GUN SPRING 2016
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/14/2016
SCARCE HIGH CONDITION MARTIALLY MARKED COLT MODEL 1860 ARMY PERCUSSION REVOLVER. COLT 1860 ARMY 137243 .44 Cal. 44. Blue and color case hardened with 8" rnd bbl, German silver front sight and 1-line New-York U.S. America address. Frame is 3-screw type cut for shoulder stock with flat head hammer screw and marked on left side "COLTS PATENT". Cyl is rebated and has the Ormsby Naval battle scene roll marking with 4 of the 6 safety pins are crisp and serviceable, the other 2 are missing. The unplated brass trigger guard and blued steel backstrap contain an oil finished 1-pc walnut grip with last four digits of matching SN in the backstrap channel. Left side of the grip has a crisp "JLD" (J. L. Doppman) inspector initials and right side "JT" (John Taylor) sub-inspector initials. There are various inspector initials on other parts of the revolver. The Model 1860 Colt was one of the most popular side arms during the Civil War with more than 200,000 produced 1860-1873, of which the US government purchased more than 127,000 on military contracts. They were equally popular with the Confederacy when they could be obtained. Most of these revolvers saw hard service throughout the Civil War and later on the American frontier with various Cavalry and infantry units, including the famed 7th under Custer and the 10th Cavalry, the famous all black Cavalry regiment. They remained in service well into the 1870''s until supplanted by the Model 1873 Single Action Army cartridge revolver. The military finish found on those revolvers purchased by the government differs from the civilian counterparts being slightly more dull satin with, unplated trigger guard and oil finished stocks as found here versus the higher polished blue, silver plated trigger guards and varnished stocks on the civilian version. PROVENANCE: The Esteemed Collection of Steve Ardia. CONDITION: Extremely fine plus, all matching including wedge, cyl and grip. Bbl retains 90-92% strong, orig military blue showing thinning around the muzzle with some light flaking elsewhere and a lightly cleaned area on the right side by the wedge slot. Rammer and handle retain virtually all of their bright orig case colors. Frame and hammer retain brilliant case colors showing only faint sharp edge wear. Screws retain most of their orig blue. Cyl retains a dull blue in the rebated area being a blue/grey patina on the major diameter and shows about 98% Naval battle scene roll marking. Trigger guard has a few small nicks on the frontstrap and shows a medium mustard patina. Backstrap & buttstrap retain virtually all of their orig blue, thin on the heel. Grip is sound with only a couple of minor, tiny nicks and retains virtually all of its orig oil finish. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore with a few scattered spots of light pitting. This revolver is suitable for the most advanced Colt collector or museum collection being one of the finest martial Model 1860 revolvers to come to market in recent history. 49631-24 JR28 (15,000-25,000)