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LOT 1191
Rare, One of the Finest Known, Civil War Confederate Leech and Rigdon Percussion Revolver - Serial no. 836, 36 cal., 7
1/2 inch part octagon bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. This is a highly sought after example of a rare Confederate Leech & Rigdon percussion revolver, and one of the finest surviving examples remaining today. The Leech & Rigdon Revolver is a close copy of the Colt Navy Model revolver, except that it has a round barrel with an octagonal top barrel housing similar to the Colt Dragoon. These are among the most highly sought after Confederate firearms. This is one of approximately 1,500 manufactured by Thomas Leech and Charles Rigdon at the Greensboro, Georgia factory circa 1863-1864 on contract with the Confederate government. The company was dissolved in 1864 and was replaced by Rigdon, Ansley & Co., which continued to manufacture a small amount of an updated variation of these revolvers in Augusta, Georgia. “CONFEDERATE HANDGUNS” by Albaugh, Benet and Simmons lists the highest known Leech & Rigdon serial number as 1490. This revolver, serial number 836, has the pin and ball loading lever latch and six-shot
cylinder with six cylinder stops whereas the Rigdon & Ansley revolvers have twelve cylinder stops like the Manhattan revolvers. The barrel has a brass pin front sight. “LEECH & RIGDON CSA” marked on the top barrel flat. The barrel wedge is fitted with a modern replacement retaining spring. The hammer has coarse knurling and a groove for a rear sight. rass trigger guard and back strap. The revolver has a one-piece oil-finished walnut grip. The face of the recoil shield lacks a cap channel. All of the visible serial number markings of “836” are matching including the bottom of the barrel lug, frame, trigger
guard, butt of the back strap, loading lever, barrel wedge, cylinder, cylinder pin, and handwritten in the back strap mortise of the grip.
A “.” is stamped after the serial number on the underside
of the frame and barrel lug. “N” inspection stamp located
on both sides of the front trigger guard bow. Information
on these revolvers can be found in Albaugh, Benet and
Simmons’ book “Confederate Handguns” on pages 39-60.
This revolver is accompanied by an analysis of this revolver
by Frederick R. Edmunds, Curator of The Confederate States
Armory & Museum, in which it is pictured and
described in detail.