GUN FALL 2015
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/5/2015
EXCEPTIONAL CASED COLT MODEL 1849 PERCUSSION POCKET REVOLVER. COLT 1849 262357 31 Blue & color case hardened with 5" oct bbl and scarce 6 shot cylinder, brass pin front sight and scarce 1-line New York address. Left side of frame is marked with a small “COLTS PATENT” and it has 6-shot cylinder with stagecoach holdup scene roll marking. The large guard silver plated brass trigger guard & backstrap contain a varnished 1-pc walnut grip with last four digits of matching SN in backstrap channel. Accompanied by an red lined mahogany casing partitioned in the bottom for the revolver, a brass 2-cavity “COLT’S PATENT” mold with sprue cutter, & a dbl sided brass eagle flask. An ELEY cap tin marked “COLT PATENT BELT AND POCKET PISTOLS” on its original label is found in a compartment. This revolver was produced in 1864 during the height of the Civil War and almost certainly would have seen service during the Civil War and later, probably on the American Frontier. These small revolvers were extremely popular from their first production until well into the 1870s when they were supplanted by the advent of the self-contained cartridge revolver. They saw extensive use by frontier people of all walks of life and are rarely found today with such near new condition and almost never with an orig case. This is an exemplary 5" pocket with a scarce 6-shot cylinder. According to Jordan & Watt in their text on Colt pockets, only 5,700 6-shot variants were made in the Hartford range of over 20,000 pistols. PROVENANCE: The Estate Collection of Phil A. Bleakney, Jr. CONDITION: Excellent overall. All matching including wedge & grip. Bbl retains 97-98% strong orig blue. Rammer pivot & handle retain thin dark case colors; frame & hammer retain brilliant dark case colors over 90% of their surfaces. Cylinder retains about 95% orig bright blue with the balance plum retaining almost 100% crisp rolled stagecoach holdup scene; trigger guard & backstrap retain traces of orig silver plate. Grips are sound and solid, well-fit retaining almost all their original bright varnish with only the slightest edge wear. Mechanics are crisp, very bright shiny bore. Case is sound with a few light handling & storage nicks & scratches. Interior has some light fading, soiling & wear inside. Iron 2-cavity mold is average condition with traces of finish. Flask retains most of its orig varnish retaining a nice dark patina. Cap tin excellent overall retaining most of its orig japanning and fine green paper label. Cartridge pack is sound and solid with discernible label as can be seen. 49059-74 JS (5,000-8,000)