The Gardner guns were early crank type rapid fire arms which were originally invented in 1874 by William Gardner, of Toledo, Ohio, formerly a Civil War Union Army captain. After producing a handmade prototype, Gardner sold American manufacturing rights to Pratt & Whitney of Hartford, Connecticut, who made improvements to Gardner's original design such as adding a safety mode that allowed an operator to run ammunition through without firing the weapon. Versions of Gardner guns were designed with one, two and five barrels. This example has two barrels which are encased in Edward G. Parkhust's patent improved outer cylindrical jacket that could be filled with water to prevent overheating. These guns were fed with gravity driven magazines and operated by hand turning a crank which moves bolts back and forth for firing and extraction. This reciprocating motion system is used in many of today's machine guns. In the two gun model cycling the action alternated firing from both barrels in an effort to reduce overheating. From the mid-1870s to early 1880s Pratt & Whitney manufactured an estimated 21 guns for U.S. War Department trials. Although the U.S. Navy purchased a limited number, the Army was not interested and never officially adapted the Gardner gun. However, the U.S. Army later procured ten improved 2-barrel Gardner guns with carriages, which were delivered September 30, 1898 right after the Spanish-American War. Although limited numbers of Gardner guns were purchased, the Gatling gun fulfilled the U.S. Army's main needs of the time. William Gardner decided to set up his own company and continued to manufacture his guns separately as the Gardner Gun Company starting in 1879. Eventually the Gardner gun gained the attention of the British government who ordered it for all branches of their military as manufactured by the Gardner Gun Company located out of England. The weapons saw action with British forces in a few African wars in Sudan and the Upper Nile. Serial number "20” stamped on the receiver, receiver cover, and a few internal components. "45" stamped on the front surface between the barrels. A blade front sight is mounted on the left side of the barrel jacket, with an elevation adjustable rear sight mounted on the left of the receiver. The left of the receiver features a selector switch that allows a safe mode to be able to cycle the weapon without tripping the firing pin. "AB" punch dotted on the top cover. Fitted on an original tripod, and includes one professionally made modern reproduction magazine and a modern wooden transport case.

Fine, with bright golden patina on the brass, some dings and handling marks. Professionally made modern reproduction rear sight, barrels and magazine. Mechanically excellent. Tripod is very good with some scattered gray patina and mild pitting on the iron legs, and brown golden patina on the brass. As a rare surviving example of 19th century American innovation, the Gardner gun is an important piece in the evolutionary development of the machine gun, and is missing from even the most advanced public and private collections.