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Dr. Jean Francois Alexander LeMat
LOT 3082
Very Scarce LeMat Centerfire Single Action “Grapeshot” Revolver - Serial no. 31, 12 mm/15 mm cal., 4 1/2 inch octagon and 6 1/4 inch round bbl., bright finish, walnut grips. Dr. Jean Francois Alexander LeMat (1821-1895) is best remembered for the percussion version of his “Grapeshot” revolvers which were famously used by the Confederacy during the American Civil War, but he continued to pursue and alter his designs in the post-war era. The centerfire variation of LeMat’s famous revolvers were introduced in
the late 1860s and modified and improved multiple times into the 1880s. This example is similar to the design shown in the 1871 French patent extension. Like their famous
percussion predecessors, these centerfire revolvers have a combination of a rifled barrel fed by a revolving cylinder and a central shot barrel. There is a loading gate on the upper right for loading the cylinder and
a larger loading gate with a firing pin on the back of the recoil plate for loading and unloading the shot barrel. The hammer has
a pivoting arm to switch to the shot barrel. The upper barrel has a triangular front sight, “Colonel Le Mat Paris,” and the oval “EP” marking. A notch rear sight is on the top of the recoil plate. A lanyard ring secured by a cross-pin is on the butt. The upper barrel, cylinder, frame, trigger guard, and grips are marked “31.” CONDITION: Very good with the bright polish metal throughout exhibiting a silver gray patina, some spots of smooth brown and minor pitting, and general light scratches. The frame is cracked by the shot barrel and loading port and has an absent loading gate latch. The refinished grips are also very good and have mild edge wear and some light dings and scratches. Mechanically fine. This is a very rare full- size centerfire LeMat “Grapeshot” revolver. Estimate: 12,000 - 18,000
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