GUN FALL 2015
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/5/2015
SCARCE COLT RICHARDS CONVERSATION OF MODEL 1860 ARMY SINGLE ACTION REVOLVER. COLT 1860 ARMY RICHARDS CONVERSION 4595 44 COLT Cal. 44 Colt. Nickel finish with 8" rnd bbl, orig front sight & 1-line New-York U.S. America address. Lug has rammer slot filled and right side has the attached ejector housing with checkered, half-moon ejector head. Left side of frame is marked with the 1871 & 1872 patent dates in 2-lines with Cal. marking on left shoulder of trigger guard. The silver plated brass trigger guard and iron backstrap contain a varnished 1-pc walnut grip that has matching SN in backstrap channel. This is Colt''s first successful conversion to a centerfire big bore revolver which was an instant success, much more practical than its predecessor the Thuer conversions. There were about 9000 of these revolvers converted in the period 1873-1878 in two different groupings. One group was numbered within the Model 1860 Army serial sequence and the other made up of previously unused parts. These revolvers were produced during the height of America''s great Westward expansion when any cartridge firearm was in great demand, especially the larger calibers. These revolvers usually saw very hard service and of the few surviving examples today very few retain orig finish. PROVENANCE: The Estate Collection of Phil A. Bleakney, Jr. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching except wedge which is properly unnumbered. Bbl retains about 95% strong orig nickel and the ejector housing about 90%. Frame retains 90-92% strong orig nickel with some bubbling on left side of frame and conversion ring. Trigger guard & backstrap show light flaking. Cylinder retains about 92-93% orig nickel and shows about 80% Ormsby navy battle scene roll marking. Grip has chipped toes and shows light edge wear and retains about 95% orig varnish. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore with a few scattered spots of light pitting. 49059-58 JR (6,000-9,000)