New Anchor S image.

I just discovered that the watermark was covering the Anchor S mark, so I have posted a new one.

As early as the spring of 1861, the Confederate government sent agents to Great Britain to acquire arms and accoutrements. During the course of the war as many as three hundred thousand longarms were imported from Great Britain. Unfortunately, most of these arms cannot be distinguished from their Yankee imported brethren, but some, like the rifle musket shown here can be positively identified as a Confederate import by its inspector mark. The most desirable of markings are the JS Anchor and Anchor S, in that order.

Confederate inspector marked guns can still be found occasionally and at a fraction of the cost of the Confederate manufactured weapons. Just ten years ago (2014) I would find one or two of these anchor marked guns at nearly every show, but they have all but disappeared. About all I see now are "captured and collected” arms. This is the first nice Anchor S marked rifled musket that I have had for quite some time.

This example is all original with the exception of the sling swivels, which are original replacements. It is a very nice gun with a very visible anchor S mark. It even has a lot of the original finish left. The patina is deep and original. The gun has a couple of imperfections: Someone started to clean it on the back half of the lock, so the patina is light there which is correctly shown in the pictures. The threaded tip of the ramrod was wrung off long, long ago as the base is as dark as the tip. The rifling is very strong and the bore excellent.

With those exceptions the gun is in very, very good, condition. (note: the sight elevator slide is missing)

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