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EXTREMELY RARE CASED 2ND MODEL COLT DRAGOON PERCUSSION REVOLVER IN OUTSTANDING CONDITION.

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:37,500.00 USD Estimated At:75,000.00 - 125,000.00 USD
EXTREMELY RARE CASED 2ND MODEL COLT DRAGOON PERCUSSION REVOLVER IN OUTSTANDING CONDITION.
SN 10705. Cal. 44. Spectacular Dragoon with 7-1/2" oct to rnd bbl, German silver front sight and New York City address. Left side of frame is marked with a small "COLT'S PATENT" over a tiny "U.S.". Cyl is usual 6-shots with Dragoon/Indian fight scene roll marking and "MODEL U.S.M.R. / COLT'S PATENT" panels surrounding the SN. All six safety pins are crisp & prominent. The silver plated brass square back trigger guard & backstrap contain a varnished 1-pc walnut grip that has the matching SN in the backstrap channel. Bottom left edge and top left corner of the grip have small inspector initials as do several of the metal parts including the backstrap, cyl, trigger guard & bbl. Given that this revolver has a varnished grip in spite of the military inspected parts it is a scarce civilian model. It is known that civilian revolvers were built from military contract overrun parts. Accompanied by an orig, burgundy velvet lined mahogany Colt casing, compartmented in bottom for the revolver, a sgl-sided Dragoon size trophy of flags & arms "COLTS PATENT" flask with low-mounted triangle hangers, a brass 2-cavity bullet & ball "COLTS PATENT" mold with sprue cutter which is also inspected on the sprue cutter & body and a large tin of Eley's caps. While the 2nd Model Dragoon was the highest production of the three Models of the Dragoon, it was also one of the most used having served on the American frontier prior to the Civil War and throughout the Civil War then back on the American frontier well into the 1870s. They usually saw very hard service under harsh conditions with little or no maintenance and are rarely ever found with any orig finish and cased examples are nearly non-existent. PROVENANCE: Dr. John M. Pickup Collection. CONDITION: Extremely fine plus, all matching except wedge which is numbered "607", appears to be new & unfired. Bbl retains 96-97% orig blue, lightly cleaned with scattered fine pitting on left side with strong & dark blue on the bbl lug; rammer retains bright case colors on right side of pivot, faded on left side & handle; frame retains moderately faded case colors with strong bright fire blue on screws; hammer retains strong case colors on left side, faded on right side; cyl retains 92-94% strong orig blue with crisp legends and shows about 99% Dragoon/Indian fight scene roll marking with all six safety pins crisp; face of cyl retains thinning orig blue with strong blue in the chambers & bore; grip frame retains virtually all of its orig silver finish. Grip is crisp with only a couple of very minor surface nicks and retains virtually all of its bright orig varnish. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore. Case has three grain checks in the lid, otherwise is sound, missing its shield shaped escutcheon, with usual handling & storage nicks & scratches and some minor chemical spotting on top; inside lid is lightly faded & soiled from contact with the revolver; bottom is lightly to moderately faded & soiled; flask is extremely fine & retains about 95% crisp orig finish; mold is fine with a few light nicks & scratches with a mottled metal patina on the sprue cutter; cap tin is fine with yellowed & chipped label. 4-46440 JR110