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LOT 3363
Exceptional British Cased and Proofed Colt Model 1862 Police Percussion Revolver - Serial no. 16641, 36 percussion cal., 4 1/2 inch bbl., blue finish, varnished walnut grips. This is an exceptional example of Colt Model 1862 Police revolver manufactured in 1863. The revolver has the Colt commercial blue finish on the barrel and cylinder, casehardened loading lever, frame and hammer and silver-plated brass trigger guard and backstrap. The one-piece walnut grip has a high gloss varnish finish. The revolver has the legend: “ADDRESS COL SAML COLT NEW-YORK U.S. AMERICA” in one line on the top of the barrel and the two-line “COLTS/PATENT” marking on the left side of the frame. The fluted, five-shot cylinder is marked: “PAT. SEPT. 10th 1850” in one flute. British “Crown/GP” and “Crown/V” proof and inspection marks are stamped on the left side of the barrel lug and on the cylinder between the chambers. “36 CAL” is stamped on the left side of the trigger guard at the junction of the grip and the frame. The full serial number is located on the bottom of the barrel lug, the frame, trigger guard and backstrap. The rear face of the cylinder is numbered “66/41” between chambers and the arbor pin is stamped “6641”. All of the serial numbers match. The revolver has a British style oak case with a round brass plate inlaid in the lid. The interior lined with blue felt and has six compartments. A paper instruction sheet entitled: “DIRECTIONS FOR LOADING COLT’S PISTOLS” is glued to the inside of the lid. The case contains: (1) assorted round balls and conical bullets, (2) a blued combination screw-driver/nipple wrench, (3) blued, iron, double cavity bullet mold marked “COLTS/PATENT” on the sprue cutter and “36P” on the right block, (4) a 250 cap plated percussion cap tin with green paper “W. & C. ELEY” label, (5) “JAMES. DIXON/& SONS/SHEFFIELD” marked bag-shaped powder flask with brown lacquer body and plated top and adjustable charger and (6) a key. CONDITION: Excellent. The barrel retains 90% of the original high polish blue finish and the cylinder retains 60%. There is very light flash pitting on the percussion nipples and rear face of the cylinder. All of the safety pins are intact. The loading lever, frame and hammer retain 90% of the vivid case colors; finish loss is limited to some silvering on the top of the recoil shields and hammer. The trigger guard and backstrap have 75% of the silver-plated finish with some minor edge wear. Most of the fiery, niter blue, finish is present on the screws and trigger. The grip is excellent and has nearly all of the original ‘piano’ finish with minimal handling or storage marks. All of the markings and serial numbers are crisp. Mechanically excellent. The case exterior shows moderate handling wear. The interior is very fine; the lining is clean, wear is limited to a small tear from the revolver front sight and some minor compression marks from the cylinder. The instruction sheet has some old oil stains but remains very good. The screw-driver and bullet mold are very fine with most of the original dull blue finish and minimal wear. The cap tin is excellent. The powder flask is excellent with 95% of the brown lacquer finish. The top and charger have 95%
of the plated finish and all of the niter blue remains on the spring. This is an exceptional British cased and proofed Model 1862 Police Revolver.
Provenance: The Norm Vegely Collection.
Estimate: 12,000 - 18,000
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