Information below is the lot/description information from
our
Holiday Estates Auction, December 2nd & 3rd, 2006.
Descriptions listed below are NOT guaranteed accurate.
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499. A Jennings 12 Shot Repeating Rifle, prototype Isaiah Jennings
superposed 12 shot repeating flintlock rifle, with engraved brass frame,
engraved with the serial number “No. 1” on the top barrel flat. This
model is based upon an earlier breech loading single shot design of
Jennings’ that was manufactured c. 1818 but incorporates many innovative
features unique to this weapon. [$10000/15000]
Provenance: Descended in the Armant-Legendre-McCall-Baldwin Family, New
Orleans.
Note: J.B.B. Vignie, whose name is engraved on the gun, was a member of
the City Council, 2nd District, New Orleans, 1820-1828; Captain of the
Light Dragoons; President of the Louisiana State Bank, 1838; and
Director of the Pontchartrain Railroad, c. 1840.
The frame is engraved with decorative foliate scrolls and a cornucopia
and is finished by a simple walnut slab. The stock is made of brass and
originally contained an oval walnut cheek rest. Engraved in block Roman
capitals on the inside flat of the butt is “J.B.B. Vignie”.
Note: This configuration of frame and stock is believed to be used only
in Isaiah Jennings’ patent firearms, which are rare in American arms
collections.
After this patent was issued on Sept. 22, 1821, Jennings, along with a
partner named Reuben Ellis, explored the possibilities of supplying the
US Government with repeating arms. Their redesigned weapon was of
conventional form, using a traditional wooden stock. Five hundred and
twenty of these weapons were made for the government in a larger caliber
by R. and J.D. Johnson of Middletown, Connecticut in 1829. Upon
completion, they were inspected by Federal inspectors and then delivered
to the New York State Militia, presumably for field-testing. Both four
and ten shot versions are known and they are officially called the
Ellis-Jennings Repeating Flintlock Rifle. |






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502. A Collection of Four Antique Guns, a Belgian cavalry
flintlock pistol, c. 1820, walnut stock, lanyard ring; a
double barrel flintlock fowling piece, c. 1815, bearing
Belgian marks, half walnut stock, iron mounts; a potsdam
percussion musket, lock marked 1830, Danzig mark,
painted full stock; a Swiss Vetterli repeating musket,
c. 1890, full walnut stock, bolt action. [$800/1200]
Provenance: Descended in the Baldwin Family, New
Orleans. |

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502A. An American Springfield Trapdoor Rifle, full walnut
stock, Buffington sight, all original mounts and ramrod,
model 1873. [$800/1200]
Provenance: Descended in the Baldwin Family, New
Orleans. |
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