November 15 & 16, 2022 Extraordinary Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/16/2022
1861 vintage Colt 1851 Navy, as per serial number 93243. 7 - 1/2" octagonal barrel with Hartford, CT barrel address, dovetailed blade front sight, and hammer notch rear. 1 piece carved ivory grips featuring a profile of a Cuirassier on the left panel with 2 holes on right grip panel where there appears to have been an oval presentation plaque. Grips are hand numbered to match in a factory style on backstrap with grips removed. Factory engraved in Gustave Young's classic style in about 75% coverage with floral scroll on a punchdot background accented by sunburst on top of backstrap near hammer. Further accented by dog near rammer assembly screw with wolf's head on hammer. Silver plated backstrap and trigger guard. Full or partial matching serial numbers observed at barrel, rammer, wedge, cylinder arbor, cylinder, frame, trigger guard, and butt. Complete with factory letter documenting configuration, with the exception of stocks being listed as wood. Shipped from the factory April 26, 1861 to W. A. Thornton c/o Colonel D. D. Tompkins, Assistant Quartermaster General New York, New York in a shipment of 10 guns of the same type. Brevet Brigadier General William Anderson Thornton graduated West Point in 1825 as a 2nd Lieutenant, and served from that time until his death in 1866. His service included arms and ordnance inspection at Watertown Arsenal, Watervliet Arsenal, Mt. Vernon Arsenal (Alabama), New York Ordnance Depot, Inspector of Contract Arms, in command of Watertown Arsenal and New York Ordnance Depot, Member of Ordnance Board for trial of Small Arms, in command of St. Louis Arsenal, Chief of Ordnance for the Department of New Mexico, Member of Ordnance Board for testing the strength of heavy guns and gun carriages, and in command of New York Arsenal. He was brevetted to Brigadier General March 13, 1863 for “Faithful and Meritorious Services in the Ordnance Department”. Colonel Daniel D. Tompkins graduated West Point in 1820 and served from that time until his death in 1863. He was the nephew of the Governor of New York who went on to be Vice President who had the same name. During the Seminole Wars in 1836-1838 he was present for the skirmish at San Velasco Hommock and the Battle of Wahoo Swamp, where he was brevetted to the rank of Major for “Gallant and Meritorious Conduct in the War against the Florida Indians”. Later, he would also brevetted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel for “Meritorious Conduct, Particularly in the Performance of His Duties in the Prosecution of the War with Mexico” while carrying out his role as a Quartermaster. In 1856 he received the rank of Colonel where he would serve as Depot Quartermaster at New York City during the Civil War. Given the pedigree of this revolver, as well as the configuration, and its historic shipping destination in a shipment of 10 guns of the same type, it is very possible that this revolver was meant to be a gift to a loyal staff officer under either Thornton or Tompkins. CONDITION: Very good, with virtually all of the original bluing faded to a gray patina with light freckling throughout and engraving crisp. Cylinder scene is mostly legible with scattered areas of fading and freckling throughout. Backstrap and trigger guard retain a handsome majority of their original silver plating mixing with brass that has turned a mellow patina. Grips show some age related shrinkage and have yellowed with age with crack on right grip panel but are otherwise complete with cuirassier profile crisp. Action is tight and mechanically fine. Bore is lightly frosted with well defined rifling.