WITHDRAWN Orginal 1853 Enfield -Birmingham Commercial manufacture

[Steveoko922]

Offered here is a excellent example of a commercially made 3rd Model Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle Musket. The lock is marked TOWER 1861 with a crown but NO VR indicating the rifle was made for british military contract.

The barrel is marked with Crown BP with two "25" markings on the left side of the barrel.

The stock is sound and remains unmolested. The underside of the wrist is marked "WD" and lock flat marked with a "2". The area around the nipple is in good condition with no pitting or erosion. A modern nipple is installed and moves freely without difficulty.

The bore is dark but shows STRONG and CLEAR rifling.

The rifle is marked with several prominent british gun maker stamps and they are as follows.

- lock marked siddons&sons
- barrel G.B, C.W James and GUNBARREL CO
- the lock, trigger gaurd, ramrod, buttplate, screws and other parts are marked "XIIII" indicating a hand fitted commercial peice

A fine and functional representation of a commercially made enfield rifle that would have been produced for importation into the United States during the Civil war.

Asking $1,800 plus shipping.

 

[Steveoko922]

Price drop 1800

 

[Steveoko922]

I have received many inquires as to a possible connection to the Confederacy this rifle may have, other than being devoid of British govt markings, C.W James provides a clue as to the condition of which this rifle was manufactured under....a description follows

The firm of Charles W. James was established at 6 Bath Street in Snowhill, Birmingham, in 1859. In 1862 as the firm expanded it moved to 36 & 37 Loveday Street, St. Mary’s, Birmingham. A period advertisement listed the company as being “MILITARY ARMS CONTRACTOR TO THE WAR DEPARTMENT”, as well as being a maker of “SINGLE & DOUBLE BARRELED GUNS, PISTOLS, RIFLES, AND OF THE MOST IMPROVED BREECH-LOADERS, ALSO Guns for the African and other Foreign Markets”. Period documents suggest a strong business relationship between C.W. James and the two gunmaking Bond brothers, Edward Philip (E.P.) Bond of London and Eyton Bond of Birmingham. In addition to be the contract to provide the arms to the Confederacy under the 2nd Sinclair Hamilton contract (10,000 or 1/3 of the contract), James also provided arms to the state of Georgia as part of the 5,000 P-1853s contracted for by that state. James received an additional order for 10,000 P-1853s from Sinclair, Hamilton & Company, dated October 31, 1863. This order was probably part of the 4th or 5th Sinclair, Hamilton & Company contract. The firm went out of business in 1866, suggesting that James’ prolific production and close ties to the Confederacy left him bankrupt when his southern buyers were not able to pay their bills when the fortunes of war collapsed for the south. Although James produced more of the numbered Enfields from the 2nd Sinclair, Hamilton & Company contract than any other furnisher, his arms do not represent the largest number of known examples and tend to be no more common than any of the other furnishers, with the exception of the rarely encountered arms furnished by James Kerr.

 

[Steveoko922]

Joseph Bournes mark is also found on the rifle, a contractor who deliver many rifles to the United States

 

[Steveoko922]

Reduced 1600

 

[Steveoko922]

Pictures for those who wanted to see the bore. Lots of rifling.

 

[Steveoko922]

price drop 1400

 

[Steveoko922]

LAST DROP BEFORE HEADING TO GUNBROKER

$1300