Original U.S. Rare Robbins & Lawrence 1849 Patent .28cal Percussion Pepperbox Revolver in Custom Wood Case with Accessories - Serial 2825

Original Item: Only One Available. This is an fantastic cased example of the unusual firearm system known as the "PEPPERBOX" revolver, where instead of a cylinder with a single barrel, the gun features assembly of multiple barrels. They were so named because the muzzle is similar in appearance to the business end of a Pepper Pot from the the early days of Queen Victoria: a circle of round holes. This rare example was made by the Robbins & Lawrence Company of Windsor, VT, a company unfortunately known today more for their business failures than its successes. During the 1850s they had supplied the Royal Small Arms Factory with machinery and training to manufacture their new P-1853 Enfield Rifles. At the outbreak of the Crimean War, the British did not have the manufacturing capacity to fully arm its troops for the conflict, and so Robbins & Lawrence were engaged by the British government to produce the P-1853 2nd Model rifle. Robbins & Lawrence anticipated sales of 30,000 to 60,000 rifled muskets, and spent huge sums of money getting the tooling and machinery in order. They even added a second factory in Hartford, CT, anticipating business for years to come.

Unfortunately for Robbins & Lawrence, the Crimean War ended too soon, after only approximately 10,400 rifled muskets were completed, with the British cancelling the rest of the contract as well as any future contracts. The result was that Robbins & Lawrence went bankrupt, and several successor companies were formed by creditors to sell off the parts and machinery. This however also led to large advancements in the main U.S. Service Rifle of the U.S. Army during the Civil War, as Colt and other companies were able to incorporate the British Designs into the Springfield Rifled musket, resulting in the "Special Model 1861" and later Model 1863 Springfield rifles. While this is not the way that Robbins & Lawrence probably wanted to be remembered, they still have a solid place in U.S. Firearms history.

At this time this rare pepperbox was made, the above was all yet to pass, and the company was very innovative in its designs. These pepperbox revolvers were made based on an 1849 patent, and only about 7,000 were produced between 1851 and 1854, so every example is quite rare. Due to the rather complex design, they were unable to compete with their contemporaries, especially Colt. At the time they ceased production they were busy with the British contract, so it was probably of little concern to them then from a business perspective.

The design of these exceptionally rare pepperbox revolvers is definitely unique, and almost certainly the most complicated of the designs fielded in the U.S. market. Anticipating the later pepperboxes produced by Sharps and Starr, the Robbins & Lawrence design does not have the barrel cluster rotate, but instead has the internal hammer rotate using an internal cam. This also required that the caps for the barrels be inside the frame, so it has a top break design to allow the caps to be replaced. If that wasn't enough, the barrel cluster is two piece, and has almost a "cylinder" section and a "barrel" section, which unscrews and moves forward, to allow the breech end of the barrels to be loaded directly, and not rammed through the rifled bores.

The firing mechanism is equally complex, featuring a ring trigger that cocks the action, and trigger in front of it that actually fires the weapon. There is even a release button on the back of the grip, which releases the ring cocking mechanism so it can be gently returned to the forward position without firing the pistol. With an engraved frame, and even multiple vent holes to allow the primer and propellant gasses to escape the frame, the pistol design was really quite over-engineered in many ways.

These were available in both .28" and .31" caliber, and ours appears to be in the .28" size. It has a 5 shot cylinder / barrel assembly, and has really held up great over the years. The markings on the cylinder are still clear, and read:

ROBBINS & LAWRENCE CO.

WINDSOR. VT

PATENT. 1849.

The revolver measures about 7 1/2 inches in length, so it might be considered "pocket size", and the barrel portion that moves forward measures 2 1/4" in length. It is marked with serial number 2825 on the bottom of the grip, which is also marked on the inside of both grip scales as well as on the side of the grip frame under the grips. It is also marked 2825 on the back of the breech by the cap nipple cones, while both sides of the barrel joint on front have assembly number 3867 stamped between the barrels. That makes this a fantastic "ALL MATCHING" example, with no parts swapped out over the years!

The Pepperbox is in very good used condition, with a lovely patina of age, operational but NOT sold for firing. The action functions correctly as far as we can tell, and we did not detect any issues with the firing pin rotating, cocking, or dry firing. The complexity unfortunately makes it difficult to maintain, probably another reason they stopped making them after only 7,000, howver this example still works well. The ring cocking lever works well, and pulling back the front trigger will discharge the internal hammer. The cocking lever release on the rear of the action is fully functional, and the action breaks open correctly to expose the cap nipple cones. The barrel cluster also unscrews correctly for reloading.

The original metal finish is mostly worn away, now displaying a lovely gray matured patina, with a bit of peppery oxidation in areas. It does not look to have been majorly cleaned or refinished. The metalwork still shows clear foliate "bank note" style engraving, something we almost never see on revolvers of this age! There is light powder burn around the cap nipples and on the internal hammer, as to be expected when the gasses are trapped partially inside the action. The grip plates have a lovely color, and the strong heavy grain leads us to believe that they are made from rosewood. As this is a very oily wood, the grips do not appear to have ever been finished, and are in very good condition.

To make this offering even better, it came to us with a fantastic custom wood case, which measures approximately 8 3/8" x 4 3/8" x 1 7/8", and has different compartments inside for various accessories one might use with the pistol. The compartments and lid are all red velvet plush material lined, and the fabric shows fading and wear consistent with great age. This is almost certainly a period case for this pistol, and it looks to have been with the pistol for a very long time. The case is lovely, and there is a lock and front with keys, however it is no longer functional. Inside the case are some great accessories, including a cleaning tool / wrench for unscrewing the barrel and cleaning the bore, a .28" round bullet mold with flathead screwdriver handles, and a tin of percussion caps. Even better, there is still an EXTREMELY RARE original small powder flask, marked as follows on the side:

ROBBINS AND LAWRENCE Co
PATENT REVOLVING HAMMER PISTOL
WINDSOR VT

These are almost certainly the original items issued with this revolver, still with it after all these years!

A great example of an very rare and interesting stepping stone in 19th Century American firearms, ready to add to your collection! This only the second example we have ever had, and definitely the first we have had with a custom case! We are unlikely to have another anytime soon!

Specifications: 

Year2 of Manufacture: 1851-1854
Caliber: approx .28"
Ammunition Type: Cap and Ball
Barrel Length: 2 1/4 inches
Overall Length: 7 1/2 inches
Action: Single Action Only
Feed System: 5 Shot Revolver

NOTE: Percussion caps will be removed from this set if shipping internationally. International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.