Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! In the 1850s, a breechloading carbine design emerged, utilizing a unique paper cartridge system. Patented by William Terry in 1855, the Calisher and Terry Carbine held a .54 caliber Minié bullet encased in a nitrated paper wrapper containing the powder charge, with a greased felt wad. Adopted by the British military in 1860 for cavalry use, it armed the 18th Hussars and saw action in the colonial forces of Australia and New Zealand from 1863. The carbine even made a cameo in the American Civil War, with Confederate leaders J.E.B. Stuart and Jefferson Davis possessing examples. Between 1860 and 1870, only around 20,000 of the Terry Carbine manufactured before the firm closed when the metal cartridge rendered their design obsolete.
“Blade front and folding ladder rear sights, with “BREECH LOADING ARMOURY COMPANY (LIMITED)” and “TERRYS PATENT 30 BORE.” on top of the barrel, which is fitted with the distinctive “door bolt” style breech action. The lock bears the “crown/VR” Victoria cipher, with “TOWER/1865” sheath of the hammer. Matching numbers are present on the bolt arm, hinge and the rear triggerguard finial. Smooth straight wrist stock, with cleaning rod, sling swivels, “WD/broad arrow on the right side of the buttstock and a smooth buttplate.”
Lot 215: Calisher & Terry Breech Loading Carbine 30 – Calisher & Terry Patent Breechloading Percussion Carbine Dated 1865. (n.d.-a). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/54/215/calisher-terry-breech-loading-carbine-30.
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