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MAJOR JAMES MITCHELL MUTTER ARGYLL INFANTRY RIFLE,

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:3,000.00 USD Estimated At:6,000.00 - 10,000.00 USD
MAJOR JAMES MITCHELL MUTTER ARGYLL INFANTRY RIFLE,

SWORD & UNIFORM GROUPING. James Mitchell Mutter was born April 8, 1845 in Glasgow, Scotland & died at age 75 in British Columbia May 30, 1920. James traveled to Australia at age 18 & learned the business of sheep farming. He returned to Scotland & his fathers business of distilling in the island of Islay. He was educated at the Irvine Royal Academy. He was married to Isabelle Morrison in 1873. He attained the rank of Major in the Argylle & Bute Artillery Volunteers 1872 & Argylle Militia 1876. He was Justice of the Peace, Commissioner of Supply for Argyllshire & served in the provincial legislature. On October 17, 1891 he retired from the military & immigrated to British Columbia where he became a farmer & political figure. This extraordinary collection not only contains uniforms & documents of Major Mutter but also his son James Islay Mutter.
MAJOR MUTTER FORMAL DRESS BLACK & GOLD UNIFORM: grouping includes dress tunic & dress pants w/ gold trim. Boots w/ attached nickel plated spurs. Hat w/ Royal cipher. Bandolier, sash & pouch w/ Royal cipher in gold thread & accompanying storage bag for pouch. Gold trim sabretache w/ gold thread Royal cipher & accompanying storage bag for pouch. Sword w/ scabbard by Hobson & Son's London having gold sword knot. Dress sword has 32" blade w/ etched panels of scroll & patriotic themed emblems. Right side banner marked "ARGYLL/ARTILLERY VOLtrs 1872/ARTILLERY MILITIA, 1876" w/ additional etched panel having a castle over banner w/ motto "PATIENCE AND RESOLUTION". A smaller banner is marked "J.M. MUTTER". Ricasso marked "HOBSON / & SONS / LONDON / & / WOOLWICH". Plated iron hilt w/ copper wire wrapped sharkskin handle & gold sword knot. Polished steel scabbard w/ museum session marking "FL - 84 - 638 - 36".
FORMAL RED DRESS UNIFORM: black cap w/ silver decoration. Black silk Highlanders cap. Silver bandolier bag & attached pouch w/ Royal cipher & leather storage container. Black boots. White metal spurs. Tartan pants. Red Stroud Cloth dress evening jacket w/ silver buttons & silver thread decorations. Dark blue Stroud vest w/ silver buttons & silver thread decorations. Black boots w/ brass spurs. Horse hair sporran w/ regiment insignia.
BLACK UNIFORM: black tunic w/ black decorative trim. Black & white cap. Black sebretache w/ Royal crest & tartan pants also used w/ the red dress uniform.
FOOTLOCKER AND ACCOMPANYING ITEMS: sheetmetal footlocker measures 41" long, 12 1/2" wide & 8 1/2" high. Lid has riveted brass plate marked "J.M. Mutter Esqre / Argyll and Bute, Arty Mila". Second hat w/ Royal cipher. Wooden bootjack. Ebony handled brass regimental seal. Set of stirrups w/ metal backing & mesh straps. Gold epaulettes marked w/ letter "M". Blue web sash. Two red felt straps, 38" in length & 1 3/4" wide. 3 Sm. leather accessory straps. 1885 Dated Northwest Canadian medal marked "SASKATCHEWAN" on front border. All of the above items are held in a sm. cardboard storage box w/ attached lid. Trunk also contains 6 1/2" X 4 3/4" ambrotype of a young man in Scottish highland dress, ca. 1860 along w/ two photos of a young James Islay Mutter. Ten 3 1/2" X 5" black & white photos of items included in the collection. Also includes 3 cloth bags.
BINDERS: Binder vol. 1 contains photos & museum inventories of the collection along w/ 38 pages of original documents, envelopes & hand written descriptions pertaining to Major Mutter's time "On Her Majesty's Service". Binder vol. 2 contains 44 pages of documents, envelopes, photos & newspaper clipping reprints. Lg. legal size manila folder containing 77 pages of document photocopies, photos, original correspondence & Mutter family tree. Fourth folder contains numerous photos, military documents & reprints of Mutter family photos & information. One original framed photo of Major Mutter in dress uniform & one reprint of the same photo are included. One framed notary certificate from the Supreme Court of British Columbia & one framed certificate from the Society of Notaries Public of British Columbia. Additionally there is a letter from the Fred Light Museum in Battleford, Saskatchewan dated May 26, 2001 giving an itemized inventory of the Major Mutter items. Letter goes on to say "Thank-you for the years of loaning the artifacts to the Museum." CONDITION: uniforms & accessories are in good to fine condition. Documents & photos are very good & well preserved.
1853 PATTERN ENFIELD PERCUSSION RIFLE/MUSKET. Cal. 577. NSN. Bbl. 39" w/ a barleycorn front sight & graduated leaf military rear sight. Lock is marked w/ crown over "V.R" behind hammer. 1862 Date over "L.A.Co" is found forward of hammer. 3 Band fastened walnut stock w/ brass trigger guard, nosecap & buttplate. Buttplate inscribed "J.M. Mutter / FROM HIS FRIEND / A. Weir". Slotted tip ramrod. CONDITION: metal finish is fading to mottled gray/brown showing dents & handling marks. Original wood finish has an age darkened worn appearance w/ numerous scratches, handling marks & sm. dents. Sound lock. Bore retains strong rifling showing scattered light pitting. (01-20577/DS, 02-16230/DS & 02-16231/DS). ANTIQUE. $6,000-10,000.