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Winning Bid US $520 First bid $500 Quantity 1 # of bids 2 Time left Auction has ended   Started 2025-02-11 00:00:00 Ended 2025-02-28 22:59:51

RARE R.Johnson, U.S Model 1836 Leman Conversion, CAL: 54 Smoothbore, MFG: 1837, SN: NVSN, Flintlock Converted Percussion Pistol, 8'' barrel.

HISTORY: The Model 1836 pistol was a modification of it's predecessor, the Model 1826. It was the last US martial pistol with a flintlock ignition system produced for contract with the US government. It was standard issue for the Mexican War & many were converted to percussion for use in the American Civil War. Under the Militia Act of 1808, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania received more single shot pistols than any other state, a total of 21,545 pistols. When the Civil War erupted, many of these pistols were in the hands of state militia units. An Act of Assembly approved May 15, 1861 authorized the Governor & the Adjutant General to collect & remodel the military arms of the Commonwealth. Brigade Inspectors, Captains of companies and others were ordered to collect all the military arms belonging to the Commonwealth. The Adjutant General for Pennsylvania E.M Biddle, was in charge of collecting and altering the arms. Biddle engaged a number of local contractors to alter flintlocks to percussion. One of the contractors was Henry E. Leman of Lancaster, PA. Leman worked as a gunsmith in Lancaster from 1834 until 1887. The Office of the Adjutant General Memoranda Book of the Arms of the State 1861 list the bills of arms repaired under ''Act of May 16, 1861'' as copied from original bills on file in auditors office. A number of loose pages were inserted in this book at the end, which list in detail the work completed by Henry Leaman & James Butterfield. One set of pages are numbered from 1- 22, others appear to be summery pages unnumbered, but are all associated with repair work or purchases under the Act of May 15, 1861. These record state that Leaman altered 296 flintlock pistols to percussion in 1861. These pistols are reasonably rare, & they often are encountered in the Models 1836 & 1819 pistols. The Leman alterations are well done & have a rather unusual large percussion hammer & a football shaped bolster. These pistols were issued to the Pennsylvania Cavalry early in the Civil War, but were quickly replaced by Starr Revolvers. (Ref: Henry E. Leaman Alterations Lancaster PA by Lewis F. Southard)

MARKINGS: The lock plate is faintly marked ''U.S./R.Johnson/ Middn CONN/1837''. The proofs that would've been on the barrel are gone as the result of the alteration. The left side of the stock, behind the ''S'' sideplate has a ''TW'' & ''HKC'' cartouche. TW- Thomas Warner & HKC is Major Henry Knox Craig.

CONDITION: The one piece wood stock is very good. There is a crack coming off the back of the lockplate, with other contusions, dings & scrapes. The stock has darkened from oils & finish added over time. The metal surfaces have been cleaned & are fully worn to metal gray, with intermitting pitting & spotting toned to a brown patina. Bore is good for being almost 200 years old. It is consistently rough, with intermittent pitting concentrated to the bottom of the barrel. Small brass blade front sight. A piece of Civil War history. Antique, No FFL Req. - Value: 1000 to 2000

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Price

RARE R.Johnson, U.S Model 1836 Leman Conversion, CAL: 54 Smoothb... Item # 4533 This auction is over. No new bids can be placed. Price: US $520

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