EXTRAORDINARILY RARE, HISTORIC & IMPORTANT SPRINGFIELD MODEL 1873 SADDLE RING CARBINE OF 1ST SERGEANT JOHN RYAN, CIVIL WAR VETERAN & LITTLE BIG HORN BATTLE SURVIVOR

EXTRAORDINARILY RARE, HISTORIC & IMPORTANT SPRINGFIELD MODEL 1873 SADDLE RING CARBINE OF 1ST SERGEANT JOHN RYAN, CIVIL WAR VETERAN & LITTLE BIG HORN BATTLE SURVIVOR SN 39027. Cal. 45-70. This carbine is well within the Custer serial number range. As anyone who has had interest in the Custer fight at Little Big Horn will know & understand a known & documented firearm from that fight is, indeed, a very rare & desirable item. Sgt. Ryan was born Aug. 25, 1845 in West Newton, Mass. As noted in the title, Sgt. Ryan was a Civil War veteran having enlisted as a private in Company C, 28th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry on Jan. 1, 1862 as a sixteen year old. Sgt. Ryan, with the famous 28th Massachusetts, fought in most of the major battles of the Civil War including Second Bull Run, Chantilly, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville & Gettysburg. In August 1864 he was wounded three times at the Battle of Reams Station. He remained out of action until his discharge in Dec. 1864. He reenlisted in the 61st Massachusetts Infantry and remained with them until final discharge in July 1865. Shortly after his discharge Sgt. Ryan reenlisted in the Cavalry & served an additional ten years which includes the time with Custer and the 7th Cavalry. He was finally discharged from the Army on Dec. 19, 1876, just six months after the Battle at Little Big Horn. He joined the Newton Police Dept. in 1878, became Captain in 1903 and retired in 1913. He died on Oct. 14, 1926 at age 81. Sgt. Ryan reenlisted in 7th Cavalry in Nov. 1866 and became a member of Company M under Capt. Thomas French. He was with Maj. Reno & Capt. French through the entire fight and wound up with Maj. Reno & Capt. Benteen atop the ridge above the river where they held out the balance of the first day and entire second day with many wounded & killed. After the Indians had departed from the battlefield and Gen. Terry’s troops had arrived, Sgt. Ryan was ordered to cover a portion of the battlefield to bury the dead. He states in his memoirs Ten Years with Custer, Barnard, that he personally buried Gen. George Custer and his brother, Tom. Sgt. Ryan returned with remnants of the 7th Cavalry to Fort Abraham Lincoln and remained there until his final discharge in Dec. 1876. He does not mention, and apparently there is no record, how he came to retain this carbine, but apparently he did so as it was purchased in about 1985 by Alex Acevedo from the John Ryan Family through someone named Brian Riba. A signed letter dated 8-14-04 from Alex Acevedo, on his Alexander Gallery letterhead stationery, certifies to this statement, which accompanies this lot. Also accompanying is a copy of the aforementioned Sgt. Ryan’s memoirs. The carbine in its own right, without the history, is simply outstanding. It is a standard issue 1873 Saddle Ring Carbine with 22” rnd bbl, square base front sight and 1300 yard ladder rear sight. It has a high arch breech block with standard “1873” markings and “1873” marked lockplate. Mounted in its orig 1-pc walnut stock with sgl bbl band with correct stacking swivel. Left side of stock, opposite hammer, has a sling bar & ring with a clear, crisp, oval “ESA” cartouche. Buttplate is authentic 1873 without trap and there is no hole in wood underneath. PROVENANCE: Ryan Family; Brian Reba; Alex Acevedo; James D. Julia Firearms Auction as Lot 1432, Oct. 2004 CONDITION: Bbl & band retain 80-85% strong orig blue with scattered light surface rust. Breechblock retains faded case colors with light surface rust. Lockplate retains dark orig blue with scattered light surface rust, while trigger guard & buttplate retain 60-70% orig blue with fine surface rust. Top of wrist has a very old plugged hole & there is a large scrape at left heel, otherwise wood is sound with minor nicks & scratches and retains 75-80% orig oil finish. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore with fine pitting in grooves. 4-32356 JR505 (25,000-40,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2007

