A Superb Crimean War and US Civil War Period Crystal Masonic Gaming Tumbler

A good size crystal gaming tumbler, engraved with numerous Masonic symbols, including the square and compass, with three gaming dice sealed within the glass hollow base.
Circa 1850's.
After 4 years of war, the weary and almost defeated Confederate Army was retreating and leaving the Confederate capital of Richmond to its own fate. As the army retreated, fires broke out in all sections of the city. Hoodlums, deserters, and criminals, with no law and order, began to pillage the city.

Just as the city seemed to be doomed, a Union cavalry unit swung up Franklin Street. The bearded colonel looked warily at the riff raff around him who were about to fire a building which bore a sign "Masonic Hall." Taking command of the moment, he halted his troopers and ordered that an adjutant "have all Masons wheel out of column." Almost half of his force moved out. From this group he ordered a suitable guard to protect the Masonic Temple. The column reformed and resumed its ride. Later General Godfrey Weitzel, a Mason, gave the order, after a request by the Lodge, to continue the guard. The building saved is said to have been the oldest purely Masonic building in America with records dating back to 1787, and the historic building itself was built in 1785 by Richmond Lodge 10. The Grand Lodge assembled here after its formation in Williamsburg until its move in 1869.

In the battle for Galveston, Texas a young Union naval officer who was a Mason was killed on board one of the Union vessels.

An armistice was sought and given for his burial at sea and his father, a Confederate officer, attended the funeral on board.

It was an April morning three days after General Robert E. Lee had surrendered to General U.S. Grant. The Southern troops, led by General John B. Gordon, a Mason, were marching in columns towards the Northern troops who were standing in formation waiting for the Southerners to stack arms and fold their flags. Suddenly a shifting of arms is heard. Gordon looked up with alarm. There was nothing to fear. General Joshua Chamberlain had ordered his troops to assume the position of "honor answering honor." Immediately, the Confederate troops snapped to attention and returned the honor. It was the first act to heal the wounds of a nation that had spent four years and 618,000 lives in civil war. That command of "honor answering honor" was ordered by a Mason.

Major General Joshua Chamberlain was a member of United Lodge 8, Brunswick, Maine. After the war, he became Governor of Maine from 1866-1871 and President of Bowdoin College from 1871-83.  read more

Code: 25504

A Delightful & Beautiful Early to Mid Edo Period 1598-1863 Samurai War Arrow. A Long Bladed Armour Piercing Tagari-Ya, With Yadake Bamboo haft, & Sea Eagle Feather Flights and a Traditional Tamahagane Tempered Steel Head In Stunning Polish with Hamon

Yanagi-Ha (willow leaf) Form. With original traditional eagle feathers, probably the large edge-wing feathers of a Japanese sea eagle.
The armour pierceing arrow tip, of yanagi-ha form, that is swollen at the tip to have the extra piercing power to penetrate armour and helmets {kabuto}, is a brightly polished, traditional tamagahane steel hand made, by a sword smith, long arrow head, originally hand made with folding and tempering exactly as would be a samurai sword blade, possibly signed on the tang under the binding but we would never remove it to see. The Edo period early eagle feathers are now slightly worn.
It is entirely indicative of the Japanese principle that as much time skill and effort be used to create a single 'fire and forget' arrow, as would be used to make a tanto or katana. A British or European blacksmith might once have made ten or twenty arrows a day, a Japanese craftsman might take a week to make a single arrow, that has a useable combat life of maybe two minutes, the same as a simplest British long bow arrow.

