Pre Parker Brothers Rifle for sale at Auction

[Elvin Ehrhardt]

In case anyone is interested I came across this 1864 civil war rifle that was manufactured by Charles Parker’s manufacturing under one of their civil war contracts. Here are the posted description details from the auction. You can find this by going to HiBid online auction’s and conducting a search for a Civil War era Triplette and Scott, Meriden.
Description: Rare Civil War Era Triplett & Scott Meriden Kentucky Repeating Rifle 50RF “KENTUCKY” Marked Triplett & Scott Patent Rifle, made circa 1864-65 by the Meriden Manufacturing Company of Meriden, Connecticut. Meriden Manufacturing was founded by Charles Parker and his brother, who would later go on to become one of the most famous firearms manufacturers in the world with his beautiful shotguns. That firm would be called Parker Brothers. However, these brothers would first make themselves by contracting for the Union government during the American Civil War. They produced the Triplett & Scott Repeating Rifle and Carbine on contract with the state of Kentucky for 5,000 pieces. Around 3,000 of the 30 inch barrel rifles/carbines were manufactured as part of the contract. These were to be issued to the Kentucky Home Guard for supply train defense for the Union Army as General Sherman marched on Atlanta. This rifle is marked “KENTUCKY” on the left side of the receiver. The tang is marked “TRIPLETT & SCOTT/PATENT DEC. 6, 1864”. The left side of the frame is marked “MERIDEN MANFG. CO./MERIDEN. CONN.” The right side of the frame is marked with the serial number.

[ArtS]

These are generally for sale at one auction or another. They made, I believe, 5000 for use by the Kentucky Militia, issued during the civil war and saw little actual use other than guard duty. A lot of them have stock problems due to a very weak design due to the magazine in the buttstock. Haven't checked lately but there are usually a few on Gunbroker and other sites. Prices usually run 1800 to a few thousand due to condition and they don't seem to move quickly.

They don't seem to be really popular. I thought of buying one for a while but just never pulled the trigger (so to speak) and I am from Kentucky. They were not really a Federal battle rifle so don't have a lot of appeal to service rifle collectors, and they are not actually Parkers so don't appeal to Parker collectors in any major way. They are interesting, but a weak design with not a lot of broadbased appeal that I have seen.

[Elvin Ehrhardt]

Yes that was kind of my feeling as well I have 3 Parker’s but, this thing really doesn’t have the same appeal. But, when I came across it I thought someone might be interested because it was kind of how Parker Brothers got into the game. That being said I’m not bidding on it.

[Bill Murphy]

I have been interested in purchasing a Triplett and Scott rifle as long as I've been collecting Parkers. However, I have never found one that didn't have the characteristic cracked or broken stock.

[Elvin Ehrhardt]

Bill I’m not totally sure, but I don’t think this one has a cracked stock. When I checked again I didn’t see any cracks and the present bid is only $185.00. You might want to check it out.

[Bill Murphy]

Elvin, thank you for your help, but I have no idea how to access this auction.

[Elvin Ehrhardt]

Bill if you are really interested in this call me and I'll walk you through how to access the HiBid website, setup an account and then how to bid on this or other items that your interested in. They have Parker Brothers shotgun coming up for bid all the time because HiBid actually links to auctions nationwide.

[ArtS]

I am on HiBid all the time. what is the location and auction house? I would like to look at the pictures.

[Elvin Ehrhardt]

Art
It’s at Moon Auction Group, in Stamping Ground, Kentucky. Here’s the link https://hibid.com/lot/199797136/civi...riden-kentucky

Just copy and paste the above to you internet page and it should take you there.

[Dean Romig]

The PGCA had one of these on display with other unusual Charles Parker guns and other items in the Meriden Historical Society’s headquarters in Meriden, CT.

There are a couple of articles concerning these guns in previous issues of Parker Pages when I was editor. One featured was the only known highly engraved one.





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