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LOT 1234
Desirable E. Remington & Sons Thomas Patent Rimfire Cane Gun with “Dog’s Head” Handle - NSN, 32 RF cal., 22 3/8 inch round bbl., gutta percha
grips. The Remington Percussion Cane Gun was patented by John F. Thomas, Remington’s master mechanic, on 9 February 1858. These canes were one of the first civilian firearms produced by Remington, and they were the only major American manufacturer to produce one. It is estimated that between 1858 and 1866 only 500 of the percussion cane guns were manufactured, with many of them later being converted to .32 Rimfire. This example is one of
approximately 2,000 originally manufactured in .32 RF. Along with that, this particular example has the “dog’s head” handle, which is fashioned out of a darker brown or black toned gutta percha, likely due to sun fading. Though the “dog’s head” handle is not necessarily the most rare handle variation seen on these canes, it is often cited as the most desirable. The shaft is sleeved in brown gutta percha. There is a small German silver band where the handle meets the shaft and an iron ferrule at the tip/muzzle which appears to be unmarked. It measures 31 1/4 inches overall.
CONDITION: Very good, the gutta percha showing mostly an attractive chocolate tone overall with some mild fading, a few hairline cracks in the shaft, some adhesive residue near the top, a carved curving line near the bottom, and some scattered minor handling marks. The iron ferrule shows some mild brown patina and the German silver band is mostly bright. Mechanically fine.
Estimate: 7,500 - 9,500
LOT 1235
Connecticut Arms &
Manufacturing Co. Hammond
Bulldog Single Shot Pistol with
Original Box and Ammunition -
Serial no. 715, 41 cal., 4 inch octagon
bbl., blue/casehardened finish,
hard rubber grips. Manufactured
from 1866 to the 1880s. It features
blade front and notch rear sight,
“CONNECTICUT ARMS & MANF’G
Co NAUBUC CONN.” on the barrel
and “PATENTED OCT. 25. 1864” on
the breechblock, blued barrel and
casehardened breechblock and frame,
hard rubber grips, and matching
numbers on the grip frame and grip
panels. Included with the pistol is a
black cardboard box with white floral
dot patterns on the exterior and a
six-round wood cartridge block
with ammunition.
CONDITION: Fine with 40% original
blue finish on the barrel, smooth gray
and brown patina where the blue has flaked, 60% of the fading original case colors, and minor age and storage related wear. The grips are also very good with crisp checkering, aged chocolate brown tones, and minor handling and storage marks. Mechanically excellent. The box is good and has torn corners, mild flaking, and general age and storage related war. Estimate: 1,400 - 2,250
LOT 1236
C.S. Shattuck Arms Co. Unique Four Shot Squeeze-Fire Palm Pistol - Serial
no. 427, 22 RF cal., 1 5/16 inch flat side bbl., blue/casehardened finish. Unique four
shot pistol manufactured on contract and sold by C.S. Shattuck
Arms Co. (misspelled “SHATUCK” on the side of the gun by
contractor) of Hatfield, Massachusetts. Follows inventor Cornelius
Vanderbilt, Jr.’s patent number 1,176,003 originally filed November
6th, 1915 and granted on March 21st, 1916. An example is
photographed in Winant’s book “Firearms Curiosa” and on pg. 82 it states, “There
are four short barrels bored in a solid steel block which drops for loading when a
vertical catch is released. The gun is gripped in the hand and fired by squeezing a
sliding part which operates a rotating firing pin.”The interior faces of the frame and
barrel at the breech are both numbered “427”.
CONDITION: Very good plus, retains 30% of the original blue finish and case colors with
the balance having thinned to mostly a smooth grey-brown patina and well defined markings. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 1,600 - 2,500
182
Serial no. 7153, 44 RF cal., 4 inch octagon bbl., blue/casehardened finish, hard rubber grips. Connecticut Arms manufactured approximately 8,000 of these pistols following the Civil War. Some sources state production only ran from 1865 to 1868 while others indicate it continued into the 1880s. This is the first we have brought to auction with period type scroll and border engraving. The top of the barrel is marked “CONNECTICUT ARMS & MANF’G Co NAUBUC CONN,” and the top of the breechblock is marked “PATENTED OCT. 25. 1864/HENRY HAMMOND.”The Henry Hammond marking
is not standard and was engraved rather
than stamped. The serial number is marked
on the left side of the grip frame under the grip and the back side of the left grip. It has
a round blade front sight, and a notch in the breechblock release button serves as the
rear sight.
CONDITION: Fine with 20% of original blue finish and strong case colors and otherwise mostly smooth gray and light brown patinas, minor spotting, crisp engraving and markings, and mild overall wear. The grips are also fine with aged coloration, crisp engraving, and mild handling wear. Mechanically excellent. Writer cannot recall ever having offered another example, extremely rare!
Estimate: 4,000 - 6,000
LOT 1237
Extremely
Rare Factory Engraved Connecticut Arms & Manufacturing Co. Hammond Bulldog Single Shot Pistol -