The Togari-Ya or pointed arrowheads look like a miniature version of a long Yari (spear) and were used only for war and are armour piercing arrows . Despite being somewhat of a weapon that was 'fire and forget' it was created regardless of cost and time, like no other arrow ever was outside of Japan. For example, to create the arrow head alone, in the very same traditional way today, using tamahagane steel, folding and forging, water quench tempering, then followed by polishing, it would likely cost way in excess of a thousand pounds, that is if you could find a Japanese master sword smith today who would make one for you. Then would would need hafting, binding, and feathering, by a completely separate artisan, and finally, using eagle feathers as flights, would be very likely impossible. This is a simple example of how incredible value finest samurai weaponry can be, items that can be acquired from us that would cost many times the price of our original antiques in order to recreate today. Kyu Jutsu is the art of Japanese archery.The beginning of archery in Japan is pre-historical. The first images picturing the distinct Japanese asymmetrical longbow are from the Yayoi period (c. 500 BC – 300 AD).
The changing of society and the military class (samurai) taking power at the end of the first millennium created a requirement for education in archery. This led to the birth of the first kyujutsu ryūha (style), the Henmi-ryū, founded by Henmi Kiyomitsu in the 12th century. The Takeda-ryū and the mounted archery school Ogasawara-ryū were later founded by his descendants. The need for archers grew dramatically during the Genpei War (1180–1185) and as a result the founder of the Ogasawara-ryū (Ogasawara Nagakiyo), began teaching yabusame (mounted archery) In the twelfth and thirteenth century a bow was the primary weapon of a warrior on the battlefield. Bow on the battlefield stopped dominating only after the appearance of firearm.The beginning of archery in Japan is pre-historical. The first images picturing the distinct Japanese asymmetrical longbow are from the Yayoi period (c. 500 BC – 300 AD).
The changing of society and the military class (samurai) taking power at the end of the first millennium created a requirement for education in archery. This led to the birth of the first kyujutsu ryūha (style), the Henmi-ryū, founded by Henmi Kiyomitsu in the 12th century. The Takeda-ryū and the mounted archery school Ogasawara-ryū were later founded by his descendants. The need for archers grew dramatically during the Genpei War (1180–1185) and as a result the founder of the Ogasawara-ryū (Ogasawara Nagakiyo), began teaching yabusame (mounted archery) Warriors practiced several types of archery, according to changes in weaponry and the role of the military in different periods. Mounted archery, also known as military archery, was the most prized of warrior skills and was practiced consistently by professional soldiers from the outset in Japan. Different procedures were followed that distinguished archery intended as warrior training from contests or religious practices in which form and formality were of primary importance. Civil archery entailed shooting from a standing position, and emphasis was placed upon form rather than meeting a target accurately. By far the most common type of archery in Japan, civil or civilian archery contests did not provide sufficient preparation for battle, and remained largely ceremonial. By contrast, military training entailed mounted maneuvers in which infantry troops with bow and arrow supported equestrian archers.

Mock battles were staged, sometimes as a show of force to dissuade enemy forces from attacking. While early medieval warfare often began with a formalized archery contest between commanders, deployment of firearms and the constant warfare of the 15th and 16th centuries ultimately led to the decline of archery in battle. In the Edo period archery was considered an art, and members of the warrior classes participated in archery contests that venerated this technique as the most favoured weapon of the samurai. In the gallery is from an edo exhibition of archery that shows a tagari ya arrow pierced completely through, back and front, an armoured steel multi plate kabuto helmet.

Every item is accompanied with our unique, Certificate of Authenticity. Of course any certificate of authenticity, given by even the best specialist dealers, in any field, all around the world, is simply a piece of paper,…however, ours is backed up with the fact we are the largest dealers of our kind in the world, with over 100 years and four generation’s of professional trading experience behind us  read more

Code: 25512

A Fabulous, Original, Incredibly Rare Wild West 1876 Winchester Repeating Rifle. With 22 inch Carbine Barrel, 2nd Model With Sliding Dust Cover. Probably The Most Famous & Historical American Rifle In The World. A License Free Antique Collectors Item

A much sought after Winchester Repeating Rifle of the Wild West Era, of 'man-stopper' bore, the huge 50 cal. One of the very few original Winchester repeating rifles that is allowed to be owned due to its rare obsolete calibre, as a collector's item, and non-deactivated and can be owned and displayed in one's home without any form of licence or restriction. Fully operational condition. A wonderful original collectors item, incredibly rare and near impossible to find anywhere in the European and British market. It is perfectly possible it may be impossible to have an opportunity to find and acquire such a rare example quite like it ever again in England.

The 'Big Brother' of the Winchester '73. A very scarce antique collector's piece. Probably the most famous Repeating Rifle in the world.The big Winchester was arguably President Theodore 'Teddy' Roosevelt's favourite gun. Two photos in the gallery show Buffalo Bill and Teddy Roosevelt both with their Winchesters. For information only not included.

The Winchester Model 1876, or Centennial Model, was a heavier-framed rifle than the Models 1866 and 1873, chambered for full-powered rifle cartridges suitable for big-game hunting, rather than the handgun-sized rimfire and centrefire rounds of its predecessors. While similar in design to the 1873, the 1876 was actually based on a prototype 1868 lever-action rifle that was never commercially produced by Winchester.

