination with these
early revolving arms.
This incredibly rare example dates to the later 18th century and is similar to examples in
the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. In particular, see “Antique European and
American Firearms at the Hermitage Museum” by Leonid Tarassuk and guns 451 and 469
(copy included). Tarassuk dates the “six-barreled revolving sporting gun” to “about 1780-1785”
and the second a “seven-shot sporting gun-revolver” to “about 1790”. Both have markings
from the Tula Arms Factory. They are also featured in the included copy of “Fine Arms from
Tula” by Mavrodin in plates 100-102 and 109. Another revolving long gun with a folding
bayonet (Inventory Number: 3.?.-599) in the Hermitage collection is also believed to come
from Tula c. 1780-1785. A comparison should also be made with the pair of revolvers from the
Tula Arms Factory c. 1790 displayed as part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s “Emperors,
Artists & Inventors: Transformative Gifts of Fine Arms and Armor” exhibition in 2020-2022.
They note that the royal factory at Tula “produced both plain military arms and deluxe
hunting weapons for personal use by the imperial family and members of the court, as well as
for diplomatic gifts...