2170

EXTREMELY RARE CASED ENGRAVED COLT POCKET NAVY CONVERSION REVOLVER.

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:7,500.00 USD Estimated At:15,000.00 - 25,000.00 USD
EXTREMELY RARE CASED ENGRAVED COLT POCKET NAVY CONVERSION REVOLVER.
PLEASE NOTE (9-25-13): The full serial number is 41384, not 4134 as listed in the printed catalog. SN 4134. Cal. 38CF. Blue and color case hardened with 4-1/2" rnd bbl. Brass pin front sight and one line New-York U.S. America address. Cylinder is usual 5 shots with stagecoach hold up scene roll marking. Frame has a loading gate with external spring in the right recoil shield and the firing pin is secured in the hammer nose with two rivets. The silver plated brass trigger guard and backstrap contain a deluxe burl walnut 1-pc grip with #3375 in the back strap channel which corresponds to the SN 43375 on the buttstrap. Revolver is engraved in late vine style probably by Gustave Young with engraved "COLTS PATENT" on the left side of the frame. Hammer is deluxe engraved with a wolf head on each side of the nose and fish scale patterns on the spur and top edge. Matching engraving patterns extend up both sides of the bbl with different style patterns on the backstrap and buttstrap. SN on all of the other major parts of the revolver is 41384, while the backstrap/buttstrap is numbered as noted above and the wedge is numbered 38888. Small letters I.E. are adjacent to the SN's on the bbl lug, frame and trigger guard indicating ivory grip and engraved which was so marked to indicate to the factory workers that this revolver's parts were to receive extra polish. The buttstrap SN has an adjacent "E". Accompanied by a beautiful, orig, purple velvet lined rosewood casing with empty plaque in the lid. Interior is French fitted in the bottom for the revolver and an empty space for a box of cartridges. Also accompanied by a 1 page letter from renowned Colt historian and author R.L. Wilson, wherein he states that this revolver was apparently sold by famous dealer Arnold M. Chernoff to famous collector John B. Solley III in June 1975. He quotes Mr. Chernoff's letter "As you know, very few of these conversions were engraved and the ones that were, were mostly nickel plated. I only know of three or four guns of this model that were engraved and blued and case hardened". Mr. Wilson explains that the mismatched numbers are simply end of production clean up of parts. Although there are mismatched parts it is this catalogers opinion that Mr. Wilson is correct with his statement regarding the numbers and that no special significance should be attached to this fact. Mr. Wilson additionally addresses the disparity in the engraving patterns stating that the mix of engraving patterns is from the factory and again relates to the clean up of left over parts. Regardless this is a truly rare Colt in superb condition. PROVENANCE: Arnold M. Chernoff Collection; John B. Solley III Collection; Jack Malloy Collection. Michael Leff Estate Collection. CONDITION: Very fine to extremely fine. Bbl retains 75-80% glossy orig blue with the balance flaked, not worn, to a medium patina. The frame and hammer retain virtually all of their bright, orig case colors. Cylinder retains thin blue in the rebated area with the major diameter a blue grey patina which shows about 75% stagecoach hold up scene roll marking. Trigger guard and backstrap contain virtually all of their orig silver plating. Grip is sound with a few minor nicks and scratches and retains virtually all of its orig factory varnish. Mechanics are crisp. Strong sharp bore with scattered pitting. Case has a couple of grain checks in the lid otherwise is sound and retains most of its orig varnish. Interior is lightly faded and soiled inside the lid with severe fading and light damage in the revolver recess, moderately faded and soiled elsewhere. 4-49650 JR17