Original Item: Only One Available. Featured on page 506 of David Harding’s wonderful work SMALLARMS OF THE EAST INDIA COMPANY, VOLUME 2 this model was ordered by the Commanding Officer, Captain W. C. Alexander in 1851 for the Irregular Bengal Cavalry.
Supplied by the London Gun maker GARDEN, 200, PICCADILLY, LONDON, which appears on the twist steel barrel. The lock is engraved IRREGULAR 12th CAVALRY.
The mounts are unusual German silver and the carbine features a swivel-trapped ramrod for use while mounted. The left side bears a saddle bar on which a single ring floats for attachment to the Cavalry Trooper’s body sling. If dropped the weapon would then just dangle at the rider’s side.
Completely stripped and cleaned the proof marks and barrel contractor’s name are all recorded on an accompanying hang tag. In this case the barrel maker is: CLIVE. T
Bengal 12th Irregular Cavalry was one of the units that rose in mutiny against the British East India Company in 1857. The rebellion was finally quelled in 1859 after fearful loss of life both to the Europeans and Indians alike. The defeated mutineers fled to Nepal in the east where the British had prearranged for them to be arrested and hanged, the Nepalese being allowed to keep their weapons. In fact the Nepalese did keep all the weapons but allowed the mutineers to settle in Nepal resulting today in Nepal having a large Indian population.
This is a very rare Carbine cleaned to fine display condition and easily researchable.