John Blisset revolver, found in Louisiana

[newtothis]

Thought you guys may find this interesting.

Years ago, exactly when I'm not sure, sometime before I was born (1992), my grandfather was given this thing. Actually he was kind of swindled. An acquaintance needed some work done on his vehicle, and my grandfather, having the knowledge and tools, agreed to do the job. The acquaintance offered "a pistol" as payment. What my Pawpaw received uppon completion of the work was pretty much a ball of rust and mud wrapped in an old towel. Not being a man to go back on his word, and the thing technically being a pistol, as promised, Pawpaw accepted and life went on. He soaked the thing in diesel and managed to remove the rust.

The guy claimed he found it while working the sugarcane harvest near Plaquemine Louisiana. Said the plow struck it and ad exposed it.

It is currently on loan to the Port Hudson battlefield museum, so all I have is pics I took a year or so ago.

The lockwork still functions. Hammer spur is broken off. You can still see the engraving and with good light and good eyes can make out "John Blisset, London" on the top of the octagonal barrel.

Here is the cool part, 2 chambers are still loaded, 4 are empty.

Anyhow. Here are the pics. Any info or thoughts or questions you folks may have, post away! I can only imagine that this was not a cheap piece in its day, and the 2 loaded chambers certainly raise questions as to how it came to rest in that field.

I wish I had more higher quality pictures. I will have it back from the museum in another year or so. So what do you guys think?

 

[Mr. Troll]

Hervorragend! That is a piece of history with a story to tell!

 

[nkbj]

Wow. Nice revolver.
Now that's something Pietta oughta make.

 

[bpd303]

Don't ya wish those old guns could talk. Great find. :thumbsup:

 

[Grumpa]

What a treasure! Your Pawpaw was well paid.

Richard/Grumpa

 

[wattlebuster]

Thats just downright COOL :thumbsup:

 

[nhmoose]

Sweet thanks for allowing us all to enjoy it. :hatsoff:

 

[rodwha]

That is something else! Awesome!

I'm guessing those are some form of flat nosed conicals?

 

[newtothis]

I've always wondered about that. I've always just assumed it was a RB and between corrosion and a couple generations of kids playing with the seating lever they ended up looking flat.

 

[rodwha]

Even were your rammer flat faced I doubt it could make a RB look like a wadcutter.

Though it wouldn't be conducive to keeping up value I think I'd have to see about pulling one to get an idea of what was loaded, as well as the powder charge and granule size.

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

That is excellent! What a great piece of history. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Maybe the museum can x-ray or something the revolver and tell you what the load is. I for one wouldn't want to start pulling things apart. :hmm:

 

[bubba.50]

I've always wondered about that. I've always just assumed it was a RB and between corrosion and a couple generations of kids playing with the seating lever they ended up looking flat.

looks to me like, not havin' the proper balls for it, they took whatever oversized bullets/roundballs they had on hand & hammered them into the chambers to load it.

 

[nkbj]

With that generous chamfer on the chamber mouths it was made to load what you had.

 

[Chilidog]

So cool. Thanks for sharing.

 

[jmforge]

VERY cool!!!! And you are probably right about it being VERY expensive. John Blisset was a London gun and rifle maker who worked from 1832 until his death in 1872. His firm soldiered on under his and his son's name and eventually a partner's name until the late 1880's. From what I can tell, he received a patent for that unusual looking loading lever system around 1855. Much of his percussion and early cartridge long gun work was very much in the Purdey style including some two groove "express" rifles and bottom lever back action cartridge guns. I saw an auction listings for a couple of Purdey style single barrel percussion express rifles, including a matched pair in 12 bore and 50 caliber and one very nice cased early double action recover from that firm. It is interesting that the design of the pistol kind of retains the classic lines of a high end English percussion dueling or target pistol, especially the grip profile instead of adopting the more modern Colt-like pattern.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Beautiful gun, OP. Uberti or Pietta need to make a replica.

 

[jmforge]

It sure does, but the posted one is probably later, like late 1850's. The much later double action revolver that I saw looked like a "transitional" gun from say an early break top Smith to a Webley.

 

[jaxenro]

They both have that pepperbox look to them although the Blisset seems more advanced and the one I posted in better condition. There are a couple more in That site

 

[Story]

Actually he was kind of swindled.

So what do you guys think?

1. In the long run, your grandfather got the last laugh.

2. Buttplate looks like it was designed for storage - spare percussion caps?

 

[Toomuch51]

Thought you guys may find this interesting.

Actually he was kind of swindled.

The lockwork still functions. Hammer spur is broken off. You can still see the engraving and with good light and good eyes can make out "John Blisset, London" on the top of the octagonal barrel.

I would say "a diamond in the rough", when all was said and done I think your pawpaw ended up with the upper hand.