Lot 79

Civil War Confederate Griswold & Gunnison Percussion Revolver

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Civil War Confederate Griswold & Gunnison Percussion Revolver

Estimate: $20,000 - $35,000

Starting Bid: $18,000

(0 Bids)

by Rock Island Auction Company
June 27, 2026 5:00 PM CDT
Live Auction
3600 Harwood Road
Bedford, TX, US 76021

Exceptional, Extremely Rare, and Well-Documented Civil War Confederate Griswold & Gunnison Percussion Revolver On April 12, 1861, at 4:30 a.m. Confederate forces opened fire on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor. The fort’s Union defenders held their fire until around 7:00 a.m. when Captain Abner Doubleday fired the first cannon ball in response. Though no Union defenders were killed, after hours of bombardment the fort was on fire, and Major Anderson was already nearly out of supplies before the battle even began and could not hold out. A white flag was raised over Fort Sumter signaling surrender, and the American Civil War had begun. Though the Confederates had won an early victory in a nearly bloodless battle and both sides believed the war would be decided in their favor quickly, the conflict ahead would be long and brutal. Around 620,000-700,000 soldiers died during the war in battle or from disease. The Confederate armies suffered approximately 94,000 killed in battle and 164,000 lost to disease plus another 194,026 wounded in action and 31,000 men taken as prisoners of war. In addition to soldiers, an unknown number of enslaved African Americans died from starvation, disease, and exposure during the conflict, with some estimates over 100,000. In addition, 50,000 other civilians died indirectly from the war. From the very beginning, the Confederacy was under supplied and lacked the resources to properly equip its growing army. 90% of the pre-war industrial production took place in the northern states, including all of the major American firearms manufacturers with the exception of the federal armory at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, which was first captured by secessionist forces on April 18, 1861. Benjamin T. Arrington estimates that the North produced 32 times more firearms than the South. However, when it became clear that the war would not be quick, the Confederacy looked to its people to step up domestic production, typically turning to companies that had little to no experience in arms production. Samuel Griswold of Griswoldville, Georgia, became the largest Confederate handgun maker during the war. Griswold was born in Connecticut but moved to Georgia in 1822 and established a cotton gin factory which is said to have been the largest producer of cotton gins in the nation. During the Civil War, the Griswold Cotton Gin Company's factory first produced pikes for Georgia, and they then produced only approximately 3,700 of these distinctive "Griswoldville" revolvers in 1862-1864 at a rate of around 5 a day, in part using the labor of twenty-two slaves supervised by two overseers. For comparison, 31,003 Remington New Model Army revolvers were delivered to the U.S. Ordnance Department in 1863 alone. Early collectors referred to these revolvers as Griswold & Grier in reference to Griswold's son-in-law attorney Ebenezer C. Grier, but he was actually associated with Arvin N. Gunnison, another transplanted Yankee who was manufacturing cotton gins in New Orleans before it fell to the Union. The Griswold & Gunnison revolvers are based on the Colt Model 1851 Navy; in fact, the “Telegraph” in Macon, Georgia, on August 5, 1862, reported, “We were equally surprised and gratified on Saturday last, at the sight of a Colt’s Navy Repeater, made at the machine shops of Messrs. Griswold, at Griswoldville, about 12 miles from Macon. The weapon had just passed the inspection of the Confederate Superintendent of Armories…This is a strong illustration of the power of the South to supply her own wants.” The latter was certainly a stretch given the very limited production of revolvers and other firearms throughout the South during the war. With severely limited supply and tremendous need, essentially all Confederate-made revolvers were rushed into service and saw extensive use during the war and after severely limiting the number remaining for collectors, let alone examples in complete and original condition. Production continued for over two years. However, during the Battle of Griswoldville at the beginning of Sherman's March to the Sea on November 20, 1864, the factory and much of the town was destroyed by the 10th Ohio Cavalry and 3rd Kentucky Cavalry. Although manufacturing ceased at Griswoldville, the Confederacy continued to receive these revolvers as late as April 1865 and the fall of Richmond and the surrender of General Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia. Completed revolvers and remaining parts were likely moved before the plant was destroyed and were later assembled at another location. Based on the serial number listings on page 300 of “Confederate Handguns” by Albaugh et al, this exceptional Griswold revolver was delivered around February 1864. It has the distinctive round barrel with a small brass post front sight and an octagonal barrel lug. Like the Colts, the rear sight is a notch on the hammer. The hammer also has hand-cut knurling on the spur. The revolver has a brass frame, trigger guard, and back strap. The six-shot cylinder has rectangular stops and safety pins between the percussion nipples. The revolver has a one-piece walnut grip. The revolver has no maker’s marks. The left side of the barrel, cylinder, and frame have the matching serial number “2273”, and the matching assembly/secondary number “23” is also marked on the loading lever arm, left side of the front strap, and heel of the back strap on the right and is written in pencil in the back strap mortise. The right side of the back strap also has “XIIII”, and “II” is marked on the rear of the frame on the right. The iron components are rather well-made, but the brass components have uneven edges and casting flaws as are typical of Confederate products. This revolver is listed by serial number on page 36 of “Confederate Handguns” as one of the surviving examples known to the authors. They estimated at that time that only 4.1% of the production survived. The revolver is also illustrated on page 24 of the Winter 1961 issue of “The American Gun” in the article “Swords from Ploughshares” by Foster Harris. The illustration with Confederate reunion badges and ribbons is also included in a framed display. The current consignor is a descendant of the man that purchased the revolver from Herb Glass in the fall of 1961. In an included November 18, 1961, letter Glass states: “Am sending along the exceptionally fine Griswold & Greer that you saw during my recent visit to your office. As you know, this gun is serial #2273 and is the one pictured in Volume 1, No. 1, of the American gun. I am including a copy of the magazine to go with the gun as I think it does a great deal to enhance the value of the pistol. About 30,000 copies of this book are now becoming collector’s items and I think that any arm pictured in it has an added impetus for investment growth. This is the finest Griswold & Greer that I have ever been privileged to own and am certain that it would rank in the top three in existence as far as condition and originality are concerned. The gun is 100% original in every respect. It retains generous traces of original blue – all original color and it has not been worked on, polished or cleaned in any manner. I am sure this gun will give you a great deal of pride of ownership – plus prove to be a fine investment.” The value of the sale is not mentioned, but given the large increase in the auction prices for Confederate firearms, especially revolvers, the family will no doubt find it to have been a great investment as will its new buyer.

Manufacturer: Griswold & Gunnison

Model: Percussion Revolver

BBL: 7 1/2 inch part round

Gauge: .36

Finish: blue/brass

Grips: walnut

Serial Number2273

Class: Antique

  • Provenance: The Herb Glass Collection; A Private Family Collection Since 1961
  • Condition: Exceptionally fine for a Confederate firearm with strong traces of original blue finish mixed with dark brown patina, highly attractive untouched original "mustard color" patina on the brass frame and grip straps, and fairly minor overall wear for any Civil War revolver let alone a Griswold & Gunnison. The slightly undersized grip is fine with smooth oiled finish, minor dings, and light edge wear. Mechanically functions. The iconic Griswold & Gunnison revolver is easily identifiable and remains the most popular of all Confederate side arms. This remarkable example endures as a potent reminder of the bloody fight that tore this country in two in the 1860s. Union victory ultimately settled the controversial issue of slavery in the United States and affirmed that the country was a perpetual union, but the scars of the Civil War remained for many years to come.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $199 $10
$200 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000