3051

SUPERB NEARLY AS NEW SMITH CARBINE SERIAL NO. 3

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:2,000.00 USD Estimated At:4,000.00 - 6,000.00 USD
SUPERB NEARLY AS NEW SMITH CARBINE SERIAL NO. 3

BY AMERICAN MACHINE WORKS. Cal. 50. S# 3. Over 30,000 of these carbines were made & used throughout the Civil War by many Union cavalry regiments. This superb specimen has usual 21 1/2" half octagon bbl. fitted w/ folding ladder type rear & German silver blade front sights. Case hardened action w/ internal lock is held in battery by temper blued spring strap over top. Strap is raised by bronze finger lever inside trigger guard bow. Left side of action, above front of saddle ring bow, is marked "MANUFACTURED BY" "AM'N M'CH'N WKS" "SPRINGFIELD MASS". Top of sideplate is marked "ADDRESS" "POULTNEY & TRIMBLE" "BALTIMORE, U.S.A." Saddle ring & bar are finished bright. American walnut straight grip stock has steel carbine type buttplate & is not fitted w/ sling loops. Inspectors initials "JH" are on left side of stock at grip. The initials "GKC" are at top of comb in front of buttplate tang. "JH" is stamped on bbl. Serial number(?) 3 is stamped on bottom of bbl. lg & right side of action forging. Matching sm. forend screws to bottom of bbl. at rear & is retained by bbl. band at front. CONDITION: exceptionally fine. Appears unfired. Bbl. retaining over 95% original blue. Action & hammer retain over 95% of their original case hardening color w/ some light scratches & high edge wear. Nearly all of the fine temper blue remains on locking spring & trigger along w/ most screws w/ the exception of hammer screw which has silvered. Stocks retain nearly all of their original oil finish w/ inspector marks clear. Buttplate & bbl. band show some cleaning & pitting & are generally mottled brown in color. Bore is bright & shiny. Lock is crisp. A truly exceptional Smith carbine worthy of the finest collection, made even more special by its low serial number. PROVENANCE: From the Collection of James B. Taylor. (01-20473/MGM). ANTIQUE. $4,000-6,000.