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BRITISH IMPORT CARBINE SLING SWIVEL AS PURCHASED
BY THE CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY – MAKER MARKED – A RARE
SPECIMEN: For many years this pattern of
carbine sling swivel has been recognized as having
originated in England and to have been purchased by the
Confederacy for use by their mounted troops, however,
until recently there was no known affirmative connection
that tied this pattern of sling swivel to England or to
the Confederacy.
This specimen, stamped on the link between the snap and
the sling roller, “Jukes Coulson & Co.”, confirms that
these carbine snap swivels were manufactured in
England. In recent years it has been determined that
this company was in business at the time of the American
Civil War and is still currently in business as “Jukes
Coulson Stokes and Co., Ltd”, located in Suffolk,
England. According to the company representatives,
Jukes Coulson & Co. manufactured hardware and other
blacksmith related work during the mid 19th
century; the company was actively exporting their
products overseas; and that the company is known to have
provided their products to the famous Hudson Bay Company
here in North America.
While this pattern of carbine hook resembles the pattern
in use by the British Army in the mid 19th
century, the Jukes Coulson Company representatives had
no knowledge, records, or memory of ever having had a
contract to manufacture these carbine sling swivels for
the British Army. This specimen, like other known
specimens, does not have the “broad arrow” stamp, which
if present would indicate acceptance and use by the
British Army. The absence of the British Ordnance stamp
indicates these were made by Coulson for a buyer other
than the British government, and certainly the
Confederate States Army would have been a ready buyer
for such equipment.
This particular pattern snap swivel is shown on page 148
of Ken Knopp’s Made in the C.S.A., Saddle Maker’s of
the Confederacy, with a caption indicating that its
origin is unclear, but stating further that it “remains
quite likely that some British snap hooks were imported
by the Confederacy.” The discovery of these maker
marked specimens and the subsequent research that
identified them as a product of a 19th
century English manufacturer involved in exporting goods
to North America furthers the belief and aids in the
confirmation that these snap swivels were indeed
available to the Confederacy.
This specimen is complete with a functioning snap and
all of the components to include the brass strap roller
have a clean smooth surface. The stamping on the link
is legible, although being applied to such a narrow
surface some of the individual characters are not
complete. Overall this is an excellent, like new
specimen.
This is an exceptionally rare, identified piece, as was
purchased by the CSA agents working in the foreign
markets and imported to arm the soldiers of the
Confederacy. Whether displayed as is, or mounted on a
leather or linsey-woolsey sling, this carbine snap
swivel will be an important addition to your
collection. (0418) $450
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