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LOT 110
Extremely
Rare Henry Nock Revolving Flintlock Carbine
- NSN, 44 cal., 18 inch fluted bbl., brown finish, walnut stock. This six-shot
revolving flintlock carbine was manufactured by Henry Nock (1741-1804). Based in London at 10 Ludgate Street from 1772 to 1804, Nock
produced several innovative weapons and was a supplier of military arms during the French Revolution and early Napoleonic Wars, including the famous Nock Volley Gun which this revolving carbine resembles at first glance (see Lot 1185). His business was carried on by his foreman James Wilkinson and remains in business as Wilkinson Sword today. Unlike the Volley Gun which fired all of the barrels at once, this carbine features a fluted, six shot, hand turned revolving smooth bore barrel cluster and an automatic primer system. A similar example, which was identified as being manufactured circa 1800, was documented in Clay Bedford’s article “Collier and His Revolvers.” Bedford astutely notes that design is very similar to the American revolving carbine design by Artemus Wheeler of Concord, Massachusetts. Wheeler filed a patent for his design in the United States in June 1818 an produced a small number of revolving arms in a few variations, including a similar pepperbox carbine as well as a musket version and the rifle version seen in Lot 1102 that were purchased for U.S. Navy trials. The British patent was filed in November 1818 by another American, Elisha H. Collier. He operated “Collier & Co., Gunmakers” in London from 1818 to 1827 and sold revolving pistols, carbines, and shotguns. Several prominent London gunmakers appears to have manufactured components or complete revolving firearms sold by Collier & Co. R.L. Wilson states that the Collier revolving arm is “important to the study of the Colt revolver, because there can be no question that Colt saw Collier revolving arms during his boyhood voyage to India and England on the Corvo (1830-31). Although Colt did not copy features incorporated in the Collier, the existence of these arms was undoubtedly a spur to his fertile imagination, and he later (in addressing the Institution of Civil Engineers) made it a point to be critical of the features in this important predecessor arm.” Wilson speculated, “Had Collier’s revolving hand and long guns been popularly accepted, perhaps Colt’s pistols would never have been developed” (see “The Book of Colt Firearms,” page 2-4). When Colt entered the firearms market in the 1830s, his designs were a major step forward for revolving firearms.
Each barrel on this carbine features a series of three deeply struck British proofs at the breech and gold around the touchhole. The “H. NOCK LONDON” signed barrel collar is silver and features engraved floral bands and military/patriotic motifs. Additional engraved military/patriotic motifs appear on the lock plate behind and forward of the hammer, barrel tang, buttplate tang and trigger guard, and “H. NOCK” is signed in a gold oval incorporated in the engraving below the pan which is lined with gold. The straight grip stock has checkering on the wrist, a silver thumb escutcheon engraved with a coronet with a feather, and a flat steel buttplate with extended tang. CONDITION: Good. The barrel cluster retains 60% artificial brown finish showing thinning to a gray. The buttplate and trigger guard retain traces of faded blue finish, and the lock and hammer have a smooth brown patina. There are a few scattered patches of minor pitting. The silver is has aged patina and crisp engraving. The wood is fine and has a long crack radiating from a knot, a few divots and a number of minor pressure dents and scratches. The barrel cluster is slightly loose, but the action functions properly. An extremely rare example of an innovative early 19th century firearm that would find a prominent place in most advanced antique firearm collections. Estimate: 25,000 - 45,000