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LOT 1248
Exceptional Colt U.S. Contract Martially Inspected Model 1851 Army/Navy Percussion Revolver
- Serial no. 62912, 36 percussion cal., 7 1/2 inch octagon bbl., blue/casehardened finish, walnut grips. This
is an extraordinary example of a U.S. contract Colt Model 1851 Navy revolver that was manufactured in 1856. This revolver is one of the 16,962 Model 1851 Navy revolvers purchased by the Ordnance Department between 1855 and 1859. Many of these revolvers were issued to the newly formed 1st and 2nd Cavalry Regiments. This Third Model Navy revolver has a small rounded oval brass trigger guard and loading lever screws that enter the barrel lug from the left side and beveled loading lever cut-out. The barrel and cylinder have a military blue finish. The loading lever, frame and hammer are casehardened, and the trigger guard and back strap are brass. The one piece walnut grip is oil finished. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped, “- ADDRESS SAML COLT NEW-YORK CITY-”. The cylinder is roll-engraved and roll-stamped with the Texas Navy battle scene, “COLT’S PATENT No. 62912” and “ENGAGED 16 MAY 1843.” around the forward edge. The left side of the frame is roll-stamped “COLTS/PATENT/U.S.” in three lines. Single letter “S” and “B” sub-inspection marks are stamped on the barrel, cylinder, back strap and trigger guard. An “M” Colt inspection mark is stamped on the left shoulder of the trigger guard, and “L” is stamped on the left side of the trigger guard bow. A small “A” is stamped on the left heel of the grip. An Ordnance sub-inspection mark that consists of three script initials bordered by a rectangle with rounded ends is stamped on the lower left side of the grip. The Ordnance final inspection mark which consists of the block initials “RHKW” in a rectangle is stamped
on the lower right side of the grip. The full serial number is stamped on the bottom of the barrel lug, frame, trigger guard and back strap and on the side of the cylinder. The partial serial number “2912” is stamped on the loading lever, wedge and cylinder arbor pin. All of the visible serial numbers match.
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