Premier Fine Art & Antiques Auction
August 29, 2023
Below is just a small portion of the massive selection of high quality art & antiques to be featured in our upcoming August 29th 2023 auction! This auction will span multiple genres of collectibles, including Fine Paintings & Art, Jewelry & Silver, Orientalia, Rare Glass & Lamps, Early & Victorian Furniture, Decoys, Carvings, Coin-Op, & MORE!
FINE MACON MADE SPILLER & BURR REVOLVER.
01-21356
Cal. .36
S# 548
Classic Confederate brass frame copy of a Whitney navy revolver made in Atlanta/Macon, GA. S# 548. 7″ octagonal barrel, right side of frame has final government inspection “C.S.” Cylinder is steel and not twisted iron so we know this revolver was completed after June 1864.
This is a most interesting and all original Spiller & Burr. It has a mix of serial number die fonts and has mixed serial numbers, it is however 100% original & authentic and as made and inspected and issued in Macon probably December 1864. There are only 2 other guns noted with these characteristics (487, 534). Note the serial number on barrel is 488. SN 487 was issued November 1864 and listed by SN in Confederate ordnance records. There are several other revolvers in this serial range, all late 1864 Macon issue. Some parts of this gun like loading arm and cylinder pin were originally made in Atlanta in 1863, they were the only parts salvaged from failed gun sent to Macon in 1864 when factory was bought by the Confederate government. All other parts of this revolver are Macon made; we can tell by serial number die fonts easiest way. Mixed numbers never occur on Atlanta revolvers that never failed (which are rare).
PROVENANCE: Dr. R. Nelson 1963; Red Jackson catalog 1965; Fred Edmunds collection; Shannon Pritchard; Cullen Smith 2007. Cullen Smith estate collection.
STATUS: ANTIQUE.
