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Rare Confederate Dance & Brothers Cartridge Conversion Revolver

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:8,000.00 USD Estimated At:20,000.00 - 35,000.00 USD
Rare Confederate Dance & Brothers Cartridge Conversion Revolver
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Estimate: $20000 - 35000
Percussion .44 caliber, Dragoon size revolver manufactured by J.H. Dance & Brothers of Columbia, Texas, c. 1864. The Dance Brothers manufactured an estimated 275-350 .44 caliber revolvers during the Civil War. The revolver has the distinctive flat frame with no recoil shields and part-round/part-octagon barrel with nickel-silver front sight blade. The hammer spur is not knurled and there is a Colt style sighting groove in the forward part of the hammer. The six-shot cylinder has rectangular stops. There are no safety pins in the rear face of the percussion cylinder. The revolver has a thick oval brass trigger guard and a brass back strap. The one-piece grip is nicely figured walnut with a high polish finish. The revolver is not serial number but is stamped with a diamond-shaped mark on the left side of the loading lever, bottom of the barrel lug, wedge, bottom of the frame, trigger guard, back strap, left side of the hammer and side of the cylinder. All of the marks appear to be identical. There are no other external markings on the revolver. The revolver has been converted to cartridge configuration and has an extra percussion cylinder. The extra modern replacement flat back percussion cylinder is professionally made to original specification and is 1 6/8 inches long. The cartridge cylinder is stamped with the same diamond mark as the percussion cylinder and other revolver components. The hammer has been fitted with a centrally mounted firing pin and a crude loading/ejection groove has been milled in the right side of the frame. The loading groove, modified hammer and new cylinder appear to be the only modifications required to convert the revolver from percussion to cartridge configuration. Included with the revolver is research provided by the consignor.
BBL: 8 inch part octagon
Stock:
Gauge: 44 percussion
Finish: blue
Grips: walnut
Serial Number: NSN
Condition: Good as period converted to cartridge with the right rear frame having been crudely filed out to allow loading. The revolver has a crisp dark patina with the cylinder having been refinished at time of conversion. There are scattered patches of very shallow pitting on the barrel, frame and cylinder. The right side of the barrel lug has the typical dents and scratches surrounding the wedge slot. The brass trigger guard and back strap are good overall with scattered, minor, dents and scratches. The grip retains 60% of the high polish finish and is very good. There is some edge wear in the bottom of the grip and a number of nicks or scratches on the butt. This is truly a unique example of a Confederate J.H. Dance & Brothers percussion revolver converted to cartridge configuration following the Civil War.