Page 285 - 88-BOOK2

LOT 1297
Rare Cased
Engraved Tranter
Patent Five-Shot
Double Trigger
Percussion
Revolver - Serial
no. 3663T, 80 bore
cal., 4 1/4 inch
octagon bbl., blue/
casehardened
finish, walnut grips.
Featuring Tranter’s
self-cocking double
trigger mechanism,
this revolver has a
blued octagonal barrel with bead front sight, blued frame with notch rear sight to the top strap, blued sprung hammer safety stop to the left side and blued arbor spring catch to the right side. Casehardened cylinder and burnished double trigger, hammer and detachable rammer, the rammer and trigger mechanism each marked “W. TRANTER’S PATENT”. Blued trigger guard slotted for the double trigger and blued butt cap. Border and
scroll engraved throughout. Figured walnut butt with multipoint checkering. London proof marks. In fitted oak case lined in green baize with a suite of accessories including 80 bore brass bullet mold serial numbered to the revolver, Dixon brass mounted copper powder flask, pewter oiler, brass mounted cleaning rod with worm, and three japanned tins including one for Eley Bros. percussion caps and another for W. Tranter’s Patent Lubricating Composition.
CONDITION: Fine with crisp engraving throughout. The revolver retains 95% original deep blue finish throughout with the cylinder retaining 90% faded original casehardened finish. The checkering on the walnut butt remains crisp and well defined. The case has some exterior age wear, marks, staining and pressure dents to the edges. The lining is a bright color with rubbing and scoring from the revolver. The accessories are very good. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 3,000 - 5,500
LOT 1298
Very Rare Cased Webley
“Dual System” Double
Action Percussion
Revolver with Factory
Interchangeable
Centerfire Cylinder -
Serial no. 1166, 442 cal.,
5 1/2 inch octagon bbl.,
blue/casehardened finish,
walnut grips. This revolver
is a scarce example of the
crossover from percussion
to cartridge loading
systems and provided
a solution regarding the supply (or more likely lack of supply) of the then new-fangled centerfire cartridges (referred to in period as ‘fixed ammunition’) which were rapidly to become the dominant type of ammunition. Known as the “Dual System”, for a very short period of time (1865-1866) P. Webley & Son offered this type of revolver which was supplied with both a percussion and a cartridge cylinder, the cartridge cylinder usually chambered for .442 centrefire (a.k.a. .44 Webley) as with the present revolver but occasionally found chambered for .442 rimfire. The present revolver has a blued octagonal barrel with crescent blade shaped front sight, blued frame with grooved top strap and is serial numbered on the inner face of the hinged loading gate and on the front face of each blued cylinder. The right side of the barrel is fitted with a cartridge extractor and the left side a percussion rammer. Checkered walnut butt with iron butt-cap and lanyard loop. London black powder proof marks. In original fitted oak case lined in blue baize, the bottom left partition sized to take the cylinder not fitted to the revolver. With a suite of accessories including a brass “WD” 54 bore bullet mold (the “WD” stands
for William Davis, Webley’s father-in-law), pewter oiler, Sykes brass mounted copper powder flask, turned bone pot containing spare percussion nipples, japanned tins for Starkey & Adcock’s percussion caps, cast bullets and lubricating paste, and with loading rod with worm, turnscrew and nipple wrench with pricker.
CONDITION: Fine. The revolver retains 70% original blue finish with the remainder a dull discolored patina. The walnut butt has well-defined checkering and some age related handling wear. The revolver functions fine in single action but needs work to function properly in double action. The case and accessories are very good. Estimate: 2,750 - 4,000
LOT 1299
Cased Engraved Webley “Longspur” Six-Shot Single Action Percussion Revolver
- Serial no. 674, 120 bore cal.,
3 1/2 inch octagon bbl., blue/ casehardened finish, walnut grips. The James Webley patent “Longspur” revolver is one of
the most distinctive British percussion revolvers, the present example being a 2nd Model retailed by the famous northern English gun maker W.R. Pape
of Newcastle on Tyne. The case
lid escutcheon is engraved with
the crest and name “JOSEPH
CRAWHALL ESQR./MORPETH”, Crawhall (1821-
1896) being a famous wood engraver and author
on fishing and traditional Northumbrian music
and ballads. Crawhall “collections” are to be found
at Newcastle-upon-Tyne University in England
and UCLA in California. The revolver features a blued octagonal
barrel engraved with a band of stylized running foliage at the muzzle, a cone-shaped front sight,
signed “W.R. PAPE. NEWCASTLE ON TYNE” and struck on the underside with Birmingham proof
marks. Cylinder engraved with a similar band to the muzzle, the chambers are numbered from “1”
to “6” and struck with further Birmingham proof marks. The frame, trigger guard and grip strap
are all engraved with scrollwork, the back strap signed “674/BY HER MAJESTY’S ROYAL LETTERS
PATENT” and the inspection plate to left side of the framed signed “WEBLEY’S PATENT”. The right
side of the frame fitted with the rammer, and with figured walnut grips each with panel of bold
checkering. The revolver is housed in its mahogany fitted case lined in green baize, the interior of the lid with original Webley’s Patent printed label with directions for loading and cleaning, the upper right corner of the label with pencil written date “Jan. 22nd. 1857”. The case contains a suite of accessories including Adams 120 bore brass bullet mold, brass mounted copper Hawksley powder flask, cleaning rod with brass mounted worm, bullet tins and four spare percussion nipples. The revolver is accompanied by a copy of the book “Joseph Crawhall: The Newcastle Wood Engraver, 1821-1896” by Charles S. Felver.
CONDITION: Fine with crisp engraving throughout. The barrel retains 85% original deep blue finish with 10% remaining on the frame in sheltered areas. The cylinder retains slight traces of original casehardened finish with the hammer retaining 90% and the rammer 40% original faded casehardened finish. The remainder of the metal a dull grey patina. Checkering to the grips remains crisp and sharp. Mechanically excellent. The case is very good with some age related storage and handling marks externally, the key escutcheon is detached but present in the bullet tin, and there is a repair around the front edge of the lid around the lock. The lining is good with some age mottling, and the lid is possibly an older relining. The accessories are very good.
Estimate: 3,000 - 5,000
LOT 1300
Extremely Rare Scottish Retailed Kerr Patent
Double-Action Percussion Revolver - Serial no. 599,
80 bore cal., 5 1/2 inch octagon bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. This is a very
rare example of the Kerr Patent true double action revolver that will both hammer
cock and trigger cock, the vast majority of Kerr Patent revolvers being single
(cocked) action only. This particular example was retailed by the famous Scottish
gunmaker Charles Ingram. The octagonal barrel has a brass front sight and is signed
“CHAS. INGRAM. GUN MAKER. GLASGOW” and struck with London proof marks and the “L.A.C.” mark
of the London Armoury Company. The frame is engraved with double border lines and respectively
marked on the sides “KERR’S PATENT. 599” and “LONDON ARMOURY”. The lock is also engraved with
double border lines and is fitted with a safety catch. Checkered walnut one piece grip and plain cylinder struck with further London proof marks. Blued finish throughout. Kerr revolvers were designed to be repairable in the field by the unit armorer as the lock is very similar to the one fitted to the Enfield rifle-musket.
CONDITION: Fine. The revolver retains 30% original blued finish. The remaining surfaces a dark patina with numerous scattered age related storage and handling marks throughout. The grip has a darkened patina. The mechanism requires attention with a spring pushing against the front portion of the trigger guard causing it to stand proud and the trigger return is not fully resetting after the action is cycled. Mechanically very good. Estimate: 3,000 - 5,000
283