Introduced to celebrate the American Centennial Exposition, the Model 1876 earned a reputation as a durable and powerful hunting rifle. Four versions were produced: a 22-inch (56 cm) barrel Carbine, a 26-inch (66 cm) barrel Express Rifle with a half-length magazine, a 28-inch (71 cm) barrel Sporting Rifle, and a 32-inch (81 cm) barrel Musket. Standard rifles had a blued finish while deluxe models were casehardened. Collectors identify a first model with no dust cover, a second model with a dust cover rail fastened by a screw, and a third model with an integral dust cover. Total production was 63,871 including 54 One of One Thousand Model 1876s and only seven of the One of One Hundred grade.

Originally chambered for the new .45-75 Winchester Centennial cartridge (designed to replicate the .45-70 ballistics in a shorter case), the Model 1876 also had versions in .40-60 Winchester, .45-60 Winchester and .50-95 Express; the '76 in the latter chambering is the only repeater known to have been in widespread use by professional buffalo hunters.

The Canadian North-West Mounted Police used the '76 as a standard long arm for many years with 750 rifles purchased for the force in 1883; the Mountie-model '76 carbine was also issued to the Texas Rangers. Theodore Roosevelt used an engraved, pistol-gripped half-magazine '76 during his early hunting expeditions in the West and praised it. A '76 was also found in the possession of Apache warrior Geronimo after his surrender in 1886 Large .50 Calibre, no license required, and not deactivated, as this calibre is declared obsolete by HM Home Office .
Photo in the gallery of Alchesay (1853-1928), a very significant and historical figure in Apache history. Chief of the White Mountain Apache people; Scout under Army General George Crook; Advocate for his people; Peace Negotiator between the Army and his friend, Chiricahua Apache leader Geronimo.


Famous and infamous westerners known to have used the Model 1876 include President Teddy Roosevelt, Johnny Ringo (Tombstone), Charlie Bowdre (Lincoln County War), Major Frank Wolcott (Johnson County War), John "Liver Eating" Johnston upon whom the movie character "Jerimiah Johnson" was based, and Granville Stuart (Montana rancher and vigilante). Teddy Roosevelt was photographed with one of his 1876 rifles. He liked the 1876 better than English double rifles. In the movie “Tom Horn” Steve McQueen uses a Model 1876. As it takes a rare, obsolete, centre fire cartridge, this rifle is not required to be deactivated or indeed a license needed in order to own or collect it.

A Winchester “One of One Thousand” Deluxe Model 1876 was one of the world's most valuable rifles which was placed in auction, sale price: $891,250.

Good lever action, fully functioning and operational, & with a light hammer throw. Overall in good condition, with average age and wear commensurate for its age and use in the historical Wild West.  read more

Code: 24962

A Solid Hallmarked Sterling Silver Horse, By Carrington and Company Of Regent Street, London, In 1961. Silversmiths To Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, Edward VII and George V, Czar Nicholas I & II,Queen Alexandra of Russia.

A beautifully crafted horse, standing erect and proud, finely cast with a finely hand engraved coat

Made in two parts, with the horse free standing upon its rectangular base {hallmarked}. The horse is hallmarked upon its hoof.

The firm of Carrington was named after its founder John Bodman Carrington who established his manufacturing business at 130 Regent Street.

He was listed as a silversmith, goldsmith and jeweller working from the London premises of the Birmingham silversmiths G.R. Collis & Co. The business was re-styled Carrington & Co in 1880 and the firm specialised in extra strong silver plate for use in restaurants, hotels and ships.

By the early 1890s Carrington were advertising themselves as jewellers, diamond merchants, dealers in precious stones and manufacturing silversmiths. At this time the partners were John Carrington, William Carrington Smith and George Bruford. They were awarded the Royal Warrant by Queen Victoria and would go on to gain the warrants of Prince Albert, Edward VII and George V, as well as Nicholas I and II and Queen Alexandra of Russia. In 1893 they created the beautiful Dorset bow brooch for Queen Mary and in 1911 they set the famous Cullinan diamonds numbers III and IV into a brooch/ pendant for her, a jewel now owned by the Queen who affectionately refers to them as ‘Granny’s chips’.

