Antique WESSON & LEAVITT MASS. ARMS WARNER Type Revolver Massachusetts Ames Possible Proof of Concept Revolver

Product Description

Antique WESSON & LEAVITT MASS. ARMS WARNER Type Revolver Massachusetts Ames

Possible Proof of Concept Revolver

Here we present an antique Daniel Leavitt & Edwin Wesson Type Percussion Revolver, made circa the 1830s. Daniel Leavitt (1813-1859), an inventor from Cabotville, Massachusetts, spent the 1830s developing a revolving mechanism that would become the second of its kind, behind Samuel Colt’s invention. Leavitt was granted his Patent 182 April 29, 1837. Edwin Wesson (1811-1849; the eldest of the Wesson Brothers) entered the picture as a partner who was the manufacturer and himself an inventor who tweaked the design. Samuel Colt had already gotten his patent by this time but had not yet begun production. These two firms were on a collision course.

In 1847, Colt hired William Miller and Joshua Stevens away from Eli Whitney Jr., among others, to continue to produce his Walker Dragoon revolver. Colt found that these two were trying to develop their own revolver in 1848 and sacked them. Where did they go? Both went to work with Wesson & Leavitt. Shortly after a new patent was filed for and granted in 1849. Also in 1849, Edwin Wesson died, causing the company to reorganize as the Massachusetts Arms Co., whose principals were James T. Ames (of Ames Mfg. Co.; the financial backer), William Miller, Joshua Stevens, Benjamin Warner, and Horace Smith (soon to be of Smith & Wesson). While Edwin was still alive, his younger brother, Daniel, had worked for him. This project was not only the genesis of Massachusetts Arms but also Smith & Wesson and Stevens Arms Co. when Joshua Stevens went out under his own name.

The story is well-documented, but the essence of it is that Colt sued Wesson & Leavitt in 1852 as violating his patent, and won, after an intense and grueling court battle. This had the effect of not only forcing the defendants to change their design and production—severely hampering their business—but Colt’s attorney sent out letters of warning to all of his known competitors, telling them that they had better not make repeating arms such as his or else face suit. Thus, with his own patent extended until 1859, Colt became the far and away leader of the firearms industry that went virtually unchallenged until after his death.

This piece appears more like a proof of concept than a piece for commercial sale. It still shows the machining marks and utilizes a 7 ½ inch barrel in .31 caliber. This one has the double trigger, the rear of which drops the hammer and the one in front releases the cylinder bolt from the back of the cylinder to let the cylinder be rotated manually, rather than with a cock of the hammer. This piece is also unmarked.

The overall condition is good. Dark patina throughout. The action remains strong. The bore is dim with defined rifling. The grip is solid.

Own the original! This is a legitimate antique and not a reproduction.

Barrel is 7-1/2 inches.

Caliber: .31 Percussion

Overall condition as seen in photos.

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$3875
#220608