GUN FALL 2015
The live portion of this session begins on Monday, October 5, 2015.
FINE CASED COLT 3RD MODEL DRAGOON PERCUSSION REVOLVER WITH VERY RARE 8″ BARREL. COLT DRAGOON 3RD MODEL 18513 44 Cal. 44. Blue & color case hardened with rare 8" oct to rnd bbl, nickel silver front sight and 1-line New York City address. Left side of frame is marked with small "COLTS PATENT". Cyl has the Ormsby dragoon Indian fight scene roll marking with the rare & desirable "U.S. DRAGOONS" & "COLT'S PATENT" cartouches surrounding the SN. It is unusual to find the "U.S. Dragoons" marking on such a late production revolver. Five of the six safety pins are serviceable. The silver plated brass trigger guard and backstrap contain a varnished 1-pc walnut grip with partially visible "851-" SN in backstrap channel. Accompanied by an extremely rare, original, burgundy velvet lined mahogany casing for the 8" dragoon. Interior is compartmented for the revolver, a rare double sided dragoon flask with trophy of flags & arms and "COLTS PATENT" marking in a ribbon. Flask has high mounted triangular rings & angle spout. Also accompanied by a blued steel bullet & ball "COLT'S PATENT" mold with sprue cutter marked on the right side "44H" & "D". Additionally accompanied by a lacquered tin of Eley's caps with repoussed brass label on the lid and an L-shaped nipple wrench. There were only about 10,500 3rd Model Dragoons produce in the period 1851-1861, of which extremely few were equipped with 8" bbls, possibly as few as fifty. Of that small number an equally small percentage was cased, with only one or two known today. PROVENANCE: Robert Howard Collection; Dr. John & Margaret Pickup Collection. CONDITION: About fine, all matching including rammer, cyl & grip. Bbl retains strong orig blue showing thinning on rnd section with loss areas on the bbl lug flaked to a dark patina. Left side of rammer pivot retains strong case colors with the balance turned silver. Frame retains 60-70% of its moderately faded case colors on the right side and about 30% on the left side. Hammer retains dark case colors. Cyl retains traces of orig blue with the balance flaked to a dark patina and shows about 90% dragoon Indian fight scene roll marking. The "U.S." in the "U.S. DRAGOONS" cartouche is only faintly visible. The "DRAGOONS" & "COLT'S PATENT" cartouches are completely legible & prominent. Trigger guard & backstrap retain about 60-65% orig silver with the balance a lemony patina. Grip is sound with minor handling & storage nicks & scratches and retains 80-90% orig varnish. Mechanics are fine. Bright shiny bore with two or three spots of pitting. Case is very fine with usual handling & storage nicks & scratches and retains most of its orig varnish. Interior is lightly faded in the lid with very light soil. Bottom is soiled from contact with the bbl, cyl and edge of grip under the revolver and from the flask & mold in the other compartments. Two smaller compartments are stained from lead balls. Flask is very fine showing one small dent on the neck and overall retains about 80% strong, orig finish. Mold is equally fine with some minor spotting on the handles and retains about 90% orig blue. Nipple wrench & cap tin are fine. 49154-2 JR (60,000-90,000)