John Carrington became Prime Warden of the Goldsmiths’ Company in 1903 and retired from his business in 1906 leaving W.C. Smith to continue as sole remaining partner. Carrington co-authored a book ‘The Plate of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths’ which was published shortly before his death in 1926. The firm was converted into a limited liability company in 1922 and was eventually bought out by the firm Collingwood.  read more

Code: 25509

A Beautiful & Incredibly Impressive Original Antique Omani Silver Al Saidi 'Royal' Khanjar, Just The Type As Was Presented To The Famed Lawrence of Arabia Over 100 Years Ago

A rare and complete example of an Omani Sa'idiyyah khanjar, a Royal Khanjar with the distinctive ‘7 Rings’ to denote its owner is a person of high status, comprising of an all silver scabbard and hilt. Decorated in intricate silver filigree wirework with a pattern similar to the 'tree of life'.
Also known as the Jambiya, daggers of this quality were almost always usually custom made for presentation. Lawrence of Arabia had several very similar ones presented to him, they were his favourite dagger, and he was frequently photographed wearing them. One picture is a portrait of Lawrence with his silver Jambiya, near identical to this one. Information only not included Silver, usually more often than not, coin silver, not English hallmarked silver. The jambia, a curved Islamic dagger, is the main customary accessory to the clothing worn by Arabian men. For centuries the people of South Arabia have inherited the their jambiahs from generation to generation. There are several theories about the origin of the Jambia. There are historical facts, concerning the existence of the Jambia revealing that it used to be worn at Sheban times, in the Himiarite kingdom. They take the statue of the Sheban king (Madi Karb 500 bc ) as proof. This statue, which was discovered by an American mission in Marib in the 1950s, was found to be wearing a Jambia.
Since The most expensive and famous jambiya was purchased by Sheikh Naji Bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Sha'if, who was able to pay US $1 million for one prized and ancient piece. This jambiah had a historical importance, belonging to Imam Ahmed Hamid Al-Din, who ruled Yemen from 1948 to 1962. The Imam's most precious possession was transferred to Sheikh Hussein Al-Watari, who in turn sold it to Sheikh Al-Sha'if.
According to Sheikh Muhammad Naji, the son of current owner of the most precious jambiah, his father?s prize is the most expensive and famous one in the country. Its cost was made so high because it is one of the best jambiahs ever made by Al-Saifani, and a piece of history, as well.
The second highest price ever paid for a jambiah was for the one that Sheikh Ahmed Hamid Al-Habari sold to Sheikh Abdullah Bin Hussein Al-Ahmar for £440,000 GBP.


A picture in tha gallery from the 1950's shows a khanjar being given to a British member (Colonel Watson) of the Trucial Oman Levies

for reference see
Ernst Hieke; Zur Geschichte des Deutschen Handels Mit Oastafrika Teil, 1 Wm Oswald & Co, page 40 1939
Robert Elgood; The Arms and armour of Arabia
Approx 27 cm top to bottom  read more

Code: 23903

A fabulous Chinese Export Chinoisserie Black Lacquer and Gold Large Tea Caddy Chest of the Finest Quality, King George IIIrd, circa 1800's from the Estate of a 23rd Foot, Royal Welsh Fusiliers Peninsular War and Waterloo Officer George Fielding

An antique finest quality Chinese export hand gilded Chinoiserie tea chest caddy with hinged lid, and interior lidded pewter container, for the most precious tea, and made for the European market. Possibly made in Foo Chow.

Not only is the exterior stunningly decorated in the Chinoiserie style, the interior pewter container’s lid is exquisitely engraved to match, with another fabulous and highly elaborate oriental scene of figures and countryside. The lacquer shows scenes of a typical Southern Chinese scholar's garden with people in it, all done in black and gold. Surrounding these scenes are typical Chinese decorative motifs incorporating several auspicious symbols..

This is a superlative tea chest, and note that its exceptional size makes it a most rare type of tea 'chest' size caddy. It is hand crafted with hand painted chinoiserie gilt and ebonized black lacquer. It is painted on all sides with multiple figures, pagoda and palace gardens, with additional geometric and floral designs. It retains its original hand engraved pewter lidded tea casket; It has 2 carrying handles on the sides. It also has most satisfying heft in its weight. The lid’s gilding is worn as to be expected, but all the remaining 4 faces are in excellent near mint condition, as is the interior and the tea casket. The inner lid area contains the monogram of George Fielding, ‘G F’, a British army officer and a Peninsular War and Waterloo veteran, for whom it was commissioned. Captain George Fielding, of the 23rd Regiment of Foot, the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, was a veteran of the Battle of Waterloo who was wounded at the battle, and who resided at Startforth Hall, Startforth, County Durham.

