SCARCE TRANSITIONAL MODEL 1862 JOSLYN CARBINE #3179

SCARCE TRANSITIONAL MODEL 1862 JOSLYN CARBINE #3179

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$1,850.00

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Item Code: 1311-05

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This carbine #3179 is in the continuous serial number sequence for the single-shot, breechloading, .52 Caliber rimfire Model 1862 and Model 1864 Joslyn carbines and is one of the “Transitional M1862” Joslyns mentioned by Flayderman and McAulay. This retains the brass mounts, and lockplate and breechblock markings of the Model 1862, but has the breechblock gas vent McAulay notes on some “late 1862” models as well as the M1864, and the round breechblock release knob characteristic of the M1864. This is a little under the 3374-3614 serial number range McAulay gives for mechanical alterations but within his range for the use of the “knurled button” release, 2423-3585. More significantly, it has on the left wrist the two script “F.D.L.” cartouches of Frederick D. Livingston, who is known to have inspected 7,000 of the 8,000 carbines, and likely did all 8,000, Joslyns delivered from July 2, 1864, to Feb. 25, 1865, thereby proving that not all of those carbines were Model 1864s. Given its transitional features it very likely was in the first delivery inspected by Livingston, which was actually made in fulfillment of a Nov. 18, 1863, contract, with the rest of the carbines delivered under a July 6, 1864, contract.

The carbine is complete, all original, full length, with both sights in place, the rear being a two-leaf sight with “V” notch. The barrel band, triggerguard, and buttplate are brass. The side bar and sling ring are present on the left. Barrel has rubbed, but pretty full coverage of thin blue mixing with gray, with more gray toward the breech and darker gray on breechblock sides. The hammer and lock plate show remnants of a tin finish. The wood has a warm brown tone with good fit to the metal though with slight gap at the toe of buttstock, slight rounding to upper edges of counterpane and lock apron from handling, and a small dark spot on upper right barrel channel to rear of barrel band. There is a slight, short rub to the finish just forward of buttplate tang, Otherwise, just minor handling marks. The mechanics are good; the bore is bright, mostly clean, and shows good rifling.

Markings in both metal and wood are very good. Lockplate is stamped “JOSLYN FIRE ARMS Co / STONINGTON / CONN.” in front of the hammer. Top surface of the hinged breechblock stamped, “B.F. JO[SLY]N’S PATENT / OCTO[BER ]8TH 1861 / JUN[E 2]4th 1862 / 3179” with the gas vent in middle of the patent markings. Livingston’s inspection cartouches on the left wrist are fully legible, as are his block initials on the buttstock just in front of the buttplate tang, and the small “L” initials on other parts that Daum and Pate think are his as well, indicating that he basically inspected the carbines by component and as assembled, both preliminary and final inspection- a rather remarkable feat since he did it for at least 7,000 carbines. See Daum and Pate for his biography, list of markings, etc.

A previous owner took the remnants of tin on the lockplate and hammer to indicate naval service and also thought there might be a small anchor stamped in the wood forward of the triggerguard tang, but that marking appears to us rather to be two incidental slight scratches, and no member of the staff, or puzzled passersby, has been yet convinced it is an anchor. The best theory yet is that prior to use in fulfilling the army contract the carbine may have been dressed up for a potential state purchase or commercial sale, and we note that the 19-inch barrels of the Sharps and Hankins cavalry carbines were tinned, though here it appears restricted to the lockplate and hammer. Flayderman does say that the Sept. 9, 1859, US Navy order for 500 .58 caliber Joslyn M1855 Rifles was only partially filled and could have been completed with carbines, but McAulay, CW Small Arms of the USN and Marine Corps, notes that the Navy obtained just 100 of those rifles, not in fulfillment of the contract but as a private purchase from J.Q. Adams of Washington, DC, in December 1861. The 1859 USN order thus seems to have been entirely unfulfilled, seems never to have been paid, two more years would seem to be rather long to wait for some carbines to fulfill it (given this one’s likely date of assembly,) McAulay makes no mention of Joslyn carbines ordered or in use by the navy, and F.D. Livingston’s inspections were done for the army not the navy.

This Joslyn “transitional” Model 1862 carbine a key piece in the development of the Joslyn, a widely used Union cavalry carbine, and produced early enough to see use in the last ten months of the war, which featured numerous cavalry campaigns, would enhance any military display or weapons collection. McAulay lists one regiment armed with the M1862 and eleven with the M1864, but this carbine, with its very clear M1864 updates and unambiguous inspection by Livingston as part of deliveries usually thought to be pure M1864s, was certainly not only counted among those M1864s but also likely among the earliest delivered and most likely to see field use.  [sr] [ph:L]

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