GUN FALL 2015
The live portion of this session begins on Monday, October 5, 2015.
VERY RARE COLT MODEL 1855 REVOLVING SHOTGUN.COLT1855 SHOTGUN45920 GACal. 20 GA Standard Grade shotgun with 26-3/4" oct to rnd bbl, front bead missing and top flat with two line address. Bottom of bbl has an attached iron rib with two guides containing an orig Gutta Percha cleaning rod. Receiver has usual markings on left side. Frame is small size with small iron trigger guard. It is mounted with uncheckered, straight grain American walnut which includes small pewter tip forearm secured with a single key through German silver escutcheons and straight stock with smooth steel buttplate numbered "457". Cylinder is fluted, 5 chambers, matching numbered and has patent information in one flute. According to Flayderman''s Guide to Antique American Firearms there are only about 1,100 of these rare shotguns produced in the period 1860-1863 in four variations. These shotguns were produced just prior to the onset of and during the Civil War, and it can be estimated that they would have seen service during the Civil War. Very few survive today, and of those, extremely few known with high orig finish. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching except buttplate as noted above. Bbl retains about 93-94% strong orig blue with some scattered light surface rust. Frame retains 75-80% glossy orig blue with some light flaking and a few spots of light surface rust. Top and bottom tangs are a blue gray patina as is the buttplate. Cylinder is a mottled silver gray patina. There is a hairline crack near the toe adjacent to the bottom buttplate screw, otherwise wood is sound with a few light nicks and scratches and retains most of its orig varnish with a few minor nicks and scratches. Mechanics are fine. Dark bore that may clean better. Gutta Percha cleaning rod is wrapped with tape at the top, otherwise appears to be completely intact having faded to a chocolate patina with black orig color under the guides and on the tip. 49141-1 JR (10,000-15,000)