Captain Fielding served in the Peninsular War from Aug 1811 to April 1814, at Aldea de Ponte, Badajoz, Cuidad Rodrigo, Nive, Toulouse, & Orthez. He died in Bath in 1830.

Chinoiserie, so called from 'Chinois' the French for Chinese, was a style inspired by the finest art and design imported from China, Japan and other Asian countries in the 18th century. At its height in Britain from the mid 18th century, this fanciful style relied more on the designer's and craftsman's imagination than on accurately portraying oriental motifs and ornament.

In it earliest days the tea it contained would have been valued by today’s standard thousands of pounds so one can understand why its container should be so fine and a superb work of art in it’s own right. In England in the 1700s, tea was an incredibly expensive commodity. To keep it safe, people would store it in a tea Chest or tea box, which eventually became known as a tea caddy (the word caddy is derived from the Malay "Kati", a unit of weight by which tea was sold). As tea was too expensive to risk leaving in the presence of servants, the caddy in which it was stored would generally be kept in the drawing-room. Subsequently, the tea caddy became an important & fashionable accessory for the home. Tea Caddies were made in a huge variety of styles and materials..

In the manufacture of lacquer-ware the lightest kinds of wood are used. After planing, the surface is covered with a coating of grasscloth fibre and Broussonetia paper, and a mixture of pigs' or buffaloes' gall and pulverised old red sandstone serves as a priming. The article is then placed in a dark room, and a coating of the prepared lacquer laid on with a brush and allowed to dry; and according to the fineness of the ware these coatings are repeated from 3 to 15 times. When the hut coat is dry the articles are painted and gilded. The lacquer, sap of the Vemix vemieiaf used in Canton, is imported from Szechuen or Kiangsi. The gold colouring (a solution of gold leaf in glue water) is laid on with lye of potash ; red is native cinnabar, pink a varnish prepared from Carthamus and green is formed by a mixture of hartall and indigo. Nearly all the lacquer-ware is manufactured in Canton, but magnificent specimens, far exceeding the Canton ware in beauty, colour and fineness are turned out at Foochow. They are made by a single family, said to be of Japanese origin, who brought the secret over with them and have retained it ever since.

From: Catalogue of the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs Collection
at the United States International Exhibition, Philadelphia, 1876
Inspectorate General of Customs, 1876

13.5 inches x 9.75 inches x 8 inches  read more

Code: 23900

A Wonderful 18th Century French Small-Sword of Parcel Gilt and Blued Steel A Simply Stunning Museum Grade Piece

A sword that is certainly worthy of a finest collection of all forms of object d'art, antiquities, antiques and militaria.
Likely made at Versailles, at the royal workshops, by a royal swordsmith of King Louis XVIth, such as the master swordsmiths of the king, Lecourt, Liger or Guilman. A very finest grade sword of the form as was made for the king to present to favoured nobles and friends. He presented a similar sword to John Paul Jones see painting in the gallery now in the US Naval Academy Museum.

Three near identical swords to this now reside in the Metropolitan A simply superb small-sword, with stunningly engraved chiselled steel hilt, overlaid with pure gold over a fish-roe background,, decorated with hand chiselled scenes in the rococo Italianate renaissance style depicting various hunting scenes, of hunting hounds and game birds. The multi wire spiral bound grip is finest silver, in with Turks head finials. The blade is in the typical trefoil form, ideal for the gentleman's art of duelling. The degree of craftsmanship of this spectacular sword is simply astounding, worthy of significant admiration, it reveals an incredible attention to detail and the skill of it's execution is second to none. Other similar swords are in also in the British Royal Collection and in Les Invalides in Paris. Trefoil bladed swords had a special popularity with the officers of the French and Indian War period. Even George Washington had a very fine one just as this example. For example of the workmanship in creating this sword for such as the King and Marie Antoinette we show the keys for the Louis XVI Secretary Desk (Circa 1783) made for Marie-Antoinette by Jean Henri Riesener, one of the worlds finest cabinetmakers, and whose works of furniture are the most valuable in the world. The steel and gold metalwork key for Marie Antoinette's desk, is attributed to Pierre Gouthoire (1732-1813), the most famous Parisian bronzeworker of the late eighteenth century who became gilder to the king in 1767. This sword bears identical workmanship and style to that magnificent key. This is the quality of sword one might have expected find inscribed upon the blade 'Ex Dono Regis' given by the King. Very good condition overall, with natural aged patination throughout. This painting, entitled John Paul Jones and Louis XVI, by the American artist Jean Leon Gerome Ferris depicts John Paul Jones and Benjamin Franklin at the court of Louis XVIth and being presented a similar sword now in US Naval Academy Museum.
39.1/4 inches long overall.  read more

