September 15, 16, & 17, 2026 Firearms & Militaria
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
Lot #1308:
(A) IMPORTANT PROTOTYPE OR EXPERIMENTAL COLT 1851 NAVY CONVERSION SINGLE ACTION REVOLVER.
Blue & color case hardened with 7 - 1/2" octagonal barrel, brass pin front sight, and early New York City address with dashes. Left side of frame has small “COLT’S PATENT”. The silver plated squareback brass trigger guard and backstrap contain a varnished 1-piece walnut grip with matching number in buttstrap channel. Cylinder is usual 6 chambers with Waterman Ormsby Naval battle roll die marking and has been converted in the Richards style conversion wherein the rear shoulder of the cylinder was machined away to expose the chambers, leaving about a 5/16" long star wheel extension. The conversion ring is also the Richards type with loading gate. Wedge is first type, mounted upside down, with retaining screw on the bottom, and fits in a groove on top of the cylinder spindle. The barrel of this revolver was apparently created especially for this conversion with a very unusual set of plugs in the rammer and rammer pivot slots. Further evidence that is was a specially created barrel is that there was never a dovetail for the rammer handle latch stud. Left side of the front strap is stamped with the number “47”. This number was not observed anywhere else on the revolver. Some of the screws are round head English type. Revolver is engraved in early scroll style with about 75% coverage, very well executed foliate arabesque patterns without background shading or pearling. Conversion ring, loading gate and hammer are not engraved. Matching foliate arabesque patterns extend nearly full length over the barrel lug and side flats of barrel with matching patterns on the top and top side flats. Muzzle is engraved in a scallop pattern with a double chip pattern around the barrel lug. Backstrap, buttstrap, and trigger guard are engraved to match. Trigger bow is also engraved with a small elliptical shield shape observed on other early engraved Colts. This revolver is pictured on page 112 of "The WM M. Locke Collection" by Frank Sellers. Undoubtedly, this is a one of a kind prototype for the later factory conversions of the ’51 Navy and others that followed. An exceptional and exceedingly rare gun that is an important piece of Colt History. PROVENANCE: William Locke Collection. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching except wedge which is unnumbered; barrel retains 75-80% glossy original blue with losses on both sides of the muzzle, probably from long term holster storage; frame retains 75-80% original case colors, strong in sheltered areas mostly fading elsewhere, worn to metal patina on left edge of conversion plate and loading gate; hammer retains about 70% faded case colors; cylinder retains about 50-60% thin original blue with 2 areas, opposite each other, that are metal patina apparently caused by long term holster storage; cylinder shows about 50% Ormsby Naval battle scene roll marking; trigger guard and backstrap retain about 98-99% strong original silver plate; grip shows heavy wear on the sides with a few light nicks and scratches and retains 50-60% original varnish; mechanics are fine; bright shiny bore with scattered light pitting.