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Deluxe Rosewood Presentation Cased Factory Engraved Colt
Model 1861 Navy Inscribed to the “Fighting Parson” W.G.
Brownlow by the Workmen of Colt’s Armory in June of 1862
with Presentation Cane/Dagger Presented to Brownlow by W.G. Price in 1865 along with a Cased Portrait of Brownlow and Books
LOT 1310
Documented Historic Deluxe Presentation Cased Factory Engraved Colt Model 1861 Navy Inscribed to the “Fighting Parson” W.G. Brownlow by the Workmen of Colt’s Armory in June of 1862 with Presentation Cane/ Dagger Presented to Brownlow by W.G. Price in 1865 along with a Cased Portrait of Brownlow and Books - Serial no. 5727, 36 cal., 7 1/2 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened/silver finish, deluxe highly figured walnut grips. This stunning cased set has it all going for it: history, artistry, condition, rarity, and documentation. It is a factory presentation cased, engraved Colt Model 1861 Navy with a factory presentation inscription from Colt’s workmen to the fiery Methodist minister and pro-Union speaker W.G. Brownlow, a key figure in the border state of Tennessee during the Civil War. The set as a whole also remains in extraordinary high condition and is backed by period records detailing
its presentation to Brownlow while on his speaking tour in 1862 as well as a copy of the book he was promoting, a cased ambrotype portrait of Brownlow, a cane with concealed dagger presented to him in 1865, and addition photographs and documents.
The Model 1861 Navy is one of the rarest Colt models and finding factory engraved examples, let alone factory presentation revolvers in high condition, is very difficult. Only 38,800 were manufactured in 1861-1873 compared to over 200,000 of the Model 1860 Army in 1860-1873 and around 215,348 of the Model 1851 Navy in 1853-1873. The revolver is engraved with stunning
factory engraving in the classic Germanic style associated with Gustave
Young and the other highly talented German immigrant engravers working
for Colt in the period, including Georg H. Sterzing who likely engraved this revolver based on other examples attributed to Sterzing by Herbert Houze and others. The engraving consists of scrollwork accented by floral blooms and beaded backgrounds. The engraving on the barrel extends around the “-ADDRESS COL. SAML COLT NEW-YORK U.S. AMERICA-” address on top and also includes a dog’s head at the wedge screw, The engraving covers the entire sides of the frame, and “COLTS/PATENT” is stamped on the left. The hammer has a very nice dog head motif. The cylinder has the classic Naval Battle of Campeche roll scene and is not numbered by the “COLTS PATENT No” marking. The left side of the trigger guard at the rear has “4/36 CAL.” The factory dot marking designating engraving and/or special finishing is marked above or below the serial numbers on the bottom of the revolver, and all of the visible serial numbers match. The back strap has the historic factory presentation inscription “Parson Brownlow/Presented by the Workmen in Colts Armory/ June 1862” which was cut through the silver plating in the panel the factory engraver’s intentionally left blank on revolvers so that inscriptions could be added as need. The grip is attractive deluxe walnut with attractive figure and a high gloss piano varnish. The revolver’s rosewood presentation case has “Wm. G. Brownlow.” inscribed on the brass lid escutcheon. The interior has royal
blue lining and is divided into five compartments. In addition to the revolver, it holds a Eley Bros. cap tin, Colt patent flask with angled spout, L-shaped
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