Help needed on these Guns (4)

manitou210

manitou210

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My neighbour wants to sell these guns and would like to help him. I know a little of one gun only. any help on value would be nice.

Enfield VR 1857, bore.457 app:
wood is crackd,has rust on lever and other place bor seeems to have no rust

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Harpers Ferry 1859, top of barrel marked 1862
bore,.695" OAL 57.5" wood good no cracks, marked with eagle and UB ?
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Walter &Son 12ga side by side hammer-gun 30" barrels, wood very good action a little loose,

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Little marked on this gun, MW bore.419 with rifling. bolt action never seen one like this before.

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manitou
 
1. Martini Henry.
2. I suspect that the date on the lockplate is 1839, not 1859. Originally flintlock, .69 smoothbore, armory converted to percussion, and rifled 1862. This is when the rear sight was added. I am going to guess that this was originally a Model 1835 musket, although it could also be a Model 1816. The M1835 is just about the rarest US flintlock musket, if in original flint. They were basically never issued as flintlocks, and essentially all were arsenal converted to cap.
3. Belgian shotgun, who knows who Watson & Son were, perhaps the retailers. Looks nicer than most. This is the only one of the four which is not classed as an antique.
4. Swiss Vetterli, .41rf. Andy can wade in on this one.
 
4. Yes, a Swiss Vetterli for sure, probably a M69/71.

It's an antique and I have a few. I converted a couple to centrefire (which makes them lose their antique status) and have shot them quite a bit. Came in 4th with my best one at an EOHC Milshoot, and won a Swiss Postal Match with it, so they can be made to shoot well!
 
Maynards Auctions is have a Firearms and Antique Arms auction here in Vancouver on April 3 2009. Might be an idea to send them out to see what the crowd will pay. Seems to me you can get more at an auction than usually over the Exchange. Google Maynards Auction. There is actually a listing already of the guns that will be available for sale. They have their own appraisers so they usually know just what to sell the stuff for and the more they sell it for the more they make too.
 
Harper's Ferry(of John Brown fame) is the arsenal where the rifle was made. An 1862 date might mean(heavy on the 'might') it was used by the Confederates. Neither it nor the Martini will bring much in an auction due to the condition. The Walter & Son likely would, if the rest of it is in as good a condition as the action and there's an antique shotgun collector there.
The Vetterli's stock looks like it has been refinished. That'll drop its value somewhat.
 
"Harpers Ferry 1839, top of barrel marked 1862"

1816 pattern flintlock musket made in 1839, converted in 1862 for the US Civil war into a precussion musket. Here is a link to an uncoverted 1816 pattern musket made in 1827. http://www.angelfire.com/vt/milsurp/spring16.html

1862 is when Harpers Ferry was burned to the ground. Wsthis converted before the battle? or a Confederate captured musket? Hard to tell with so few pictures.

A regular 1816 musket (madse by "N. Starr" or "E. Whitney") from the same year will fetch $850 USD or so. This one being from Harpers Ferry (a very historical place to begin with) and having an 1862 barrel (the last year of production before it's Harper Ferry's destruction) will most likey will get a premium price.

Also read: http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/harpers-ferry.htm
 
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