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2 RARE AND IMPORTANT FIREARMS CURIOSA.

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:500.00 USD Estimated At:1,000.00 - 1,500.00 USD
2 RARE AND IMPORTANT FIREARMS CURIOSA.
1) EARLY FIRST MODEL NORTH & COUCH "GAME SHOOTER" PERCUSSION VOLLEY GUN. Cal. 28. S# 8. Henry S. North and John O. Couch of Middletown, CT, obtained U.S. Patent 24,573 on June 28, 1859 for a combination hand held pepperbox & animal trap gun they termed a "Game Shooter". The first model of this gun follows the patent drawing in using a rounded, nickel plated, iron frame & six 1 3/4” blued bbls. in an unfluted cluster. A single percussion nipple fires all six bbls. simultaneously using a knurled edge disk as the hammer. When used as a trap gun, a line attached to a rod projecting from the center of the bbl. cluster causes the gun to fire when tripped. Spur trigger. Smooth two piece walnut grips. Lanyard loop mounted on the backstrap for attachment to tree or ground stake. Serial number on the disk hammer rod, frame & bbl. cluster. No Maker's name on bbl. cluster which is correct on earliest examples. Author Lewis Winant in his book "Pepperbox Firearms" states, "this ugly device is said to have had some popularity in Australia for trapping kangaroos!". UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: copy of 18-page information article discussing Trap Guns. CONDITION: cleaned metal showing spots of pitting on bbl. cluster. Grips have added finish over wear & handling marks. Right panel has crack extending from attachment screw towards back strap. Lightly pitted bores. (01-18507/DS). 2) UNMARKED BRASS PERCUSSION WINDOW ALARM. Cal. 17. S# 14. This well engineered, unmarked, percussion alarm device is mounted on a 5x1-1/2 inch solid brass billet in which a horizontal .17 caliber bbl. hole is drilled in one end. Ignition of a musket size cap by moustrap like coil spring system drives a steel hammer. Device fires by tripping a line attached to a brass wire trigger loop aligned w/ bbl. end. Elevation screw in base for trajectory adjustment. Fourteen small punch dots on side of base may indicate production number. CONDITION: brass has acquired a spotted mild patina. Bar hammer shows some surface rust. (01-18694/DS). ALL ANTIQUE. $1,000-1,500.