3030

Rare and Unique Brettell & Frisbie "EUREKA" Percussion Pocket Revolver, Serial Number 53

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:1,200.00 USD Estimated At:3,000.00 - 4,250.00 USD
Rare and Unique Brettell & Frisbie  EUREKA  Percussion Pocket Revolver, Serial Number 53
Covered by patent #16575 (Brettel & Frisbie, 10 Feb 1857), less than six of these revolvers are known to collectors today (see, for example, Seller and Smith's "American Percussion Revolvers", page 19). The patent covered an improvement to the Ells revolver, consisting of the addition of a "hesitation lock"- a mechanism in which the first pull of the trigger cocks the hammer and a further pull releases it. The revolver could also be fired by pulling the trigger straight through, ignoring the "hesitation". Marked "BRETTELL. & FRISBIE. / PATENTED FEB. 10. 1857." on left side of the hammer, "BRETTELL. / & / W. B. POTTS / COL. O" on right side and "EUREKA" on top. W.B Potts refers to William Potts of Columbus, Ohio, who was the son of a hardware dealer and was listed in the 1861-1862 City Directories as operating a brass foundry. Five shot cylinder, with iron frame and smooth grips. "53" is marked on the back of both grips, the bottom barrel flat and cylinder pin.
BBL: 3-1/2 inch octagon
Stock:
Gauge: 31
Finish: blue
Grips: walnut
Serial Number: 53
Condition: Very good plus, with a smooth brown patina overall, limited traces of original blue finish on the bottom barrel flat and some scattered light spotting. Very fine grips, with a thin crack on the right panel and some minor dings and scratches. Mechanically very good.