Description
This is a late percussion Kerr revolver, cased and retailed by John Blanch & Son, London. The serial number 11351 indicates that it was made around 1865 at the end of the American civil war. This revolver was definitely not a civil war revolver but a private purchase for a serving British officer and probably saw service in the far east. It is rare to fined a true cased Kerr as there were less than 13500 made. The American civil war took most with the Confederates taking around 10,000 and the Union around 500, all these were packed and cased/ crated in batches of several dozen to a box as there was little use for the luxury of cleaning rods and oil bottles, these guns were straight into use by cavalry who didn’t want any clutter. So there were only around 2-3000 that were private sales and mostly to serving military officers and most would have been cased like this one to provide all that was necessary to maintain the efficiency of the revolver. This Kerr is of eleven inches with its usual 5 shot, .54 bore barrel. The back action signed London Armoury. The heavy walnut chequered grip is a good indication as to the purchaser, as military use generally purchased the heavier grip. The revolver still retains about 70% of its original blueing and is in very good working order. The oak case is of standard form and contains all original tools, oil bottle and striker pot and flask. The overall appearance when opened gives you a sleepy feel as though nothing is out of place from when it was last used.
