GUN FALL 2016
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 4, 2016.
RARE AND VERY FINE MODEL 1851 NAVY PERCUSSION REVOLVER WITH MATCHING CANTEEN STOCK. (The Esteemed Collection of Steve Ardia)COLTSMALL GRD74626.36Cal 36. Late 3rd model (1857) '51 Navy with 7-1/2″ oct bbl, dovetailed front sight with German silver blade and 1-line Hartford address. Frame is 4-screw type cut for shoulder stock with flat head hammer screw and extended stock screws. Cylinder is unfluted with Ormsby Naval Battle Scene roll marking. The silver plated steel small trigger guard, trigger guard and backstrap contain a 1-pc varnished walnut grip that has last 4 digits of matching SN in backstrap channel. Sling loop fastened just forward of trigger guard. Accompanied by a very rare matching numbered canteen shoulder stock with brass & steel furniture. Buttplate also has matching number. Buttstock is very nicely figured, straight grained American walnut, and brass carbine buttplate. Bottom of stock and bottom tang have sling loops. Nathan Swayze in his 1967 text 51 Colt Navies shows SN 74628, just two numbers removed from this gun as reference for "Early 4 Screw Cut For Stock" section on pg. 68. There are few finer examples of this rare Colt Navy variant with extremely rare matching canteen stock. This gun is pictured on pg 48 of Colt: An American Legend by R. L. Wilson. PROVENANCE: The Esteemed Collection of Steve Ardia. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching including loading arm, wedge, cyl, grip and shoulder stock. Bbl retains 40-50% original blue with balance a mottled plum/gray, slight edge and muzzle wear. Frame, loading arm and hammer retain areas of bright and muted case colors in protected areas, balance silver/gray or silver/plum, hammer spur has some dark chocolate brown patina with light pitting. Cyl is crisp with 90% plus well defined Ormsby Navy Battle Scene roll marking, overall gray/plum matching patina, all safety pins are smashed. Trigger guard and backstrap retain about 90% of their original silver plate, now mostly a dull gray patina. Grip is sound and well fit with edge wear and nicks, scratches and wear at point of yoke contact, retains about 80% original varnish with losses only at edges and at yoke contact. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore. Canteen stock fits well with matching cosmetic dents and scratches to pistol, retaining over 95% of its original factory varnish, brass mounts retain mustard colored patina. 49631-15 JS (25,000-50,000)