Snake Oil … I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but now that the correct link to the auction has been posted and I have examined the markings, I regret to advise that they are fake … rather typical of the "Khyber Pass Specials" individually handmade mostly in the Darra region of Pakistan.
Although they often look the part … and sometimes may even incorporate some original parts … such guns are pretty much entirely handmade of questionable materials and specifications and, in addition to not being the genuine article for an overly high price, are generally considered to be unsafe to fire. Sometimes the markings are quite laughable (e.g. obvious things like mis-spelling "Enfield", stamping backwards letters, and so on) but some of these makers do a better job than others of duplicating original markings … with this carbine being in the latter category.
However, concentrating just on the receiver markings, if you compare the markings on the carbine you have bought (top) with the original markings on a genuine I.C.1. carbine (bottom) the differences are obvious -
Note, among other things:
- the crown, although a lot better rendition than on most Khyber Pass Specials, is not correct
- the letter font of the V.R cypher and the word 'ENFIELD' is better than on many of the fakes, but still not right
- the slight misalingnment of the letters in 'ENFIELD' … not as bad as many examples, but it is still evident that the letters were stamped individually … whereas on an original gun the name 'ENFIELD' was applied with a single stamp.
- the period is missing after "ENFIELD'
- the number font of the date is wrong, and the period is missing
- the "crown over broad arrow" ownership mark is incorrect
- the
correct designation at the bottom is "I.C.1" (uppercase I, uppercase C, arabic numeral 1, each followed by a period - denoting Interchangeable Carbine, first pattern) but is one thing these chaps always seem to mess up the worst when faking a carbine: they tend to stamp ICI (or 1C1) in a very incorrect font and without the periods
- also, note the difference in the size of the markings in comparison with the cocking indicator, and poor positioning relative to the cocking indicator. (The size differential may mean that the maker replicated the very large cocking indicator which was only used on the earliest Mark I Martini-Henry rifles … i.e. very early 1870's … but definitely was not used on the much later I.C.1. carbines.
Perhaps you will be lucky and be dealing with a reputable seller who will agree to abort the sale and return your money … with the added bonus that you might not have to stay on the couch