Original Item: One-of-a-kind! This is the only example we have ever seen. This 22-inch barrel, 38-inch overall length cavalry carbine with saddle bar and two saddle rings has lock markings of the Birmingham England contractor C. MAYBURY and the date 1852 across the tail of the lock plate.
The Carbine has an attached swivel ramrod for use while on horseback and has all brass mounts.
Most interestingly the tang of the butt Plate retains the faint, partially removed by what appears to be a file, original markings that we beilev read -OO— CAVALRY for POONAH CAVALRY. This outfit was raised in 1817 as the Poonah Auxiliary Cavalry and renamed the Poonah Irregular Horse in 1847.
There are some wood cracks to the fore end about midway along the barrel on both sides. The barrel still bears visible small Birmingham proof marks.
This is an exceptionally rare cavalry carbine from the East India Company controlled state of Poonah. See complete history on pages 513 and 514 of Volume 2 of SMALL ARMS OF THE EAST INDIA COMPANY 1600-1856 by David Harding.