POTD: Driving Miss Confederacy – Kerr Patent Percussion Revolver
Sam.S 06.09.23
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Here we have a cool American Civil War-era revolver that was sent from Europe. James Kerr (pronounced “car”) established the London Armoury Company in 1856, where he manufactured Adams patent revolvers and Enfield rifles. However, the company soon shifted its focus to rifles, leading to Adams’ departure. Kerr then developed his own patented revolver design. During the US Civil War, the London Armoury Company struck a significant deal with the Confederate States of America, supplying them with over 70,000 Enfield rifles and a large quantity of these revolvers. The heavy reliance on Confederate orders ultimately led to the company’s dissolution in 1866. This revolver design incorporated a rifle-style lockplate and a removable cylinder, allowing for easy maintenance.
“The London Armoury Company is considered to have provided the Confederacy the best quality of arms of any supplier. Several well known Confederates carried the Ker revolver, including General E. Porter and General Josiah Gorgas. The London Armoury Company had essentially become a Confederate States armoury and a year after the Confederacy fell so did the London Armoury Company.”
Lot 4360: Civil War Era London Armoury Kerr Patent Percussion Revolver – American Civil War Era London Armoury Kerr Patent Double Action Percussion Revolver. (n.d.-al). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved June 6, 2023, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/1033/4360/civil-war-era-london-armoury-kerr-patent-percussion-revolver.
