This old plate photo has some good examples of percussion revolver pistols used during the Civil War. This is from a 1936 catalog of The Far West Hobby Shop which was located in San Francisco California. The Far West Hobby shop was a mail order seller of firearms and related items. Back then these were apparently in abundant supply. These are just a small sampling of the items contained in their 122 page catalog. Unfortunately Far West is one of these catalog stores that has been largely forgotten with time. In their day they were a major player in the antique firearm business. At the time they were probably considered vintage, surplus or used guns since they weren't really antiques yet.
There are some interesting examples here from some well known and little known manufacturers of the period. I thought I would share it since there are a few here I had never seen or associated with Civil War service.
RIGHT COLUMN:
F 5066: Wesson & Leavitt (Massachusetts Arms Co.) Percussion Army Revolver
F 5121: Allen & Wheelock Percussion Navy Revolver
F 5216: Butterfield of Philadelphia Percussion Army Revolver
F 5221: Savage First Model Navy Revolver, Figure-8 Guard
F 5200: Starr Arms 1858 Presentation Army Revolver
F 5122: Joslyn (Joslyn Firearms Co. of Stonington, Conn.) Percussion Army Revolver
LEFT COLUMN:
F 5365: Freeman (Hoard's Armory in Watertown, New York) Percussion Army Revolver
F 5328: Allen & Wheelock Percussion Army Revolver
F 5194: Blunt & Syms of New York Confederate Percussion Pistol
F 5087: Lemat Percussion Civil War Revolver
F 5098: Pettingill Hammerless (Rogers, Spencer & Company) Percussion Army Revolver
F 5089: Springfield Arms Co. Percussion Revolver
The Far West Trading Company was located at 406 Clement Street in San Francisco California. It was ran by George and Martha Smoots and J.M. Standish. They were regarded as the Largest Antique Arms Dealer In The West. Among the items featured was The Joseph Gnau Collection and the David L. Ingalls Collection of rare and antique firearms. They also sold Cartridges For The Collector in a separate catalog.
There are some interesting examples here from some well known and little known manufacturers of the period. I thought I would share it since there are a few here I had never seen or associated with Civil War service.
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| PERCUSSION REVOLVERS OF THE CIVIL WAR |
RIGHT COLUMN:
F 5066: Wesson & Leavitt (Massachusetts Arms Co.) Percussion Army Revolver
F 5121: Allen & Wheelock Percussion Navy Revolver
F 5216: Butterfield of Philadelphia Percussion Army Revolver
F 5221: Savage First Model Navy Revolver, Figure-8 Guard
F 5200: Starr Arms 1858 Presentation Army Revolver
F 5122: Joslyn (Joslyn Firearms Co. of Stonington, Conn.) Percussion Army Revolver
LEFT COLUMN:
F 5365: Freeman (Hoard's Armory in Watertown, New York) Percussion Army Revolver
F 5328: Allen & Wheelock Percussion Army Revolver
F 5194: Blunt & Syms of New York Confederate Percussion Pistol
F 5087: Lemat Percussion Civil War Revolver
F 5098: Pettingill Hammerless (Rogers, Spencer & Company) Percussion Army Revolver
F 5089: Springfield Arms Co. Percussion Revolver
The Far West Trading Company was located at 406 Clement Street in San Francisco California. It was ran by George and Martha Smoots and J.M. Standish. They were regarded as the Largest Antique Arms Dealer In The West. Among the items featured was The Joseph Gnau Collection and the David L. Ingalls Collection of rare and antique firearms. They also sold Cartridges For The Collector in a separate catalog.