This is a FINE condition example of the Plant’s Manufacturing Company Front Loading Pocket Revolver. Roughly 20,000 of these diminutive revolvers were manufactured during the mid-1860s, strong resembling the much larger Plant Manufacturing Company 3^rd pattern “Army” revolver. At just under 8” in overall length, these guns were a perfect competitor to the Smith & Wesson Model 1 .22 caliber revolvers and fired a larger and slightly more powerful cartridge. The six-shot pistols utilized a patented self-contained cup primed cartridge in .30 caliber. The revolver design attempted to circumvent Smith & Wesson’s control of the Rollin White Patent for the bored-through cylinder, by loading the ammunition from the front of the cylinder instead of from the rear. This allowed the rear of the chambers to be smaller than the mouths, and as would be argued when Smith & Wesson sued for patent infringement, not truly “bored through”. 

The single action revolvers had a spur trigger without a triggerguard, and a frame mounted ejector rod that allowed the spent cartridges to be forced out of the front of the chambers in the cylinder. The guns had 3 ½” long blued octagon barrels with a top rib, silver-plated brass frames and two-piece rosewood (sometimes walnut) grips. Even though collectors have long referred to the model as the “Pocket Plant”, the guns were actually manufactured by the Eagle Arms Company of New York City, while the sales and marketing of the guns was handled by Plant’s Manufacturing Company of New Haven, CT. The guns appear with a number of different retailer marks on the barrel rib, including those of Eagle Arms Co, Merwin & Bray and Reynolds, Plant & Hotchkiss. This particular gun is clearly marked on the top barrel rib: 

EALGE ARMS CO. NEW YORK.

The only other external marking is the serial number 5627 on the butt.  As noted some examples are Merwyn & Bray marked, as they were a major firearms retailer and distributor during the 19^th century, handling many famous firearms of the period, who they  promoted and distributed through. Period advertisements for the “Plant Pocket” touted the guns as “The Best Metallic Cartridge Revolver”

As noted, the gun is in about FINE condition overall. The serial number 5627 is clearly stamped on the bottom of the grip, placing the gun in the first third of production and making it a Civil War era pistol. The matching serial number is also present inside both of the grip panels. No other parts are serial numbered, as is typical on the earliest production guns. The gun retains about 30%+ thinning blue on the barrel, with the strongest and deepest blue on the top and bottom of the barrel in protected areas. The brass frame retains about 50%+ of the original sliver plating, most of which is moderately tarnished and is thinning and flaking as well. The left side of the frame and backstrap show the largest amounts of finish loss, with the left side of the frame retaining the large majority of its silver plating.  The cylinder retains about only minute traces of its original blued finish and has a moderately oxidized plum brown patina with some surface roughness and some scattered light pitting. The cylinder is clearly and crisply marked with patent information found on all “Plant Pocket” revolvers:

PATENTED JULY 12, 1859 & JULY 21, 1863.

 The action works well, and the revolver is quite crisp and tight. The revolver times and indexes as it should. The frame mounted ejector rod works as it should, and the cylinder pin is easy to remove to facilitate the removal of the cylinder. The bore of the revolver rates about FINE as well. It is mostly bright with crisp rifling and shows only some lightly scattered pitting and some moderate oxidation along its length. The rosewood grips are also in FINE condition with minimal marring and dinging and retain about 90%+ of their original varnished finish. They are free of any breaks, cracks or repairs, and are both stamp numbered 56 over 27 on their interiors, matching the serial number on the butt.

Overall, this is a really attractive Civil War era cartridge revolver that will look great in your Civil War or pocket revolver collection. It is a great representative example of one of the many types of interesting and unique “patent cartridge” revolvers that appeared in the US during the mid-19^th century. While the majority of these designs did not survive the test of time, giving way to the successful rimfire and centerfire designs that soon emerged, they represent an important part of the development of American firearms technology. This is a lovely little pistol in great condition with a wonderful overall look and eye appeal that would look great in any 19^th century arms collection.

SOLD