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
	2054	$37,375.00	EXTRAORDINARILY RARE, HISTORIC & IMPORTANT SPRINGFIELD MODEL 1873 SADDLE RING CARBINE OF 1ST SERGEANT JOHN RYAN, CIVIL WAR VETERAN & LITTLE BIG HORN BATTLE SURVIVOR SN 39027. Cal. 45-70. This carbine is well within the Custer serial number range. As anyone who has had interest in the Custer fight at Little Big Horn will know & understand a known & documented firearm from that fight is, indeed, a very rare & desirable item. Sgt. Ryan was born Aug. 25, 1845 in West Newton, Mass. As noted in the title, Sgt. Ryan was a Civil War veteran having enlisted as a private in Company C, 28th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry on Jan. 1, 1862 as a sixteen year old. Sgt. Ryan, with the famous 28th Massachusetts, fought in most of the major battles of the Civil War including Second Bull Run, Chantilly, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville & Gettysburg. In August 1864 he was wounded three times at the Battle of Reams Station. He remained out of action until his discharge in Dec. 1864. He reenlisted in the 61st Massachusetts Infantry and remained with them until final discharge in July 1865. Shortly after his discharge Sgt. Ryan reenlisted in the Cavalry & served an additional ten years which includes the time with Custer and the 7th Cavalry. He was finally discharged from the Army on Dec. 19, 1876, just six months after the Battle at Little Big Horn. He joined the Newton Police Dept. in 1878, became Captain in 1903 and retired in 1913. He died on Oct. 14, 1926 at age 81. Sgt. Ryan reenlisted in 7th Cavalry in Nov. 1866 and became a member of Company M under Capt. Thomas French. He was with Maj. Reno & Capt. French through the entire fight and wound up with Maj. Reno & Capt. Benteen atop the ridge above the river where they held out the balance of the first day and entire second day with many wounded & killed. After the Indians had departed from the battlefield and Gen. Terry’s troops had arrived, Sgt. Ryan was ordered to cover a portion of the battlefield to bury the dead. He states in his memoirs Ten Years with Custer, Barnard, that he personally buried Gen. George Custer and his brother, Tom. Sgt. Ryan returned with remnants of the 7th Cavalry to Fort Abraham Lincoln and remained there until his final discharge in Dec. 1876. He does not mention, and apparently there is no record, how he came to retain this carbine, but apparently he did so as it was purchased in about 1985 by Alex Acevedo from the John Ryan Family through someone named Brian Riba. A signed letter dated 8-14-04 from Alex Acevedo, on his Alexander Gallery letterhead stationery, certifies to this statement, which accompanies this lot. Also accompanying is a copy of the aforementioned Sgt. Ryan’s memoirs. The carbine in its own right, without the history, is simply outstanding. It is a standard issue 1873 Saddle Ring Carbine with 22” rnd bbl, square base front sight and 1300 yard ladder rear sight. It has a high arch breech block with standard “1873” markings and “1873” marked lockplate. Mounted in its orig 1-pc walnut stock with sgl bbl band with correct stacking swivel. Left side of stock, opposite hammer, has a sling bar & ring with a clear, crisp, oval “ESA” cartouche. Buttplate is authentic 1873 without trap and there is no hole in wood underneath. PROVENANCE: Ryan Family; Brian Reba; Alex Acevedo; James D. Julia Firearms Auction as Lot 1432, Oct. 2004 CONDITION: Bbl & band retain 80-85% strong orig blue with scattered light surface rust. Breechblock retains faded case colors with light surface rust. Lockplate retains dark orig blue with scattered light surface rust, while trigger guard & buttplate retain 60-70% orig blue with fine surface rust. Top of wrist has a very old plugged hole & there is a large scrape at left heel, otherwise wood is sound with minor nicks & scratches and retains 75-80% orig oil finish. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore with fine pitting in grooves. 4-32356 JR505 (25,000-40,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2007 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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