RZM Fine Arts and Antiques Inc: Ask the Appraiser

Greetings, Jon. I have a question regarding this old rifle that has been in my family for many generations. Our family folklore history about this rifle is that we had a relative on my father’s side who had  fought during the Civil War and that this particular gun was his. Could that be possible? Do you recognize what type of gun it is? Where and when was it made? I know absolutely nothing about it. Most of my family is now deceased so I really don’t know what to do with it, quite frankly. Please tell me, Jon, if this rifle has any value. I know I’m asking a lot of questions but I really need your help. Thank you for your time and for writing this article each week.

Nancy in Piermont

I recognized this rifle instantly. But first I have a question for you, Nancy. Do you happen to know in what army your relative served in during the Civil War? The reason that I ask this question is that the rifle you own was in fact used during the Civil War, but by the Southern Confederacy an not the Northern Union Army  Your rifle is a pin-fire 10 shot revolving rifle, French made, by the premier Paris gunmaker Eugene LeFaucheux, circa the 1860s. The caliber of this rifle is 12 millimeters and it is equipped with a 24-inch octagonal barrel and fixed iron sights. The rifle features a scroll style trigger guard with a beautiful wooden walnut stock that has appeared to have remained in excellent condition. No chips or scratches to the wood. Rather amazing for a military rifle that was carried in all types of weather and through wooded rough terrain. It is rare to find an example this clean. I notice from your photographs that your particular gun is missing the ejector rod. Not a terrible thing, but it does slightly affect the value. This rifle has the ability to function either double action or single action, which during the Civil War was something new and very desirable. A soldier equipped with this rifle  was able to deliver substantially more fire power in less time than the soldier armed with the typical Civil War era single shot rifle. The Confederate States of America ordered approximately two thousand of these rifles from France in 1862. Some of these guns were later marked “CSA.” If a LeFaucheux rifle is marked “CSA,” the marking would likely be located behind the trigger guard or near the buttplate. However, the overwhelming majority of authentic LeFaucheux firearms used by the Confederacy were unmarked. If your particular rifle has the “CSA” lettering, it has substantial value in today’s antique gun market. In fact, any authentic weapons, including swords, knives and even uniforms, relating to the Confederate States of America during the Civil War period are continuing to increase in value, year after year. I’ve studied each one of your photos and did not see any confederate markings on your rifle. However, not all Lefaucheux rifles used by the Confederacy were actually marked. Most experts speculate less than 500 were actually marked “CSA.” Genuine markings are exceptionally rare. The dilemma lies in convincing a potential buyer that this rifle was an actual, authentic Confederate used item. The Confederate government generally did not apply an official central marking to the many European weapons purchased during the war. I will inform you that the more common applied marks encountered were by the individual states of the confederacy. Examples of these state applied markings are SC or GA. In addition, I have personally owned several Confederate guns that were marked by the individual soldiers that carried them. Based on this information, I will need to appraise this rifle in two separate ways. If the gun is unmarked, not having any Confederate provenance, it has a value of 2,000 USD in its present condition. However, if you are able to locate an authentic “CSA” marking that I am referring to, your rifle has a conservative value of 15,000 USD. If this rifle does have the Confederate markings on it, let me knows I have several serious collectors that will literally line up to purchase it! Advanced Civil War military collectors would want to own such a rare Civil War rifle. It would be the highlight of the collection.