LOT 3019A. EXTREMELY RARE 1865 LOCKPLATE FOR A CONFEDERATE RICHMOND RIFLE-MUSKET.

Inv. 02-16062

Lockplate measures 5 7/16″ x 3 1/8″ & is boldly stamped, “C.S. RICHMOND, VA.” toward the front of the lock & “1865” behind the hammer. The Richmond Armory in Richmond, Virginia produced approx. 31,000 rifle-muskets w/ the aid of salvaged machinery from the captured Federal Arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia. The rifle-muskets closely followed the Pattern 1855 Springfield musket produced at Harper’s Ferry except for the omission of the Maynard tape priming system on the Richmond produced muskets. Production of the Richmond muskets began in October of 1861 & lasted until January of 1865. Richmond locks dated 1865 are considered extremely rare w/ only a very few known to exist. Production was halted in January of 1865 due to the vanishing supply of wood available for stock production.