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SCARCE CASED COLT MODEL 1861 NAVY PERCUSSION REVOLVER.

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:8,750.00 USD Estimated At:17,500.00 - 27,500.00 USD
SCARCE CASED COLT MODEL 1861 NAVY PERCUSSION REVOLVER.
SN 36300. Cal. 36. Blue & color case hardened with 7-1/2" rnd bbl, German silver front sight and 1-line New-York U.S. America address. Left side of frame is marked "COLTS PATENT" and left shoulder of trigger guard has the caliber marking. The silver plated brass trigger guard & backstrap contain a fine, varnished, 1-pc walnut grip with last four digits of matching SN in backstrap channel. Cyl is usual 6-shots with Ormsby Naval battle scene roll marking and all six safety pins are crisp & serviceable. Accompanied by an orig, burgundy velvet lined mahogany Colt casing, partitioned in the bottom for the revolver, a sgl-sided, angle-spout "COLTS PATENT" mold with trophy of arms & flags, a blued steel 2-cavity "COLTS PATENT" mold with sprue cutter, marked on right side "36B". Sprue cutter is dbl stamped. Also accompanied by a packet of "COLT'S CARTRIDGE WORKS" combustible cartridges, a cap tin and a functioning key. According to Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms there were only 38,843 of these scarce revolvers produced in the period 1861 thru about 1873. The Model 1861 is regarded as Colt's most beautiful percussion handgun. The majority of the Model 1861 production saw hard service throughout the Civil War and later on the western frontier, usually under harsh conditions with little or no maintenance and are rarely found with high orig finish. Cased examples are exceedingly rare. This revolver, having been manufactured late in production, would almost certainly have belonged to an American pioneer who apparently used it very little, if at all. PROVENANCE: Dr. John M. Pickup Collection. CONDITION: Extremely fine plus, all matching except wedge which is unnumbered. Bbl retains 95-96% glossy orig blue with faint sharp edge wear and a flaked spot on right side of muzzle, a series of small dents by the wedge slot on right side and a couple of minor scratches; rammer & handle retain just about all of their orig, dark case colors; frame & hammer retain about all of their brilliant case colors; cyl is probably unfired showing about all of its orig blue on the face and in the chambers; exterior of cyl retains about 50-60% orig blue with the losses flaked, not worn to a light patina; screws retain virtually all of their bright orig blue with no evidence of having been turned; trigger guard retains about 60% orig silver and the backstrap about 40%. Grip is sound with a few, very light nicks in the finish, very light sharp edge wear and overall retains about all of its bright orig varnish. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore. Case is sound with usual light handling & storage marks with some light finish wiped on front edges; interior is lightly faded with minor soil in the lid, moderately faded & soiled in bottom, partitions are solid. Flask retains 65-75% orig finish and the mold about 60% thin orig finish with crisp cavities and a spot of deep pitting on left arm; cartridge box & cap tin are fine. 4-46403 JR86