Double Digit Serial number on Remington New Model?

[chaz]

Hi, I posted about 5 years ago with a question about a Remington New Model that I have but didn't follow through with pics, info. etc...at any rate, I have posted some pics and apologize for the quality but they should give a general idea of what I am dealing with.

I have as I understand it a Remington New Army Model with matching serial numbers of 11.
I have checked all other places and they match. There is a "K" stamped into the trigger guard. My question is that I cannot find any info on such an early serial number and I'm really confused as this appears to be either very rare or maybe not what I think it is - here is what is printed on the top of the barrel..

Patented Sept 14. 1858
E. Remington & Sons.Ilion NewYork.U.S.A.
New-Model

Can anyone tell me what I actually have and if there is any significance to the double digit serial number - I was offered $1500.00 for it by a local auction house - I obviously declined...

Thank you,
Charles

[aardq]

Hi Chaz,

You have a new Model, it's an Army if in 44, or Navy if it's in 36 caliber. The serial will be on the lower left grip frame, and the inside of the trigger guard tab, and the underside of the barrel. The serial 11 should indicate that it was the11th one made, but with that early number it should have features of both the earlier, Old Model, and the New Model, but your pistol is all New Model. It would have been made in April,1863. The Ivory grips could be factory, or more likely, added after it left the factory. The front sight is also not factory. The two digit serial would make the gun more interesting to some collectors, but the overall condition is such that most collectors would not be interested, and the number ads no value. The period holster would ad a little value.
Enjoy your old Remington,
Daniel

[billt]

Under normal circumstances a 44-caliber percussion revolver with serial number 11 should be a Beals Army since the serial numbers did not start over from one when the models were changed. In his book Remington Army and Navy Revolvers 1861-1888 Don Ware stated that there were exceptions to the sequential serial numbers such as when a batch of revolvers needed special finishing. Then the serial number started at one and continued to the end of the lot. He sites as the first example of this when Remington presented army revolvers to the Governors of the Union states. The practice continued throughout the Civil War and in postwar production possibly to identify special orders by dealers. I suspect your revolver is one from a special order. As Daniel said the Ivory Grips could be factory and from your pictures it looks like any special finish is gone. As to when it was made, if it is a special order it could have manufactured anytime during the production of New Model Armies and there are no Remington production records to verify the date.

Bill

[chaz]

Daniel,
Thank you for the info. All the numbers match is definitely 11 - Its just that all the info I have gotten says they "start" at a much higher number so I was confused - but at least now I know its nothing special because of the low serial number....

Thanks again,
Chaz

[chaz]

Bill,
Thank you for the info. I assume it was a special order...To be honest I am disappointed about the value as I thought the low serial number and apparent rareness would compensate for the other factors that affect that. Nonetheless I appreciate your information.

Thanks again,
Chaz

[chaz]

Would any of you recommend getting it re-finished? I get conflicting advise - some say there is more collector value as is while a few others have said the low serial numbers justify restoring it...any ideas so that max. value is recognized?

Chaz

[aardq]

Bill must be right. It's the only way to explain the two digit number. I had to dig out Ware's book, and found a comment that Rem shipped a second gun with the "fancy" one which were sent to each state. The second gun was just a regular gun with Ivory grips. This may be one of those guns, but then again, maybe not. With no Rem records, or no documentation, and Rem's habit of batch numbering, we'll never know for sure.

Daniel