Cooper's Patent 6-barrelled pepper box,

[TFoley]

cased, with ALL accessories, mint and apparently unused - that is to say, unfired. This was bought by my pal Ken at a local auction house in Bedford that specialises in older firearms. Take a look and see why it got us all of a quiver!!


Mahogany case - note the 'timed' screwheads.

The six-barrelled pistol with Cooper's patent underhammer double action - as sweet in action as the day it was made.

Calibre is .45" - note the beautiful shaping on the barrels - NOT a cheap piece, this.

Left to right - Hawkesley three-setting powder flask, cap box [empty], ramrod/nipple wrench and pricker, plus original horsehair tow, oil bottle still containing whale oil. Centre - ball box [empty], bottom - apparently unused turnscrew.

Original Sykes capper.

Another view of the flask showing setting for three loads.

Details.

Nipple wrench and pricker.

Unused turnscrew.

Ramrod & jag.

Close-up of mechanism - each chamber has a different proof stamp - I'll use my macro setting next time so you can see.

He paid $910.00 - including 20% tax and buyer's premium.

I think he got a bargain. What do YOU think?

 

[ppg1949]

Drooling!

 

[TrapperDude]

That certainly fits the definition of an amazing find!

 

[Eutycus]

I don't understand the 20% tax.

 

[TrapperDude]

I don't understand the 20% tax.

It's why they call it Taxachusettes.

 

[morehops52]

cased, with ALL accessories, mint and apparently unused - that is to say, unfired. This was bought by my pal Ken at a local auction house in Bedford that specialises in older firearms. Take a look and see why it got us all of a quiver!!


Mahogany case - note the 'timed' screwheads.

The six-barrelled pistol with Cooper's patent underhammer double action - as sweet in action as the day it was made.

Calibre is .45" - note the beautiful shaping on the barrels - NOT a cheap piece, this.

Left to right - Hawkesley three-setting powder flask, cap box [empty], ramrod/nipple wrench and pricker, plus original horsehair tow, oil bottle still containing whale oil. Centre - ball box [empty], bottom - apparently unused turnscrew.

Original Sykes capper.

Another view of the flask showing setting for three loads.

Details.

Nipple wrench and pricker.

Unused turnscrew.

Ramrod & jag.

Close-up of mechanism - each chamber has a different proof stamp - I'll use my macro setting next time so you can see.

He paid $910.00 - including 20% tax and buyer's premium.

I think he got a bargain. What do YOU think?

A different perspective: ( but 1st of asll great find!) I look at this find and think in my younger days that would be me buying this historic piece. Now in my later years I view them as things like mine that will probably be auctioned off just llke these . Hmmm....

 

[Colonial Boy]

Bargain?………..YES !!

 

[Kansas Jake]

Beautiful set.

 

[poker]

Very nice piece, and most definitely not something you can just go buy anywhere or anytime. A bargain at the price paid.

 

[SOLANCO]

Beautiful!
If I bought that at that price I would RUN out of there lest they change their mind.

 

[TFoley]

I don't understand the 20% tax.

UK has 20% sales tax - called Value Added Tax - VAT - is on EVERYTHING except books and children's clothing. Tax on fuel of all kinds is a LOT more..................................

We don't have to calculate it when buying - the price you see always includes it. Only businesses are VAT-exempt.

At auction in the UK there are usually two add-ons to the lot-price.

Say you bought a gun for a £1000. To that is added the so-called 'buyer's premium' - anything between 15 and 25% - and then the total amount is totted up and the VAT levied on it.

So if there was a 15% buyer's premium, then the total amount is £1000 plus £150 = £1150. VAT must then be paid on that, totalling £1380.

The original seller, on whose behalf the auction house sells the object, must also pay for the privilege of having it sold, so also has to pay the premium and the VAT.....£230.

You can see here why so many auctioneers drive around in spiffy cars...........................................................

 

[Mark Herman]

Very nice find, beautiful set. Interesting, I have a Blunt & Syms pepperbox with what looks like the same action.

 

[user 48679]

He paid $910.00 - including 20% tax and buyer's premium.

I think he got a bargain. What do YOU think?

S.C.O.R.E. ! !

 

[GREENSWLDE]

Beautifull Cooper Pepper and it's Case with the aligned (Timed) screws. Nice to find a complete case with all it's components. A bit prone to Chain Fires I was told !! !! by a Late friend DGB..
Joseph Rock Cooper held Many Patents during his interesting gunmaking career in partnership with Goodman (Who I believe was a Patent and Import Agent) and also Banks (I have a nice quality Cooper & Bates SXS12b,a well known Birmingham gunmaker) He patented several early breach loader (some Capping - see my earlier Posts) as well as his Pepperbox's. Most of there joint work was of very high quality.. OLD DOG..

 

[TFoley]

Old Dog - Back in the late 80's I had the dubious privilege of shooting a .41cal pepperbox made in the USA. It did exactly what Mr Nock of boarding gun fame intended with his monstrous invention - it chain-fired in spectacular fashion. Amazingly, all six ball hit the Fig 12 target about ten feet in front of me - it would have been truly murderous.

 

[GREENSWLDE]

Old Dog - Back in the late 80's I had the dubious privilege of shooting a .41cal pepperbox made in the USA. It did exactly what Mr Nock of boarding gun fame intended with his monstrous invention - it chain-fired in spectacular fashion. Amazingly, all six ball hit the Fig 12 target about ten feet in front of me - it would have been truly murderous.

I bet your pistol didn't have the Recoil of the Nock Naval Volley Gun.O.D.