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TWO CUSTOM ENGRAVED COLT MODEL 1851 NAVY PERCUSSION REVOLVERS.

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:2,000.00 USD Estimated At:4,000.00 - 5,000.00 USD
TWO CUSTOM ENGRAVED COLT MODEL 1851 NAVY PERCUSSION REVOLVERS.
SN 101989 & 121437. Cal 36. Revolvers are virtually identical with nickel and gold finish, 7 1/2" oct bbls, pin front sights and one line New-York U.S. America addresses. Left side of the frames are marked with a small "COLTS PATENT". Rammers, cylinders, hammers and trigger guards were gold washed and revolvers are mounted with beautiful, custom, 1-pc ivory grips. They are accompanied by 2 fine custom 1-pc walnut grips. Revolvers have full coverage flat foliate arabesque engraving with pearled background. Frames, bbls, cylinders, backstraps, buttstraps, trigger guards and rammer pivots are all matching engraving. Hammers are engraved with wolf's heads on each side of hammer noses. It seems likely that these revolvers were custom built for a stage performer or Wild West show performer, probably someone re-enacting the life Wild Bill Hickok who was known to have carried a pair of Colt 51 Navy revolvers. CONDITION: Very good, as custom finished. Overall retain most of their orig nickel finish with traces of gold wash on the aforementioned areas. Ivory grips are extremely fine with sharp edges and wonderful ivory patina. Wood grips are fine and retain about all of their orig varnish. Mechanics are fine although one hammer spring is a little weak. Number 121437 has been bored smooth while the other has a strong bore with scattered pitting. 4-48621 JR39