Pepperbox

[otisrush]

I have this piece and I know nothing about it. I cannot find any markings or stamps on it except for the engraving that can be seen.

Any clue what this is?

Thanks.

OR

[Jim K]

FWIW, it looks English. Check for proof marks in the barrel ribs or on the barrels, possibly at the back. It resembles American guns made by Allen & Thurber, but looks nicer and more "refined" than those guns.

Jim

[otisrush]

Thanks for the suggestion to look again. I found this mark in each concave space between the barrels. Is that the rib?

OR

[Jim K]

That is a rib, but darned if I can tell what that mark is. It is almost certainly a proof mark, but it doesn't look English and I have never seen an American pepperbox with any kind of proof marks (the US has never had a government proof house or a mandatory proof test). Perhaps someone with better eyesight can chip in.

Added: I enlarged and rotated the pic and the mark appears to be a crowned eagle. That could point to Germany, but that gun was made before the European proof marks (with the exception of England) were incorporated into law and standardized, so my books don't show anything like that.

Jim

Perhaps? Model 1850 Cogswell from the United Kindom Each barrell will be numbered at the breech end while the groves are stamped alrternarely with view mark and proof mark. This is what my book says and looks just like it in my book. The breech mechanism would be made of german silver...

[Jim K]

I am pretty familiar with British proof and view marks and that mark confuses me. Maybe I am not looking at it the right way (sometimes looking at those marks is a bit like a Rorschach test).

Jim