1320

VERY RARE ENGRAVED COLT MODEL 1851 NAVY PERCUSSION REVOLVER.

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:20,000.00 USD Estimated At:40,000.00 - 60,000.00 USD
VERY RARE ENGRAVED COLT MODEL 1851 NAVY PERCUSSION REVOLVER.
SN 48055. Cal 36. Spectacular Gustave Young engraved Navy with 7-1/2" oct bbl, brass pin front sight and one line New York City address. Left side of the frame is engraved "COLTS PATENT" in a pillow shape. Revolver has received Mr. Young's special deluxe engraving consisting of full coverage foliate arabesque patterns on the frame with two scrolls terminating in flower blossoms. Engraving extends over the barrel lug and top side flats with a scroll on the left side terminating in Mr. Young's distinctive dogs-head pattern and another on the right side terminating in a flower blossom. Barrel address is bordered by a chip & dot pattern. Rammer pivot is engraved to match. The silver plated brass trigger guard & backstrap are engraved to match with Mr. Young's distinctive sunburst at the top of the backstrap. It is mounted with a wonderful varnished burl walnut 1-piece grip with a spectacular relief carved American eagle on the left side. The eagle is clutching an olive branch & arrows in its talons, over an American shield. The entire vignette is surmounted by relief carved foliate patterns. Backstrap channel of the grip is covered by a very old piece of paper inscribed in India ink "J.Grosch". There appears to have been possibly a date which has been obliterated. Any number that may have been in the backstrap channel has been covered by the paper. Cylinder is usual six shots with Ormsby naval battle scene roll marking and all six safety pins are crisp and serviceable. All the screw heads & tips are engraved. Accompanied by a scarce, orig, purple velvet lined mahogany casing with shield shaped escutcheon in the front and English style swinging brass latches that were probably added during the period of use. Interior is compartmented in the bottom for the revolver, a scarce dbl sided Eagle and Stars, angle spout, army sized flask, a 2-cavity bullet & ball Colt's Patten mold with sprue cutter that is marked on the right side "36B", an L-shaped nipple wrench, a lacquered tin of Eley's caps and cast lead bullets & balls. Also accompanying in the case is a small card weight ticket stub upon which is printed "SUNDAY SCHOOL EXHIBITION / OF THE / CLINTON AVE. M.E. CHURCH / WEDNESDAY EVE'NG, MARCH 4, 1868 / TICKETS 25 CENTS". Another small card weight paper is hand written in India ink "1st Prize / Navy Revolver / given by D W Colton". A quick Internet search disclosed no information D. W. Colton, however the Clinton Ave M.E. Church has been in existence on Long Island, NY since the 1700s. CONDITION: Extremely fine plus, all matching including wedge and cylinder; grip is most certainly original however the number is obscured as noted; bbl retains about 90% glossy orig blue with only faint sharp edge wear and some fine flaking; rammer and handle retain faded case colors; frame retains faded case colors on the right side having turned silver elsewhere; hammer retains smoky case colors; cyl retains about 80% orig blue and shows about 98% Ormsby Naval battle scene roll marking; trigger guard & backstrap retain most of their orig silver plating with some minor thinning & edge wear on the backstrap; grip is sound with only a couple of minor nicks and retains virtually all of its strong original varnish; mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore, appears to be new and unfired. Case has a couple of grain checks in the bottom, otherwise is sound with light handling & storage nicks & scratches and retains virtually all of its orig varnish. Interior is moderately to heavily faded inside the lid with some light staining from contact with the revolver. Bottom is lightly faded with light to moderate soil and has solid partitions. Flask is sound with a few small dents and retains about 75% orig finish; mold is crisp and new, retaining virtually all of its orig blue; nipple wrench & cap tin are fine; flask is probably not orig to this set. Cards are oil stained, yellowed, and brittle with one broken corner and a small tear. 4-48118 JR277