*US, Civil War Era 1864-1870, Lucius Willson Pond Front Loading 7-Shot .22cal Revolver, Very rare – approx 2000 made, Matching serial numbers, Obsolete Calibre*
Serial number “687”, marked underneath the barrel, on the base of the stock, extractor rod and the trigger.
Top of the barrel marks are indistinct
Left flat of barrel: “Pat’d Nov 8th 1864”
7 shot, .22cal, 6cm barrel, 15.5cm overall.
Front- loading, 7-shot .22 cal revolver made by Lucius W. Pond in Worcester, Massachusetts in c1864. The Pond’s unusual feature of front loading cylinder utilizing removable individual steel chamber was an attempt to circumvent the Rolling White patent under control of Smith & Wesson. Patented Nov 8th 1864.
*Condition*
This is in excellent condition and cocks and dry-fires. It retains all of its original steel individual chambers, which are easily removeable (incredible to survive since 1860’s) and the action functions perfectly. The gun shows age related wear. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
*History*
Lucius Willson Pond, born on April 20, 1826, in Hubbardston, Massachusetts, began his career around 1846 working for machinist Samuel Flagg in Worcester. He purchased Flagg’s business in 1854 and operated under his own name by 1857. In 1862, the Chicago Daily Tribune featured the only known advertisement for Lucius Pond’s guns. However, in the same year, he faced a lawsuit from Rollin White for infringing on White’s patent with the belt revolver, which ultimately helped maintain Smith & Wesson’s monopoly over cartridge-load revolvers until 1868.
Pond’s gun production included three models: an Army percussion revolver, a cartridge-loaded belt revolver, and the front-loading revolver. To evade Rollins White’s patent, the front-loading revolver lacked bored-through cylinders. Instead, rimmed .22 caliber cartridges were loaded in the front, with a small sleeve centered around each cartridge. Loading the revolver was a cumbersome process involving rotating the cylinder for each chamber, making it unpopular and rare, with expert Flayderman estimating that only several thousand were made.
During the economic downturn, Pond fell into financial hardship. By 1874, he resorted to fraudulent activities, altering and re-issuing checks to himself for larger amounts. The fraud was uncovered in 1875, leading to Pond’s disappearance and subsequent arrest while attempting to flee to Australia. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison but was pardoned in 1882 after serving 6 years.
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