Inspector’s acceptance cartouches on two Civil War Revolvers-A Colt and a Starr.
Identifying these inspector’s cartouches can be a challenge depending on how clear they are.
The presence of these cartouches affect the value of these guns together with matching serial numbers---original finish and the overall condition.
I recently went through this exercise and it comes with definite challenges.
Who does that cartouche belong to----who was the inspector?
The fancy script initials does make it easy and I don’t think that anyone has taken the time to write a book with photos of different cartouches with the relevant inspector’s name to assist collectors.
The first two revolvers shown were offered on Julia and RIA Auction sites.
Both revolvers are superb examples-----both have very clear cartouches.
This Model 1860 Colt Army has both a JT cartouche for John Taylor as well as a CSL cartouche for Chester S. Leonard.
(I understand that this Colt S/n 48313 sold in spring 2014 for $25,300 including 15% buyers premium.)
This Model 1858 Starr Army revolver offered on RIA has three cartouches---two CSL cartouches and one cartouche of JSD.
J. S. Duston was in Yonkers in November 1863 and undoubtedly later. (From Chales Pate.)
I went through this exercise because I have two Model 1860 Colt Army revolvers and one Model 1858 Starr Army revolver which has two excellent cartouches showing BH for inspector Benjamin Hannis.
NOTE;
The CSL inspector was Chester S. Leonard. He was a civilian sub-inspector. I'm basing this on the sub-inspector payrolls in the 2nd Auditor's records for 1862 -1864. Leonard was at Colt most of 1862 and went to Yonkers (Starr) in February 1863 and was there until some time in May and went to Bridesburg, then Springfield. (From Charles Pate -September 8th 2014)
David
Inspecting Officers and Sub-Inspectors.
The Inspecting Officer was a commissioned officer
charged with the inspection of arms produced under contract.
Duties of the Inspecting Officer
The Inspecting Officer is charged with the duty of
guarding the interests of the government, and representing
the Department in his transactions with the contractor.
He is to select as sub-inspectors men who, by their
trade or business, are fully qualified for the duty, and
who have no relationship of any kind either to himself or
the contractor.
He will see that the sub-inspectors are so compensated
that their interest will be identical with that of the government
they serve.
As noted, more than one sub-inspector might be, and
most often were, required to inspect the arms obtained
through a contract. In such cases, one of the men, usually
the most senior and highly skilled, would be designated as
the “Principal Assistant” or more commonly the “Principal
Sub-Inspector.” This individual would be in day-to-day
charge of the inspection.
During the Civil War, the volume of inspection work was so great that the Inspecting Officer might be present only for final inspection if he was present even for that phase.
Contrary to what was the norm both before and after the War, in the great majority of cases during the Civil War, arms were not marked by the Inspecting Officer at all and
instead bear only the marks of the Principal Sub-Inspector and other sub-inspectors.
From an article by Charles Pate.
http://springfieldarsenal.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/rampant-colt-spring-2010-page-28-35.pdf
Identifying these inspector’s cartouches can be a challenge depending on how clear they are.
The presence of these cartouches affect the value of these guns together with matching serial numbers---original finish and the overall condition.
I recently went through this exercise and it comes with definite challenges.
Who does that cartouche belong to----who was the inspector?
The fancy script initials does make it easy and I don’t think that anyone has taken the time to write a book with photos of different cartouches with the relevant inspector’s name to assist collectors.
The first two revolvers shown were offered on Julia and RIA Auction sites.
Both revolvers are superb examples-----both have very clear cartouches.
This Model 1860 Colt Army has both a JT cartouche for John Taylor as well as a CSL cartouche for Chester S. Leonard.
(I understand that this Colt S/n 48313 sold in spring 2014 for $25,300 including 15% buyers premium.)
This Model 1858 Starr Army revolver offered on RIA has three cartouches---two CSL cartouches and one cartouche of JSD.
J. S. Duston was in Yonkers in November 1863 and undoubtedly later. (From Chales Pate.)
I went through this exercise because I have two Model 1860 Colt Army revolvers and one Model 1858 Starr Army revolver which has two excellent cartouches showing BH for inspector Benjamin Hannis.
NOTE;
The CSL inspector was Chester S. Leonard. He was a civilian sub-inspector. I'm basing this on the sub-inspector payrolls in the 2nd Auditor's records for 1862 -1864. Leonard was at Colt most of 1862 and went to Yonkers (Starr) in February 1863 and was there until some time in May and went to Bridesburg, then Springfield. (From Charles Pate -September 8th 2014)
David
Inspecting Officers and Sub-Inspectors.
The Inspecting Officer was a commissioned officer
charged with the inspection of arms produced under contract.
Duties of the Inspecting Officer
The Inspecting Officer is charged with the duty of
guarding the interests of the government, and representing
the Department in his transactions with the contractor.
He is to select as sub-inspectors men who, by their
trade or business, are fully qualified for the duty, and
who have no relationship of any kind either to himself or
the contractor.
He will see that the sub-inspectors are so compensated
that their interest will be identical with that of the government
they serve.
As noted, more than one sub-inspector might be, and
most often were, required to inspect the arms obtained
through a contract. In such cases, one of the men, usually
the most senior and highly skilled, would be designated as
the “Principal Assistant” or more commonly the “Principal
Sub-Inspector.” This individual would be in day-to-day
charge of the inspection.
During the Civil War, the volume of inspection work was so great that the Inspecting Officer might be present only for final inspection if he was present even for that phase.
Contrary to what was the norm both before and after the War, in the great majority of cases during the Civil War, arms were not marked by the Inspecting Officer at all and
instead bear only the marks of the Principal Sub-Inspector and other sub-inspectors.
From an article by Charles Pate.
http://springfieldarsenal.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/rampant-colt-spring-2010-page-28-35.pdf
Last edited:
