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LOT 3113
Unique Unmarked Unidentified Prototype Percussion Revolver - NSN, 54 cal., 8 inch round bbl., in the
white finish, walnut grips. This appears to be a prototype design for a revolver similar to the Mass Arms Co. Wesson & Leavitt and Maynard primed belt model revolvers but with a large brass frame an internal “zig-zag” style mechanism rather than a sidelock. The brass door ahead of the hammer is the beginnings of employing a Maynard primer mechanism. CONDITION: Good with mottled gray and brown patina, moderate pitting, and dark aged patina and dings and scratches on the brass. The grips are also good and have some scratches and dings and a crack in the left.
Mechanically needs work.
Estimate: 5,000 - 7,500
LOT 3114
Interesting Copy of Orville
Percival Patent Repeating Pellet
Lock Pistol - NSN, 25 cal., 6 3/4
inch round bbl., blue/bright finish, walnut grips. Orville Percival and Aza Smith designed
an unusual pistol design in the mid-19th century that utilized two drums to hold the balls, powder, and primers. The latter were contained within a tube in the rear drum. Very few of the pistols are believed to have been manufactured by Horace Smith prior to his association with Daniel Wesson. Rotating the drums upwards reloads the pistol. It is not clear if these pistols were actually safe to fire. It is hard to imagine they were given that if gas leaked back into the rear cylinder it could cause the pistol to explode. Nonetheless, these were innovative firearms for their day and very scarce pieces of firearms curiosa. This pistol is marked “ORVILLE PERCIVAL/INVENTOR/MOODUS CONN.
1840.” Unlike some more refined later Percival-Smith pistols, this one does not have vent holes along the rotating collar nor vents on the cap for the ball drum. The barrel design is also different. The left side of the action has a “610_262H” collection marking.
CONDITION: Fine as custom made with 75% refinished bright blue finish remaining on the hammer, trigger, and trigger guard. The barrel is a mix of faded blue finish and patina. The brass components have a stripped appearance of mixed bright and aged tones. The grips are very fine and have an attractive figure and minor scratches and dings. Appears to be mechanically fine.
Estimate: 4,000 - 6,000
LOT 3115
Early Production Smith & Wesson No. 1 First
Issue Second Type Revolver with Early “Bayonet”
Style Latch - Serial no. 306, 22 RF cal., 3 1/4 inch solid rib bbl., blue/silver
finish, rosewood grips. Manufactured c. 1857-1858, this is an example of a
Second Type Smith & Wesson No. 1 First Issue revolver. These No. 1 First Issue revolvers are
considered to be the first successful American metallic cartridge revolver with a bored through
cylinder. This example has the distinctive “bayonet” barrel latch visible on the front bottom of
the frame and lacks the visible key fastening the recoil plate which was a defining feature of the
First Type, while still having the revolving recoil plate. The single line Smith & Wesson address is on top of the barrel rib
and matching numbers are present on the toe, barrel lug, and inside both grips. The cylinder has the April 3, 1855 and
July 5, 1859 patent dates (faint), making it a replacement 2nd issue component. The distinctive round sideplate of the
First Issue No. 1 revolvers is visible on the left of the frame.
CONDITION: Good, showing a mottled grey-brown patina on the iron with some scattered light pitting, primarily on the
cylinder, and the brass showing an attractive antique patina. The dark grips are also good with a repaired vertical crack the length of the right panel and otherwise light handling marks. The hammer only holds at full cock intermittently, otherwise mechanically fine. Estimate: 3,000 - 5,000
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SERIAL NUMBER 306