19th Century gun - wondered if re-enactors etc would be interested

[greg_in_london]

This is just something I came across yesterday. It's not a classified ad as I didn't buy it myself, but if it's of definite interest the seller drinks in a local pub and has a regular stall.

 

I was at Greenwich Market yesterday (the original Greenwich where Henry VIII lived) and came across someone selling a cap fired breech loading gun. I didn't check if it was smoothbore or rifled. It was marked as a 'Tower' weapon and dated 1856, so it is the right date for the Crimean War and may have gone there and returned or maybe never left the country. It has three hoops around the barrel (the first tightens to secure the metal ramrod) and two were loose, but that might be usual.

 

I'm posting about it here because I thought it would be more interesting to people over there as the Confederates bought a lot of British rifles in the civil war and although it wasn't exported, it would be the 'right' gun for the period. I would think that it is probably genuine because there is no real market for Crimean memorabilia over here - Napoleonic yes, Jacobite definitely, but Crimean - not so much. The hammer moved, but don't ask me if it will shoot - it's not encouraged over here... After a century and a half, would you trust it ? I've no idea.

 

Either way - is this something where I should have bitten his arm off for (on behalf of one of you) or is it something that there's little demand for ?

 

I have no idea what it would come with in terms of provenance and I didn't have my camera with me (I was just on the way back from the bank).

Edited April 17, 2015 by greg_in_london

[greg_in_london]

That's the answer then - no-one's interested. Probably a good job I didn't buy it then.. (I'm still tempted though...)

[Flyinfool]

It is certainly interesting.

Depending on exactly which model it is, and its condition it may be well worth grabbing IF the price is right.

 

Towers of that vintage have sold for anywhere from a couple hundred bucks to over $10K.

[greg_in_london]

Well after I left it I was thinking that even if it's not 'valuable' when we do Scottish events (bagpipes, ceilidhs etc) it could be an interesting prop to discuss Highland Charges etc - even if it's not right for Culloden or Waterloo. He was asking £190 - $250 ?

 

I just knew the missus would want to know which bike bits I was throwing out to make room for it though...

[Flyinfool]

At that price I would probably grab it if it is in nice shape.

It would look cool hanging on the living room wall right over the front door. Especially since my house was built in the 1800s.