Code: 23138

1924 LZ126 Zeppelin Medal . The Flight Of The LZ 126 (ZRIII) To America (USS Los Angeles, USN) Record 81 Hours Medal 1924. Dr. Hugo Eckener, High Grade Silver

1924 LZ126 Zeppelin Medal, stunningly bright condition.
By Lauer of Nuremberg. A silver coin/medallion issued to commemorate the arrival in the USA of Zeppelin LZ-126 from the manufacturer in Friedrichshafen, Germany. It was built in 1924 with the original designation LZ-126 and given over to the US as part of war reparations. There she was commissioned into the US Navy and redesignated ZR-III (USS Los Angeles). The Zeppelin remained in service until 1932 and was finally dismantled in her hangar in 1939, having been the longest serving rigid airship ever operated by the USN.
Made in .990 grade silver, 33mm in diameter with a portrait of Dr. Hugo Eckener on one side and Zeppelin in flight over land and sea. Inscribed with caption "Amerikafahrt Des LZ126 / ZRIII 1924" and with flight details from Friedrichshafen to Lakehurst. Dr. Eckener was manager of the Luftschiffbau Zeppelin during the inter-war years, and was commander of the famous Graf Zeppelin for the majority of its record-setting flights, including the first airship flight around the world, making him the most successful airship commander in history.

The airship's hull had 24-sided transverse ring frames for most of its length, changing to an octagonal section at the tail surfaces, and the hull had an internal keel which provided an internal walkway and also contained the accommodation for the crew when off duty. For most of the ship's length the main frames were 32 ft 10 in (10 m) apart, with two secondary frames in each bay. Following the precedent set by LZ 120 Bodensee, crew and passenger accommodation was in a compartment near the front of the airship that was integrated into the hull structure. Each of the five Maybach VL I V12 engines occupied a separate engine car, arranged as four wing cars with the fifth aft on the centerline of the ship. All drove two-bladed pusher propellers and were capable of running in reverse. Auxiliary power was provided by wind-driven dynamos.


Medallion is engraved '990' silver content to rim. Very nice condition.  read more

Code: 23601

A 19th Century English Boxlock Pistol By Smith of London

Circa 1830. Boxlock pistols were pocket pistols popular in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Effectively the first Derringers. The most unique feature of their design was the boxlock mechanism. Unlike most firearms which have the hammer located off to the side of the pistol, a boxlock pistol had the hammer located directly on top of the pistol. They were called a boxlocks because all of the working mechanisms for the hammer and the trigger was located in a box or receiver directly below the top mounted hammer. While the hammer obstructed the aim of the user, this system had the advantage of making the gun more compact and concealable than other pistols. The first boxlock pistols were flintlock and where later made in percussion lock. Unlike modern firearms, these pistols were not mass produced, but were hand made in gunsmith's workshops. As with all our antique guns no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables  read more

Code: 18558

A Scarce English Transitional Revolver Circa 1840 By Cook of London

The stepping stone between the 1830's pepperbox revolver, and the later first double action revolver patented by London's Robert Adams in 1851. Some of the most ground breaking work in the early design and manufacture of revolvers was undertaken in England long before the world famous American revolver makers, such as Colt and Remington, became famous for their fine pistols. This most interesting piece is fully, and most finely engraved, on the frame and grip, with a highly detailed micro chequered walnut butt. Good operating action, several areas of old surface pitting intersperced with areas of no pitting at all. Trapdoor percussion cap container in the butt. Made by one of England's 19th century makers and innovators of fine revolver pistols, of London. A classic example of one of the earliest English cylinder revolvers that was favoured by gentleman wishing to arm themselves with the latest technology and improvement ever designed by English master gunsmiths. They were most popular with officers [that could afford them] in the Crimean War and Indian Mutiny. A picture in the gallery is of Robert Adams himself, loading his patent revolver for HRH Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's Consort. He was also manager for the London Armoury and he made many of the 19,000 pistols that were bought by the Confederate States for the Civil War. The US government also bought Adams revolvers from the London Armoury, at $18 each, which was $4.00 more than it was paying Colt for his, and $6.00 more than Remington.The action on this beautiful gun is good very nice, and tight, but the surface has areas of old corrosion. As with all our antique guns no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables  read more

Code: 22364