.63 caliber smoothbore. 33" barrels secured by two rounded brass clamping bands. SN: 1341. Heavily oxidized metal, brass mountings, hardwood stock. Single shot percussion muzzleloading rifle with fixed block rear sight, brass blade front sight, brass furniture and a full-length period jag head iron ramrod. Lock markings are very weak, but the New Orleans production era flag is still visible at the tail of the lock with weak traces of the "COOK & BROTHER" mark and the serial number "1341" present forward of the hammer. Most breech markings are obscured by pitting, but traces of the work "PROVED" are present at the left of the breech. The nose cap and lower barrel band are marked with the matching  serial number "1341", with the upper band numbered "1317". The barrel retains no legible serial number, due to pitting and wear. The triggergaurd is unnumbered, and neither the lock or tang screws have visible numbers. The lower sling swivel is missing from the rifle. The rifle is a New Orleans production gun that falls in the serial number range of the 1,000 rifle contract from state of Alabama, which was filled with guns that were nominally in the range of #800 to #1800. New Orleans production Cook Rifles appear to have run through about the 2,200 range, prior to the company's evacuation from New Orleans. Many of the rifles from the Alabama contract were issued to the 28th Alabama Infantry.

The firm of Cook & Brother was originally established by the English immigrant brothers Ferdinand, Francis & Frederick Cook as the Bellville Iron Works in Algiers, LA in the mid-1850s. This brought the first really modern iron works and foundry to the deep south, which had always relied upon northern manufacturers and imports for their advanced metal work. The brothers manufactured a wide variety of metal items and even dabbled in small arms manufacturing. The trio spun off the smalls portion of the business circa 1860-1861 as the Nashua Iron Works, located on Canal Street in New Orleans. They claimed that "rifles could be made here as well as in Yankee land or in Europe."  The firm soon changed the name of the small arms manufactory to Cook & Brother and with the coming of the Civil War were inundated with orders for small arms. Their primary product was a simplified brass mounted version of the British Pattern 1856 "Short" Enfield Rifle. Early orders for the guns came from the Sunflower Guards (Company I of the 21st Mississippi Volunteer Infantry) and from the state of Alabama who ordered 1,000 rifles which appear in the 800-1800 serial number range. Although early rifles used an integral saber bayonet lug like those found on the Enfield rifles, the firm soon changed to making slip on muzzle rings with lugs as bayonet adapters, simplifying the manufacturing process. As Federal forces closed in on New Orleans in March of 1862m the firm started to relocate, with many of the finished and unfinished parts on hand that were not yet made into completed arms being evacuated to Columbus, MS and the Briarfield Arsenal. The firm evacuated by river to Vicksburg, moved overland to Selma, AL and eventually to Athens, GA where they reestablished themselves and would go on to produce nearly 8,000 long arms before they were finally put out of business by Yankee Cavalry in December of 1864. The primary item produced were the Enfield pattern rifles, but the firm also made a small number of both artillery and cavalry carbines based upon the British Enfield family of small arms, as well as several thousand saber bayonets for use on both the guns they produced and for other weapons, including shotguns and civilian rifles. While all Cook & Brother made firearms of all types are quite scarce, New Orleans production guns are the least often encountered and the most desired by collectors.  {ANTIQUE}

Good relic condition. Bore has been bored out to smooth and is dark, heavily oxidized and shows some pitting. Metal with a thick and heavily oxidized brown patina and moderate amounts of pitting, with the pitting in the breech area quite extensive. Most markings are weak, if visible at all. Brass with an uncleaned, dark and rich patina. Lock remains mechanically functional. Wood with moderate wear, lightly sanded and showing numerous bumps, dings and mars. Upper band with the top portion filed down to allow the low front sight to be seen. A solid, untouched and real New Orleans Cook & Brother Rifle made under contract for the state of Alabama.