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Oliver Winchester underbid the
Providence Tool Company but
then had to sign the contract over to
the company. John B. Anthony of the Providence Tool Co. was
awarded the Order of the Osmani Second Class in recognition
of the relationship with the Ottomans, but the finances on both
sides of the Atlantic and turmoil within Turkey made the finances
of the contracts complicated. Nonetheless, the first contract for
200,000 rifles was completed before the end of 1875, and the
next contract was soon underway. Abdulaziz was overthrown in
a revolution on May 30, 1876, after his policies led to famine and
serious economic decline for the empire. He died of apparent
suicide a few days later, and less than a year later, the Russian
Empire declared war and invaded Ottoman territory in the
Balkans and Caucasus in the Russo-Turkish War.
The Russo-Turkish War in 1877 was the latest in a long series of
conflicts between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire.
It began on April 24, 1877, with the Russian’s advancing and
declaring war on the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans soon found
their new Peabody-Martini rifles to be particularly suited for long
range defensive engagements. As the Russians advanced, the
Ottomans reportedly struck them down from over 2,000 yards
away with their new rifles, and then switched to their faster
firing Winchester Model 1866s when their adversaries closed
the distance leading to heavy losses for the Russian forces.
Nonetheless, the Russians were ultimately victorious at the Siege
of Plevna and put the captured rifles to use for further victories
until the Russians agreed to settle. The Ottoman defeat in the
war led to the loss of Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro in the
Balkans, further uprisings, and significant damage to the empire’s
already fraught finances which furthered delays in payment to
the Providence Tool Co. The company had greatly expanded
its facilities to produce the large contracts and successfully
completed the production of the contracted 600,000 rifles by
December 24, 1879. However, the defaulted Ottoman payments
combined with other economic conditions to ultimately led to
the bankruptcy of the Providence Tool Co. in 1882.
The Providence Tool Co.’s focus on the Ottoman contract rifle-
muskets and its collapse in 1882 has left only a small number
of deluxe rifles for collectors. Most of the rifles that remain on
the collector’s market come from the few thousand civilian
rifles manufactured for domestic sale within the United States,
but deluxe example with Ottoman markings like this one are
incredibly hard to find, and this rifle is certainly among the most
ornate and highly embellished of all of the
Providence Tool Co.’s rifles.
CONDITION: Exceptionally fine with 90% plus untouched original
gold remaining, crisp engraving and markings, scattered specks
of dark oxidation, mix of original blue along with brown patina
and some pitting on the small components, and generally mostly
only mild age and storage related wear. The bayonet retains the
majority of its bright nickel finish along the blade and has aged
patina concentrated on the socket. The wood is very fine and
has crisp checkering with minor wear, stunning figure, some
hairline cracks along the grain, and fairly light handling and
storage marks. Mechanically excellent. This is an extraordinary
documented Providence Tool Company Peabody-Martini rifle.
Only a few high end presentation/exhibition Peabody-Martini
rifles are known today, and they are nearly impossible to obtain.
Estimate: 20,000 - 35,000