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Rare Civil War Confederate Spiller and Burr Percussion Revolver

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:4,750.00 USD Estimated At:9,500.00 - 16,000.00 USD
Rare Civil War Confederate Spiller and Burr Percussion Revolver
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Rare Civil War Confederate Spiller and Burr Percussion Revolver

Brass frame percussion revolver manufactured by Spiller and Burr in Macon, Georgia c. 1864. The revolver has a distinctive flat sided brass frame with six-shot cylinder with six stop slots, octagon barrel and two-piece walnut grips. The revolver has a sighting groove on the top strap and a brass cone front sight. The hammer has borderless knurling on the spur and the cylinder has a safety notch located between each percussion nipple. The serial number "1248" is stamped on the underside of the barrel, on the top of the loading lever and on the bottom of the grip strap. "C.S." is stamped on the right side of the frame ahead of the cylinder. The Spiller and Burr factory was initially located in Richmond, Virginia, subsequently relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, in 1862 and in January 1864 moved again to the Macon Armory in Georgia. Total production at all three locations is estimated to be approximately 1450 revolvers. The high serial number of this revolver indicates that it was probably manufactured at the Macon Armory in 1864.

Manufucture: Spiller & Burr
Model: Navy
BBL: 6 inch octagon
Stock:
Guage: 36 percussion
Finish: blue/brass
Grips: walnut
Serial Number: 1248

About good, incomplete. The revolver shows the hard use that is typical of Confederate made weapons but is an all original Spiller and Burr revolver. The barrel and loading lever have a smooth, dark brown patina. The serial numbers on both components are sharp. The cylinder has the same dark brown patina as the barrel and lever with moderate flash pitting on the rear face and percussion nipples. The fine brass frame has a deep, untouched patina. The frame has numerous light dents and scratches and some scattered patches of surface discoloration. Two deep notches are filed across the back strap and grips. The "C.S." marking on the frame and the serial numbers on the backstrap, barrel and lever are crisp. The hammer and trigger have a dark patina; the forward portion of the hammer has moderate flash pitting. The cylinder will not turn and the hammer will not fully cock. The cylinder pin screw in the frame is missing. The grips are in poor condition; the right grip is missing a 1 3/4-inch by 1/4-inch chip along the back strap and has a deep scratch at the junction with the frame. The left grip has a 3/4-inch chip missing from the bottom front edge and a hair-line crack that runs from the screw escutcheon to the top of the grip. Although this revolver shows hard use, it is a rare example of an all original Confederate Spiller and Burr percussion revolver.