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Product Details
A RARE .58 PERCUSSION CONFEDERATE RICHMOND ARMORY 'HIGH-HUMP' M1855 RIFLE-MUSKET,
dated for 1862, with round 'in the white' 40in. barrel, block and blade fore-sight, twin leaf back-sight with standing notch (correct 'T' cut-out beneath sight), inspector's marks at breech, solid top-tang with rounded tip, nipple boss with screwed plug, flat early production 'high-hump' lockplate with bevel edge and signed 'C.S.' over 'RICHMOND V.A.' on the bar, 'C' shaped hammer and dated to the tail, walnut full-stock, iron furniture except for brass nose-cap, three barrel-bands, iron swivels and cup-ended iron ramrod
Provenance: The Federal Armory (US spelling) at Harper's Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia) was captured by Virginia State forces on April 18th 1861. It had been producing the US M1855 Rifle Musket and Rifle, both of which incorporated the Maynard Tape Priming mechanism (see Lot 516 this sale for a Springfield Armory example). Upon capture, the machinery for both was transported south, with Richmond, Virginia, receiving that for the Rifle Musket and Fayetteville, North Carolina, that for the Rifle. Initially the profile of the locks for both arms followed that of the M1855 pattern exactly but with the omission of the tape priming mechanism. This lead to the term "high hump" lock. However, this profile was reduced in March 1862 and became what is now known as the "low hump" variant.
This particular Rifle-Musket is an early "high hump" example and remains in relatively crisp condition, which is unusual as most Confederate long arms saw heavy service during the war
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Estimate £5,000-7,000