Pritchett Pattern 1858 Two-Band Percussion Prize Rifle Presented to Sergeant Chester Earles

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  Lot #290  (Sale Order: 290 of 636) 
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.577 cal, 33'' barrel with a bright very fine to near excellent bore showing a little mild oxidation approaching the muzzle and otherwise strong three-groove rifling throughout. This handsome rifle was made by the famous Robert Taylor Pritchett of London, known for his special three-groove rifling and development of the renowned ''Pritchett bullet'' the swaged smooth-sided hollow base bullet adopted by the British military for use in their superior Enfield cartridge. This rifle also bears a fine period silver plaque on the right side of the buttstock that is neatly inscribed ''Presented / To the Sergeants of the / 38th Middlesex Rifle Volunteers / by / Lieutenant Palmer / Won / by / Sergeant Chester Earles / 9th January 1861''. Known by its moniker ''The Artists Rifles'', the unit was formed in 1860 and was indeed originally composed of painters, sculptors, musicians, actors and other artists. The official unit designation was the 38th Middlesex Rifle Volunteers until 1881 when it was changed to the 20th. Chester Earles was born in 1821 and trained as a painter and had portraits exhibited at the Royal Academy. He moved to Australia in 1864 and exhibited works at the Melbourne Intercolonial Exhibition and the Victoria Academy of Arts after its foundation in 1870. His oil painting ''Ophelia'' was displayed at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition. Earles remained a Victorian style painter of sentimental subjects until his death in 1905 in Melbourne at the age of 83. The barrel of this rifle retains some generous streaks of its original plum-brown finish throughout mixing with areas of deep gray and some overall light pitting. The lockplate and remaining small parts are similar, mostly a mix of pewter gunmetal and deep gray patina. The barrel shows strong R.T. Pritchett London address and proper London proof marks on the shank, the lockplate also maker-marked. The checkered walnut stock remains in about very fine condition showing honest wear with scattered light dings and a couple of small minor drying cracks forming around the lockplate. The silver plaque has probably been very lightly cleaned at some point in the past but all of the inscription remains strong and it is starting to reacquire a nice mellow tarnish. The proper hardware is intact including the chained nipple protector and a period tompion and the lock is crisp and seems to function well mechanically. The rifle includes printouts regarding the unit and Chester Earles, a copy of ''The History of the Artists Rifles 1859-1947'' by Barry Gregory and a reprint of ''Treatise on the Enfield-Pritchett Rifle'' by Henry Jervis-White-Jervis. This is a very interesting rifle with some fascinating provenance for the British antique arms collector. (13D11916-1) {ANTIQUE} (3000/4000)

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This item is part of Auction No. 146 Featuring Fine Collectible Arms
 Saturday, May 31, 2025 | 9:00 AM  Eastern
 
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Pritchett Pattern 1858 Two-Band Percussion Prize Rifle Presented to Sergeant Chester Earles
Pritchett Pattern 1858 Two-Band Percussion Prize Rifle Presented to Sergeant Chester Earles
Lot number: 290
Seller: Amoskeag Auction Company, Inc.
Event: Auction No. 146 Featuring Fine Collectible Arms
Ends: Saturday, May 31 | 9:00 AM  Eastern

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