Cased 54 bore, engraved, Adams Model 1851, double action percussion revolver s/n 30524B, retailed by ‘JOSEPH BRAZIER & SON, MAKERS, WOLVERHAMPTON’, manufactured circa 1853.
Cased 54 bore, engraved, Adams Model 1851, double action percussion revolver s/n 30524B, retailed by ‘JOSEPH BRAZIER & SON, MAKERS, WOLVERHAMPTON’, manufactured circa 1853.
Cased in an English oak case, with ten brass screws securing the lid and a circular vacant brass plaque inset in the centre. The case is lined in green baize with partitions for all accessories. The revolver is inverted in the case, which is usual for cased Adam’s revolvers. Joseph Brazier was licensed to produce frames and complete revolvers on behalf of ‘Deane & Co.. He was allocated a range of serial numbers in the 30,000 bracket with the suffix ‘B’ to control his licence payments.
The barrel address on the top flat reads ‘JOSEPH BRAZIER & SON, MAKERS, WOLVERHAMPTON’. This confirms that Brazier made and retailed this revolver. This is much rarer than those made by Brazier, but sold by Deane, Adams & Deane which normally carry just the initials ‘I.B.’ stamped on the frame. Brazier & Son were a firm who were known for producing good quality gun locks, but who were not previously noted for being involved in the production of revolvers. It is believed that the majority of revolvers sold by Deane & Adams in the first year or two of production were made by licensees such as Brazier and, notably, by William Tranter, due to the difficulties in expanding the factory facilities to satisfy with the demand which had been created by the publicity accompanying the Colt-v-Adams rivalry.
The revolver has a little more coverage by foliate engraving than is usual with pistols retailed by Deane & Co, including the forward edge of the cylinder. The charcoal-blued finish of the iron frame/barrel unit is about 85%with some scratching around the head of the arbour pin. The latter is colour case-hardened as is the cylinder while the hammer and trigger are bright polished. The barrel is 6 3/8 inches long and is rifled with three broad grooves in a right-hand twist. Five groove barrels are more usually found in this model. There are London proof marks on the barrel and cylinder. The lower right frame is engraved “ADAMS’ PATENT No 30524B’so this is presumably the 524th frame made by Brazier under Adams’ patent licence, probably sometime in 1853. The lower butt strap is stamped ‘4917’ and the butt has a cap box set into it, a feature which was abandoned on later production.
The case holds a excellent bag type powder flask by James Dixon / & sons / Sheffield with 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 dram nozzle and a lanyard loop on the base, a pewter oil bottle. There is wad cutter stamped ‘52’. The excellent gun-metal bullet mould is stamped ‘54’ and has the oval Adams registered trade mark. This throws two different bullets, one is a cylindro-conoidal bullet with a deep grease groove and a sprue ‘tail’ to affix the patent wads, the other a ball with a similar tail. The former weighs 11.8 grams (182 grains) and the ball weighs 8.3 grams (128 grains). There is a cleaning rod with a jag and a rammer head, and an ebony handled nipple wrench and turn-screw complete the set, plus cast lead balls etc. The case lock has been forced.
Overall a very fine cased set.