Page 227 - 4094-BOOK1

225
LOT 222
Historic Civil War Percussion Short Rifle-Musket with Confederate Richmond
Humpback Lock Dated 1863 and Name Eli G. Hincher in the Stock with Silver Inlays,
“War Trophy” Attributed to a Union Soldier of the 12th Michigan Infantry Regiment -
NSN, 58 cal., 25 1/2 inch round bbl., brown finish, walnut stock. The Confederate humpback lock has an “1863”
date on the tail and “C.S/RICHMOND, VA.” at the front, with no Maynard priming cut visible in the lock plate. The breech
of the barrel has a “P” and a bordered “G” on top with no visible date, with Model 1861 type rear sight. The barrel bands and
trigger guard are iron, with a brass forend tip and an unmarked brass buttplate. Period inscriptions are visible on the forend tip
including “CO E” “V” and “B” on the left, and “CALL”, “5R”, “FJ” on the right, possibly applied during use by the Confederacy. The
name “ELI.G.HINCHER” is stamped twice in the left of the stock, with the right of the stock bearing period German silver inlaid
shapes including a star, crescent (absent), half moon (absent), horn, and another star. An Eli G. Hincher (10/23/1840-6/25/1919)
was located, listed as active with the Union as part of the 12th Michigan Infantry Regiment, Company H, enlisted March 18,
1865 at Hamilton, Michigan at 24 years old as a private, and mustered out February 15, 1866. This rifle-musket was likely one of the spoils acquired by Hincher at the end of the Civil War.
Includes a period brown leather sling.
CONDITION: Very good with brown patina, scattered spotting and gray patina on the lock, some light pitting, barrel shortened at the muzzle, and mostly clear markings. Stock is also very
good, with numerous characteristic scattered dents and scratches, a chipped section to the left of the barrel tang, a small chip ahead of the top of the buttplate, a small hole visible below
the lock area, and a few absent silver inlays. Mechanically fine.
Estimate: 4,000 - 5,500
LOT 221
Extremely Rare Civil War Confederate Read & Watson First Type Muzzleloading Percussion Conversion of a Hall Rifle - NSN, 52 cal., 32 7/8 inch
round bbl., brown finish, walnut stock. Approximately 900 of these unusual Confederate issued rifles and carbines were manufactured between 1862-
1863 utilizing obsolete Hall rifles already in Virginia state inventory that were retrograde converted from breech loaders into muzzleloading arms by the
firm of N.T. Read and John T. Watson out of Danville, Virginia, made on contract for the state of Virginia, per information found on pages 222-227 of “Confederate
Carbines & Musketoons” (2002) by John M. Murphy and Howard Michael Madaus, and also in “Flayderman’s Guide” (9th Edition, 10-025). This example offered is a first type conversion, using
a shorter breech piece and thinner brass breech piece, whereas the second type conversions have a larger breech piece. Only a small amount of these are surviving today, as many saw hard use in
the Civil War. This is the only known instance in which breech loading weapons were converted back into muzzleloaders on a large scale for military use. Features the standard Hall fittings and stock, an offset
fixed blade front sight and fixed notch rear sight, and a rifled bore with a smooth section inside the muzzle end. “NWP” inspection initials on the upper left of the breech area. The consignor indicated this rifle was
formerly part of Norm Flayderman’s estate.
CONDITION: Very good as Confederate issued, exhibits a mix of original brown finish and brown patina on the barrel and fittings with some patches of light pitting/oxidation, with a mix of golden aged patina and green verdigris on
the brass breech piece. Stock is also very good with some scattered light scratches and dents, some scuffs around the forend, some chips and a filled in section visible around the rear of the upper tang, a small crack directly ahead
of the lower right of the buttplate, and defined edges. Mechanically fine. This is a rare opportunity to acquire a Confederate Read & Watson rifle!
Provenance: The Norm Flayderman Estate; Private Collection.
Estimate: 7,500 - 11,000