19th C. Nepalese Enfield Pattern 1853 Percussion Rifle-Musket (Auction 2026-06-05, Lot 195A)

$1,156.50

The Pattern 1853 Enfield was the standard-issue British infantry rifle-musket of its era, chambered in .577 caliber and capable of accurate fire at ranges far exceeding the smoothbore muskets it replaced, and was distributed widely across the British Empire throughout the mid to late 19th century. This three-band example retains its original walnut stock, long rifled barrel, , ladder rear sight, iron sling swivels, and brass-tipped ramrod in largely complete condition. Nepalese ownership or symbolic markings have been engraved into the brass and wood along the trigger plate, rear sight, and near the breech. The original British proof marks and Board of Ordnance stamps appear to have been deliberately polished away, a practice consistent with colonial redistribution and local rearming, as vast quantities of surplus Enfields were distributed or captured across India and Nepal throughout the latter half of the 19th century. The Enfield played a central role in some of the most consequential conflicts of the Victorian era, most notably the Indian Rebellion of 1857, where the introduction of the greased cartridge that soldiers had to bite open became a flashpoint for the uprising.

Provenance: private Lafayette, Colorado, USA collection; ex-Bannerman Auctions

Condition: Good. Not tested for functionality. The ramrod is stiff and non-removable. Heavy patina and mineral encrustations throughout. Abrasions and chips to the wood stock. British proof marks polished smooth with faint suggestion of a crown emblem on the lockplate. Nepalese markings etched in several areas. Stable and displays well.