RARE AUGUSTA, GEORGIA MARKED RIDGON & ANSLEY REVOLVER.

RARE AUGUSTA, GEORGIA MARKED RIDGON & ANSLEY REVOLVER. All serial numbers on this piece are stamped with the correct small number dies, with individually stamped numbers. It is also to be noted that the number “1” is a broken die which became broken at pistol #1237, continuing to be used through the small-die run to R&A pistol #1900, or thereabouts. This gun has cryptic “J” stamped on the bottom front of the triggerbow and all parts are serial numbered #1546 that are normally serial numbered including barrel housing, loading arm, latch, wedge, frame, cylinder, backstrap and triggerguard. Rigdon & Ansley #1546, with its “Augusta Ga” barrel address, and its excellent condition, make it an outstanding prize for the Confederate collector. Of the 18 known revolvers with this barrel address this is by far among the best 2 or 3 examples known. Sometime in late November or early December of 1862, the firm of Leech & Rigdon, then located in Columbus, Mississippi, contracted with the Confederate Government to manufacture 1500 percussion revolvers of the Colt patent design. With Union troops threatening the Columbus area, Leech & Rigdon moved its operation (its third move) to Greensboro, Georgia, where they began turning out revolvers in March of 1863. Approximately 1000 revolvers were produced at Greensboro, before it was again necessary to move because of Yankee pressure in the area. The Leech & Rigdon partnership split up in January of 1864, and Rigdon took all the gun-making machinery with him, moved to Augusta, Georgia (the fourth and last move) forming a new partnership with Jesse Ansley. Rigdon & Ansley assumed the responsibility of completing the original Leech & Rigdon contract, by manufacturing the remaining 500 revolvers of that model, then going on with a new contract to furnish 1500 Rigdon & Ansley revolvers. While the Rigdon & Ansley revolvers were practically identical in design to the Leech & Rigdons, there were some changes made which were considered improvements at the time. The most obvious change was the addition of six (6) more cylinder stops in the Rigdon & Ansley, and the omission of the locking pins on the rear shoulders of the cylinder. This was thought to be a safety improvement in that it allowed the cylinder to be locked in place with the hammer resting between the percussion nipples. An additional change was the milling-out of a groove in the recoil shield, which now came to be called a “cap release groove”, which allowed spent percussion caps an easier exit from the frame, so that they were expelled via the groove at the right top side of the recoil shields as the cylinder rotated to the right in the firing and recocking procedure, after each round was fired. This “cap release groove” is not found on R&A #1546, for the reason that there were extra Leech & Rigdon parts which Rigdon had used in undertaking to complete the original contract for 1500 revolvers, and the Leech & Pigdon frame used here was one of those ‘extra’ parts. The final change from the Leech & Rigdon, was the employment of a ‘Colt-type’ loading lever latching assembly, rather than the Leech & Rigdon’s ball-type catch and later, ball-and-pin-type catch. Rigdon & Ansley, the piece at hand does employ the “Colt-type’ latch, which is serial-numbered. PROVENANCE: Fred Edmunds Collection. CONDITION: As stated above. 4-38126 JS34 (40,000-50,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2009

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	2467	$40,250.00	RARE AUGUSTA, GEORGIA MARKED RIDGON & ANSLEY REVOLVER. All serial numbers on this piece are stamped with the correct small number dies, with individually stamped numbers. It is also to be noted that the number “1” is a broken die which became broken at pistol #1237, continuing to be used through the small-die run to R&A pistol #1900, or thereabouts. This gun has cryptic “J” stamped on the bottom front of the triggerbow and all parts are serial numbered #1546 that are normally serial numbered including barrel housing, loading arm, latch, wedge, frame, cylinder, backstrap and triggerguard. Rigdon & Ansley #1546, with its “Augusta Ga” barrel address, and its excellent condition, make it an outstanding prize for the Confederate collector. Of the 18 known revolvers with this barrel address this is by far among the best 2 or 3 examples known. Sometime in late November or early December of 1862, the firm of Leech & Rigdon, then located in Columbus, Mississippi, contracted with the Confederate Government to manufacture 1500 percussion revolvers of the Colt patent design. With Union troops threatening the Columbus area, Leech & Rigdon moved its operation (its third move) to Greensboro, Georgia, where they began turning out revolvers in March of 1863. Approximately 1000 revolvers were produced at Greensboro, before it was again necessary to move because of Yankee pressure in the area. The Leech & Rigdon partnership split up in January of 1864, and Rigdon took all the gun-making machinery with him, moved to Augusta, Georgia (the fourth and last move) forming a new partnership with Jesse Ansley. Rigdon & Ansley assumed the responsibility of completing the original Leech & Rigdon contract, by manufacturing the remaining 500 revolvers of that model, then going on with a new contract to furnish 1500 Rigdon & Ansley revolvers. While the Rigdon & Ansley revolvers were practically identical in design to the Leech & Rigdons, there were some changes made which were considered improvements at the time. The most obvious change was the addition of six (6) more cylinder stops in the Rigdon & Ansley, and the omission of the locking pins on the rear shoulders of the cylinder. This was thought to be a safety improvement in that it allowed the cylinder to be locked in place with the hammer resting between the percussion nipples. An additional change was the milling-out of a groove in the recoil shield, which now came to be called a “cap release groove”, which allowed spent percussion caps an easier exit from the frame, so that they were expelled via the groove at the right top side of the recoil shields as the cylinder rotated to the right in the firing and recocking procedure, after each round was fired. This “cap release groove” is not found on R&A #1546, for the reason that there were extra Leech & Rigdon parts which Rigdon had used in undertaking to complete the original contract for 1500 revolvers, and the Leech & Pigdon frame used here was one of those ‘extra’ parts. The final change from the Leech & Rigdon, was the employment of a ‘Colt-type’ loading lever latching assembly, rather than the Leech & Rigdon’s ball-type catch and later, ball-and-pin-type catch. Rigdon & Ansley, the piece at hand does employ the “Colt-type’ latch, which is serial-numbered. PROVENANCE: Fred Edmunds Collection. CONDITION: As stated above. 4-38126 JS34 (40,000-50,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2009 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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