A rare 164-year-old rifle uncovered in Oxfordshire has sold for thousands of pounds at auction.
The musket, invented by Sir Joseph Whitworth, a mechanic who rose to become a renowned inventor in the 1800s, was one of several antique guns to excel in Hanson Holloway’s Ross April sale in Banbury.
The percussion volunteer musket, dated 1858, engraved ‘Joseph Whitworth Patent’ and considered one of the earliest examples of a sniper rifle, sold for £3,600.
READ MORE: Historic England images reveal Oxford's past
Other top lots included lot 215, a Colt 1851 model Naval percussion six-shot revolver No 175, £4,700; lot 216, a Colt 1851 model Naval percussions six-shot revolver No 36800, £4,700; lot 217, an Adams percussion five-shot revolver No 8525R, £1,700, and lot 342, a Tranter patent model percussion five-shot revolver No 3378, £1,600.
Jasper Marsh, valuer at Hanson Holloway’s Ross, said: “These five antique guns collectively achieved hammer prices of £16,300. The collectors’ market is strong for these investment pieces which demonstrate early mechanical engineering.
“Whitworth rifles have particular historical significance. They were invented in 1854 and became known as ‘sharpshooters’ due to their accuracy. They were used by Confederates in the American Civil War and claimed the lives of Union generals including John Sedgwick, one of the highest-ranking officers.
“Interestingly, in 1860 Queen Victoria, who made Joseph Whitworth a Baronet in 1869, fired a shot from a Whitworth rifle and struck the bullseye. On October 2017, a surviving example of a Confederate Whitworth rifle sold at auction in America for $161,000 (£122,900).”
-
Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
For news updates straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here
Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on news@nqo.com or 01865 425 445.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here