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COLT MODEL 1851 NAVY-ARMY PERCUSSION REVOLVER CONTRACT OVERRUN.

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:12,500.00 USD Estimated At:25,000.00 - 40,000.00 USD
COLT MODEL 1851 NAVY-ARMY PERCUSSION REVOLVER CONTRACT OVERRUN.
SN 69679. Cal. 36. Blue & color case hardened with 7-1/2" oct bbl, brass pin front sight and 1-line New York City address. Left side of frame has a tiny "COLTS PATENT" over a tiny "U.S.". Cyl is usual 6-shots with Ormsby Naval battle scene roll marking. The unplated, small guard brass trigger guard & backstrap contain a 1-pc oil finished walnut grip with last four digits of matching SN in backstrap channel. The grip, not unusually, is not cartouched, however the bottom left edge of the grip and top left corner of the grip have small inspector initials as do most of the metal parts. According to '51 Colt Navies, Swayze, there are many other instances of known martial Navies whose grips & parts do not have inspector or sub-inspector initials. The Federal Government purchased approx. 35,000 '51 Navy revolvers of which about 15,050 went to the Navy leaving about 20,000 that were assigned to the Army. These revolvers were issued to front line troops and used throughout the Civil War and later on the American frontier, generally under harsh circumstances with little or no maintenance and are almost never found today in completely orig configuration with high orig finish. PROVENANCE: Dr. John M. Pickup Collection. CONDITION: Extremely fine plus, all matching including wedge, cyl & grip. Overall appears to be new & unfired retaining virtually all of its brilliant orig factory finish with satin military finish on the bbl with some light flaking; case colors on rammer, handle, frame & hammer are brilliant with light wear on left recoil shield; trigger guard & backstrap are a light mustard patina; cyl retains about 60% orig blue with the balance flaked, not worn, to a dull patina and shows about 99% Ormsby Naval battle scene, appears to be unfired, retaining strong orig blue on the cyl front face and in the chambers.††Grip is crisp with one minor bruise on right side and a couple of tiny nicks and retains virtually all of its orig factory finish. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore. This is one of the finest Navy-Armies extant. 4-46428 JR106