Some people call these French rifles but almost all Civil War imported French style rifles and muskets were actually made in Liege Belgium.  The Belgian arms trade provided a ready source for various French and British arms to the Union and Confederacy.  There were several different styles and models produced in Belgium.  This particular example is in .70 caliber also known as the "Tige" rifle.  This rifle along with its sword style bayonet was actually the inspiration and predecessor to the Whitney Plymouth Naval Rifle.  The design also fits well within the theme of many Confederate-produced 2 band short rifles and brass handled sword bayonets produced during the War. The Confederate Fayetteville Rifle and sword bayonet would make a good example.  It also reminds me a little of the 2 band Lamb rifles produced in Guilford County, NC where octagonal barrels from sporting rifles were turned down to round with the breech areas left octagonal to provide extra strength to the breech areas.  These were the same principles applied to the Tige concept.

In spite of the all the seeds of innovation this rifle provided planted in the minds of American arms manufacturers, the one thing that never inspired the Americans was the the ugly back-action lockplate...these never caught on over here and as a collector, I'm certainly glad....its marked G. SCHUPEN/ A. LIEGE.  There is also the Liege proofmark on the left side of the barrel.  Barrel measures a little over 34" while the bayonet measures 27".  The Tige principal is basically a metal rod, or tige, that extends from the breech plug into the chamber area....the ball or bullet was inserted down the bore and pounded via the ramrod over the tige expanding the bullet and leaving a hollow cavity....leaving you with a somewhat of a do-it-yourself minie ball..... I guess that's what one could call it.   This rifle appears to be the model 1853 with the back of the barrel having thick octagonal walls and the bolster stands slightly outwards from the barrel.

While the vast majority of French style rifles were imported by the Union, most were the longer muskets. There is at least one documented group of Tige Rifles imported by the Confederacy during the early part of the war matching the configuration of this particular rifle. According to the book "Firearms from Europe, 2nd Ed" by Whisker, Pgs 110-111, this group would have been the Model 1846 or 1853 as the Confederate Ordnance Manual of 1862 lists these rifles as a "Carbine A Tige"....as the tige principal was exclusive to only these two model rifles/carbines. This shipment of Tige rifles is believed to have arrived at the Port of Savannah on Sept. 16 1861. Since this particular rifle matches the Confederate Ordnance manual description, it is certainly a possibility that this could have been used by the Confederacy....its condition matches that of a well used Civil War Enfield rifle. 

The rifle and bayonet are in untouched attic condition and definitely has seen a great deal of action.  It rates overall NRA antique Good condition. The rifle has a nice uncleaned deep patina overall with decent markings...with some light pitting around the bolster area from percussion ignition.  Lock is marked G. SCHUPEN while is one of the known Liege makers listed in the Civil War book "Firearms From Europe" The rear sight base in intact but missing its ladder.  Front sight is located at the front of the barrel.  Lock function on both full and half cocks.  Barrel is secured by two iron bands with springs.  The ramrod is not the original but that of a US Model 1842 rod.  The bayonet lug is numbered "223" either stamped or engraved onto the face.  There is also a very small cartouche just behind the breech on the wood which is mostly illegible.  Wood appears to be made of light grained walnut in good condition with very good wood to metal fit.  There are minor wood losses along the extreme edges of the ramrod channel. True to the rifle, there is no cheekpiece.

The bayonet is correct for this rifle and has a 22.7" blade, brass handle, and measures 27" overall.  The guard is made of iron with a large diameter hole to accommodate the .70 caliber barrel. The brass handle has cuts matching the exact contours of the lug and is secured by a spring mounted iron catch for locking the lug securely to the barrel. The bayonet is in good condition and fits the rifle nicely.  Blade is marked S&K indicating its origin of manufacture to be right next door to Liege in Germany.  The German states had  a number of excellent blade manufacturers...if not the best in the world at that time. Once again, according to the 2nd Edition of "Firearms from Europe" by Whisker on page 110, "some Liege weapons have German made bayonets"....thus it quite acceptable and completely correct for these Rifles to have German-made blades. Belgian makers contracted out all their component work to small subcontracters who delivered the parts for assembly at one central location....this was called "the factory system".  Since there were a number of excellent blade makers right next door in Germany, why re-invent the wheel. The Belgians simply purchased many of their bayonets from this excellent high quality source.  An identical bayonet to this one is pictured in the Fighting Men of the Civil War by William Davis on Pgs. 52-53 as well as several photos and further information in Whisker's book. During the war, both sides imported these rifles with bayonets.   

On a somewhat tangential sidenote, this system was also incorporated 80 years later during WWII in Germany due to the destruction major manufacturing centers by Allied bomers...only then it was termed "de-centralized production."  Believe it or not, the productivity of equipment, such as the Focke Wolfe Fighter planes actually increased using this principal.  The Factory System has been carried on today...just look at how cars and trucks are manufactured using the "Just in Time" principal where various components of automobiles are delivered to assembly plants.  

All in all, this is just a good Civil War rifle that saw service on both side of the Civil War in addition to providing inspiration behind several American designs during the war.  Best of all, in today's world of high prices, this one won't leave very large hole in your wallet. 

Item# 0284

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