EXTREMELY RARE CUSTER RANGE SPRINGFIELD TRAPDOOR CARBINE RECOVERED FROM CROW INDIANS IN DECEMBER 1881.

EXTREMELY RARE CUSTER RANGE SPRINGFIELD TRAPDOOR CARBINE RECOVERED FROM CROW INDIANS IN DECEMBER 1881. SN 21209. Cal. 45-70. Standard Model 1873 trapdoor carbine with 22″ bbl, square base front sight and 1,200 yard ladder rear sight. It has standard “1873” marked breech block & lockplate with high arch breech block. Mounted in its orig 1873 1-pc stock with one bbl band, 2-pc trigger guard and smooth steel carbine buttplate without trap and there is no recess under buttplate. Left side of wrist has a clear “ESA” cartouche and a sling bar & ring. Accompanied by a packet of information from Springfield Research Service detailing that records of this carbine, identified by serial number, were found in the records of the Dept. of Dakota showing that it was “recovered from Crow Indians killed by Yanktonais during the Indian Wars Period. This action apparently took place near Poplar River, Montana, in December 1881”. Accompanying is a copy of a Western Union telegram dated Dec. 15, 188- stating that two Springfield carbines, one of which is this one identified by serial number, was among “arms taken from Crows killed by Yanktonais”. It is believed that “Yanktonais” is referring to Yankton Sioux Indian scouts. Also accompanying is a copy of the hand written telegraph report of this action dated Dec. 15, 1881, along with copies of a 6-page type-written report from the Headquarters Camp on Poplar River, Montana, dated Jan. 31, 1881 detailing an engagement with Sioux Indian which took place about 11 months before these guns were captured.. The fact that this carbine is absolutely in the Custer serial range for Springfield carbines and the absolute fact, with written documentation from 1881, that it was recovered from Crow Indians, which tribe took part in the Custer massacre, only a few years after the Custer fight, in the near vicinity of where the battle took place, leaves almost no room to doubt that this is in fact a genuine and authentic Custer fight carbine obtained from one of Custer’s troopers during or after the fight. No testing was attempted to determine if it could be forensically identified as having fired cartridges at the battle site. This cataloguer has examined numerous Custer range carbines, some of which had been forensically proven to have fired cartridges during the battle and others which were well documented to the battle and this carbine is the single finest condition specimen examined to date. CONDITION: Very fine. Bbl retains 75-80% blue/brown patina with small nicks & dings and has a few scattered spots of surface rust. Breech block retains mottled silvered case colors and lockplate 25-30% faded case colors. Trigger guard & buttplate retain thin blue/brown with scattered spots of light rust. Stock has a tiny hairline and a couple of small chips around lockplate, otherwise is sound with light nicks & dings and retains a smooth hand worn oil patina. Mechanics are crisp, strong bore with fine pitting and a few scattered spots of deeper pitting. 4-31815 (30,000-50,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2008

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
	1483	$28,750.00	EXTREMELY RARE CUSTER RANGE SPRINGFIELD TRAPDOOR CARBINE RECOVERED FROM CROW INDIANS IN DECEMBER 1881. SN 21209. Cal. 45-70. Standard Model 1873 trapdoor carbine with 22″ bbl, square base front sight and 1,200 yard ladder rear sight. It has standard “1873” marked breech block & lockplate with high arch breech block. Mounted in its orig 1873 1-pc stock with one bbl band, 2-pc trigger guard and smooth steel carbine buttplate without trap and there is no recess under buttplate. Left side of wrist has a clear “ESA” cartouche and a sling bar & ring. Accompanied by a packet of information from Springfield Research Service detailing that records of this carbine, identified by serial number, were found in the records of the Dept. of Dakota showing that it was “recovered from Crow Indians killed by Yanktonais during the Indian Wars Period. This action apparently took place near Poplar River, Montana, in December 1881”. Accompanying is a copy of a Western Union telegram dated Dec. 15, 188- stating that two Springfield carbines, one of which is this one identified by serial number, was among “arms taken from Crows killed by Yanktonais”. It is believed that “Yanktonais” is referring to Yankton Sioux Indian scouts. Also accompanying is a copy of the hand written telegraph report of this action dated Dec. 15, 1881, along with copies of a 6-page type-written report from the Headquarters Camp on Poplar River, Montana, dated Jan. 31, 1881 detailing an engagement with Sioux Indian which took place about 11 months before these guns were captured.. The fact that this carbine is absolutely in the Custer serial range for Springfield carbines and the absolute fact, with written documentation from 1881, that it was recovered from Crow Indians, which tribe took part in the Custer massacre, only a few years after the Custer fight, in the near vicinity of where the battle took place, leaves almost no room to doubt that this is in fact a genuine and authentic Custer fight carbine obtained from one of Custer’s troopers during or after the fight. No testing was attempted to determine if it could be forensically identified as having fired cartridges at the battle site. This cataloguer has examined numerous Custer range carbines, some of which had been forensically proven to have fired cartridges during the battle and others which were well documented to the battle and this carbine is the single finest condition specimen examined to date. CONDITION: Very fine. Bbl retains 75-80% blue/brown patina with small nicks & dings and has a few scattered spots of surface rust. Breech block retains mottled silvered case colors and lockplate 25-30% faded case colors. Trigger guard & buttplate retain thin blue/brown with scattered spots of light rust. Stock has a tiny hairline and a couple of small chips around lockplate, otherwise is sound with light nicks & dings and retains a smooth hand worn oil patina. Mechanics are crisp, strong bore with fine pitting and a few scattered spots of deeper pitting. 4-31815 (30,000-50,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2008 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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