For a brief period of time, circa 1857, a series of double action percussion revolvers were produced that are known to collectors as the IXL Percussion Revolvers. To date, the actual manufacturer of these guns is unknow, but some evidence points to IXL being a trade name of Benjamin J. Hart, a New York City based gun and sporting goods retailer who operated circa 1848-1865. At least a few of the Pocket Model IXL Revolvers are known with the B.J. HART / BROADWAY retailer marking, so Hart was at the very least a seller of the guns and may have actually contracted for their manufacture, along the lines of modern-day OEM manufacturing.
Like most percussion revolvers of the mid-19th century, the guns were produced in two basic frame sizes: a .31 caliber “pocket” sized revolver and a .36 caliber “navy” or “belt” sized revolver. Both versions were produced with solid frames that had octagonal barrels screwed into the frames. The revolvers were produced in two basic mechanical design variants: a spurless center hammer double action only version and a spurred side-hammer conventional double action version. All models were five-shot, double action percussion revolvers with Colt-style toggle link loading levers under the barrel. The lever catch on the navy sized revolvers was a uniquely machined piece that engaged mirror image machining on the face of the lever. This was a simple and artistic way to lock the lever in place without relying upon any kind of spring-loaded catch or mechanism; the catch was based entirely upon geometry and friction. The pocket-sized guns used a more conventional spring-loaded detent catch, with a pointed cone, rather than ball shaped spring stud. It appears that blued finishes with color casehardened hammers and loading levers were standard. Most known examples have frames engraved with New York style foliate Arabesque scrolls and the two-piece smooth walnut grips were varnished. One of the more interesting features of the larger, “navy” sized revolver was a removable circular sideplate on the left side of the frame that allowed access to the revolver’s mechanism.
The smaller, IXL Pocket Model was nominally .31 caliber with nominally 4” octagonal barrels being standard. The most common variant was a double-action-only revolver with a center-mounted spurless hammer. It is believed that about seven hundred and fifty of these revolvers were produced. These guns are marked IXL N. YORK on the top barrel flat, which is how the series of guns had been identified as “IXL” revolvers. Some of these guns are also found with the B.J. Hart retailer marking. The IXL marking is likely a reference to the trademark of Sheffield knife maker George Wostenholm who produced bowie knives marked I*XL, which literally means “I Excel.” A second, much rarer version of the pocket revolver was produced with a side-mounted spurred hammer and a “conventional double action” mechanism, which meant it could be manually cocked and used like a single action revolver or the trigger could be pulled with the hammer down for double action use. According to Flayderman’s Guide to Antique American Firearms, only one hundred and fifty of these revolvers were produced and they were unmarked other than with their serial numbers.
The larger version of the IXL handgun was the IXL Navy, a nominally .36 caliber revolver with an approximately 7” octagonal barrel being standard according to Flayderman’s. However, it appears that 5” was also a standard barrel length. Again, the guns were produced in two variations, a spurless, center-mounted hammer double action only version and a conventional double action version with a side mounted spurred hammer. According to Flayderman’s neither of the Navy sized variants is marked except for serial numbers and both versions are believed to have been produced in very small quantities, with fifty being the estimated production for each one. I have a feeling that most of the guns are found unmarked due to quality control issues which rendered at least some of the IXL Navy revolvers dangerous to the user.
Other than Flayderman’s, very little is available in print about these rare revolvers, and a serious scouring of the internet has revealed very little additional material about them. Two sources that do discuss the IXL revolvers are Sellers & Smith’s American Percussion Revolvers and Chamberlain & Taylerson’s Adams’ Revolvers. Both note that similarities in the IXL designs to both Robert Adams M1851 revolver design and the later Beaumont-Adams M1854 design. The side hammer revolvers appear to have at violated, at least in spirit, Beaumont’s double action lock work patent that had been filed in the United States. The center hammer revolver designs utilized an integral bolt stop as part of the trigger, which bore upon the rear of the cylinder to provide positive lock up when the gun was fired and the trigger was pulled fully to the rear. This was part of Adams’ 1851 design. The spring loaded, frame mounted safety found on the center hammer guns, which allowed the revolver to be placed in a “safe” condition and freed the cylinder to rotate for loading as if the gun was on half cock, was also part of Adams’ 1851 design. While all authors and researchers on the subject tend to agree that the IXL revolvers were made in America, there is not good evidence regarding who the manufacturer may have been. One potential theory posits that since there are BJ Hart retailer marked examples, and since Hart was also a distributor of Bacon Manufacturing Company firearms, these guns may have been produced by that company specifically for Hart to retail. Bacon produced about 600 of their second model pocket revolvers for Hart which bear his retailer mark. The connection is only tenuous, but it is possible the IXL revolvers were intended to add a double action revolver to the Bacon manufacturing line up, but the attempt was not successful, either due to poor sale and market acceptance or possibly due to patent infringement actions taken by Adams, Beaumont or possibly the Massachusetts Arms Company, which had entered into a patent licensing arrangement with Adams to produce M1854 pattern revolver in 1857. Interestingly the introduction of the Mass Arms Adams revolvers coincides with the time frame it is believed that the IXL revolvers were being manufactured, and the Massachusetts Arms Company would have been remiss not to defend the patent rights they had licensed.
