GUN SPRING 2016
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/14/2016
EXTREMELY RARE CASED COLT MODEL 1860 FLUTED ARMY PERCUSSION REVOLVER. COLT FLUTED ARMY 946 .44 Cal. 44. Blue and color case hardened with rare 7-1/2" rnd bbl, German silver front sight and 1-line Hartford address. Frame is marked with a small "COLTS PATENT" and is 4-screw type cut for shoulder stock with flat head hammer screw. Cyl is full fluted with 6-chambers and has the SN in one flute and patent markings in the adjacent flute. The silver plated brass trigger guard and steel backstrap contain a varnished 1-pc Army size walnut grip. No disassembly was effected to check for matching number in the grip. Only about 4000 of the total production of about 200,000 Model 1860''s were manufactured with fluted cylinders, almost all under SN 8000. Many of these first year revolvers were sold on contracts to Southern dealers and consequently were used by the Confederacy during the Civil War and are considered secondary Confederate arms. Accompanied by an extremely rare orig mahogany Colt casing for the 7-1/2" Model 1860. Case is burgundy velvet lined and compartmented in the bottom for the revolver, a single-sided "COLTS PATENT" trophy of arms & flags flask with angle spout, a blued steel, bow-legged "COLT''S PATENT" bullet & ball mold with sprue cutter marked with a "D" on the right side, a packet of Colt''s Cartridge Work''s combustible cartridges and a paper sealed tin of Eley''s caps with blue paper wrap and green label. That these revolvers are extremely rare is without question. The 7-1/2" bbl version is even more rare and cased examples are virtually unknown. Add to that rarity the strong orig finish makes this an incredibly rare set. PROVENANCE: Robert Howard Collection; The Esteemed Collection of Steve Ardia. CONDITION: Extremely fine, all matching including wedge and cyl, grip was not checked. Bbl retains about 70-75% glossy orig blue with the loss areas flaked, not worn to a medium patina. Rammer pivot retains bright case colors with the handle mostly faded to silver. Frame and hammer retain virtually all of their brilliant case colors, lightly faded on top edge of hammer. Cyl, which appears to be unfired, retains about 75% glossy orig blue with the loss areas flaked to a light patina, showing only sharp edge wear. All 6 safety pins are crisp and serviceable. Trigger guard and backstrap retain virtually all of their orig silver finish, slightly pimpled on heel of backstrap and buttstrap. Grip is crisp with only a couple of minor nicks and retains all of its bright orig varnish. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant, shiny, unfired bore. Case has a grain check in the bottom, otherwise is sound with usual nicks and scratches and retains virtually all of its orig varnish. Interior is moderately faded with light soil inside the lid lining and moderate soiling and staining in the bottom. Partitions are solid with moderate damage to the lining from the front sight, hammer spur and heel of the grip. Flask has a couple of small dents and overall retains about 90% strong orig finish. Mold is crisp and appears to be unused, retaining 96-98% orig blue. Cap tin is missing a couple of small spots of paper, otherwise wrapping is intact with lightly faded top label. Cartridge packet is half opened but full and wrapped in plastic and appears to be fine. 49631-34 JR16 (65,000-95,000)