CASED Rare NEW HAVEN ARMS WALCH 10-Shot SUPERPOSED LOAD Percussion Revolver Antique Early 1860s BRASS FRAME w/ACCESSORIES

Product Description

CASED Rare NEW HAVEN ARMS WALCH 10-Shot SUPERPOSED LOAD Percussion Revolver

Antique Early 1860s BRASS FRAME w/ACCESSORIES

Here we present a scarce antique Cased and Engraved New Haven Arms Co. Walch Superposed Load Pocket Revolver, made in 1860-62 in New Haven, Connecticut. These 10-shot pocket revolvers and the larger Navy Model 12-shot revolvers were both manufactured around the early 1860s. The pocket 175model, as is this one, was manufactured by the New Haven Arms Co. for John Walch’s Walch Fire-Arms Co. of New York City alongside the famous Henry rifles. This is the first type of Walch revolvers, made with a brass frame. The first 1500 were made with the brass frames, while the last 1500 had iron frames.

On February 8, 1859, John Walch of New York City received US Patent #22,905 for a somewhat unique revolver that fired superimposed loads from its cylinder, thus doubling the number of times the revolver could be fired before it was reloaded. Walch knew that the concept of a superimposed positioning of two or more loads in a single chamber was not a new idea and did not claim that design in his patent. In fact, the U.S. military had experimented with the concept circa 1829 with the Ellis-Jennings repeating rifle, which was produced in both four and ten shot variants. Rather his claim ran specifically to the arrangement of two rows of nipples on the rear of a revolving cylinder allowing double loads to be fired from each cylinder chamber. His other claim referred to his trigger, which as he notes, “is on its upper end made in two parts.” Thus, a single conventional trigger appeared in the trigger guard, which had two operating parts in the frame, which allowed the release of the right and then the left hammer with two distinct pulls.

Robert Reilly in his book United States Military Small Arms, 1816-1865 notes that some of the Walch Pocket revolvers were acquired by the 9^th Michigan and 14^th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiments, but he asserts that these were certainly personal purchases and not state of Federal government purchases. As handguns were not regularly issued or carried by infantry, this seems quite logical. However, Flayderman states categorically that “One entire outfit, Company I of the 9^th Michigan Infantry armed themselves with the gun, where it received favorable comment.”

The overall condition is good+. Some original blue remains with a mostly dark patina. The action is strong. The bore is in good condition with nice rifling. The grips are solid, showing use. The contemporary case is in good condition and includes a powder flask, bullet mold, cap tin, bullets and other accessories.

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

Barrel is 3-1/4 inches.

Caliber: .31 Percussion

Overall condition as seen in photos.

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$7200
#240175