The rarity of the IXL revolvers, in particular the “navy” model, cannot be overstated. Significant research on my part could only find three IXL Navy Revolvers that have sold publicly in the 15-20 years, and these were guns number 5, 17 and 38, two of which have sold at least twice during that period. Interestingly, at least two of those guns show signs of catastrophic failures during their working life. This suggests that the rarity of IXL revolvers of all types may be directly related to low quality production and failures that resulted in the destruction or at least the discarding of the gun.
Offered here is a rare IXL Pocket Revolver in a an exceptionally rare, original and correct wood case. The revolver remains in about VERY FINE condition and has a 3 ½” octagonal barrel and is nominally 7 ¾” in overall length. Like other center hammer, double action only IXL revolvers, the gun has a five chambered unfluted cylinder. The revolver is nominally .30 caliber with the chamber mouths measuring .294”, and the bore also measuring .294” from land to land. The bore is rifled with six deep, narrow grooves. The revolver is clearly marked on the top barrel flat:
IXL N. YORK.
The only other marking is the serial number 11 which is found under the barrel, forward of the frame concealed by the loading lever. Both grips are numbered 11 as well, in pencil on their inner surfaces. Like a number of other known examples, the frame of the revolver is engraved with flowing New York style Arabesque foliate scrolls with some limited punch dot shading. The engraving is fairly loose and was designed to occupy a significant amount of surface while being economical with the actual engraving cuts. The revolver incorporates the traditional top strap groove rear sight and a brass cone front sight.
As noted, the revolver remains in about VERY FINE and retains about 60%+ of its original blued finish. The barrel retains about 90%+ bright blue, which is thinning and fading and shows some high edge wear and loss. The barrel shows freckles of surface oxidation that are scattered along its length and mixed with the blue. The cylinder retains a similar amount of original bright blue, again showing some thinning and fading, some high edge wear along the front face and to a lesser extent some freckled oxidation similar to that found on the barrel. There are also a small number of very small surface finish scratches present on the cylinder. The frame shows only some scattered traces of blue, as do the triggerguard, grip frame and backstrap. The exposed metal on these parts has a dull, lightly oxidized brownish gray patina. The markings and the engraving on the gun remain clear, crisp and sharp. The revolver remains mechanically functional, although the action is a little gritty with a heavy and somewhat inconsistent trigger pull. The spring safety functions as it should. Lightly pressing the trigger allows the safety to pushed into the frame, creating a hammer block and freeing the cylinder to rotate. Pulling the trigger to fire the gun allows the safety to pop out of the way and let the hammer fall onto the percussion cones. The bore is in VERY GOOD condition with deep, crisp rifling, scattered surface oxidation and some lightly scattered pitting. The grips remain in about FINE condition. They retain much of their original varnish with some thinning and high edge wear. The grips remain fairly crisp but do show some lightly scattered bumps, dings and mars and some minute chipping at the sharp lower leading and trailing edges.
The revolver is accompanied by its original period casing which was clearly intended for this exact revolver with a 3 ½” barrel. The compartmentalized case is made from varnished walnut with a soft wood bottom. The interior is lined with burgundy velvet with a burgundy pillow in the lid. The casing contains three accessories for the display of the revolver. These include a period zinc leaf motif pistol powder flask, a jappaned Eley embossed lid percussion cap tin and a bullet mold. The flask is of the correct size for the compartment and fits well. It is appropriate in size for the revolver but was probably added for display purposes and is not likely original to the casing. The cap tin is also of the period and of the correct size but again was likely added for the overall display of the gun. The mold is definitely not correct for the casing, although it looks good in the compartment. The mold is a combination barrel wrench and mold with a single round ball cavity that casts a nominally .30 caliber ball. The mold would have originally seen use with a twist off barrel pistol, as the barrel wrench is part of the mold. All three items remain in about VERY GOOD condition, all are period, and all look good in the case as representative accessories for the casing. The case remains in about VERY GOOD condition as well. The casing shows moderate wear both externally and internally with scattered surface scuffs, dings and mars, but no real abuse. There is a small area that was repaired on the right-side corner of the lid, but it does not detract substantially from display. The interior lining shows moderate wear and fading, typical of a 150+ year old pistol casing.
Overall, this is an extremely attractive example of one of rarer handguns in American percussion revolver collecting. While the IXL Double Action Pocket Revolver is the most “common” of the IXL series of handguns, it is far from common. In fact, with only 750 or so produced, it is quite a rare handgun. Even more uncommon is the casing, which is actually correct for the gun. For any collector of rare percussion revolvers, particularly American ones, an IXL revolver is a real coup to add to their collection. Don’t miss you chance to obtain one of the great rarities in American percussion revolver collecting at an extremely fair price.