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LOT 204
Historic Factory Engraved Civil War Era Colt Model 1861 Navy Percussion Revolver
with Presentation Inscription from F.A. Andrews to Lieutenant F.H. Wright - Serial no. 11816, 36 cal., 7 1/2
inch round bbl., blue/casehardened/silver finish, antique ivory grips. The Colt Model 1861 Navy is certainly among the most attractive and desirable of Colt’s percussion revolvers from the Civil War. They are considerably rarer than many of the other major
models with only approximately 38,843 manufactured. The model combines the popular .36 caliber of the Model 1851 Navy, one of the most popular revolvers of the 19th century, with the sleeker round barrel and improved
loading lever design introduced on the Colt Model 1860 Army. This historic example was manufactured in 1863
right during the middle of the American Civil War and was factory engraved, fitted with a special order grip, and presentation inscribed
to a Union soldier from Ohio. This revolver is one of the distinctive revolvers attributed as “Wolf engraved” back before we had a better
understanding of who the factory engravers working for Colt were. We know now that this revolver was more likely engraved by Georg H.
Sterzing (c. 1800-1871) who was one of the main engravers working for Colt during the Civil War. The engraving is the classic Continental
European style popularized by Sterzing, Gustave Young, and other German immigrant engravers who arrived in the 1850s following the
revolutions of 1848. The patterns mainly consist of flowing scrollwork with floral accents and beaded backgrounds, and the hammer features
the wolf or dog head motif that was essentially standard on factory engraved Colt percussion revolvers in the period. The revolver otherwise
has standard markings and features, including all matching visible serial numbers, double struck “COLTS/PATENT” frame marking, and the factory
“IE” marking denoting the engraving and grip is marked above or below the serial number along the bottom of the revolver. The back strap features the inscription “F.A. Andrews to Lieut F.H. Wright.” Lieutenant Francis Hanmer Wright Jr. (1834-1915) of Tallmadge, Summit County, Ohio, enlisted in the Ohio National Guard in the winter of 1862-1863 during the Civil War and was mustered into federal service on May 11, 1864, in Company D of the 164th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was honorably discharged at Camp Cleveland in Ohio on August 27, 1864. The 164th was primarily assigned garrison duty in the forts outside of Washington, D.C., to protect the capital. These fresh recruits freed up more experienced troops for the Union’s push towards the Confederate capital in Richmond, Virginia. After returning home, he returned to farming. He was also an active Republican, member and clerk of the local high school board, and participated in the Grand Army of the Republic. Copies of service records and biographical information on Wright are included, including a letter from Norm Flayderman to Clare F. Short providing what he found on Wright. The identity of the presenter is less clear. No military rank is given suggesting the man was a civilian. There was an “F.A. Andrews” in Cleveland in the period. He may have been a local businessman or friend of Wright’s. CONDITION: Very good with traces of original silver remaining in the protected areas of the grip frame and otherwise artificially aged brown patina overall. The engraving and markings mostly remain crisp aside from the faded cylinder scene. The grip is very fine and has attractive natural grain and aged tones along with a slight flake on the lower right edge and slight age stress lines. Mechanically fine.
Provenance: Lieutenant Francis H. Wright; The Clare F. Short Collection; Property of a Gentleman.
Estimate: 5,500 - 8,500
LOT 205
Factory Engraved Colt Model 1849 Pocket Percussion Revolver with Norm Flayderman Letter - Serial no.
180706, 31 cal., 4 inch octagon bbl., blue/casehardened/silver finish, antique ivory grips. The included July 8, 1971, letter from legendary collector and dealer Norm Flayderman notes that this revolver was believed to be the only factory engraved Model 1849 Pocket with a two-line Hartford barrel address that they had cataloged, and we have only cataloged a few ourselves,
mainly in the 180700 range. The revolver’s rarity is furthered by the dovetailed blade front sight, the quality of the engraving,
silver finish, and special grip. The revolver was manufactured in 1860 on the eve of the American Civil War. The engraving consists primarily of elaborate Germanic
floral scroll engraving patterns with beaded backgrounds, a snake head motif on the left side of the barrel, shell accents, “COLTS/PATENT” hand engraved on the left side of the frame, the dog/wolf head motif on the hammer, and a blank panel on the back strap for the option of adding an inscription. This style of engraving was
popularized by Gustave Young and other German immigrant engravers working for Colt in Hartford in the 1850s and 1860s. The visible serial numbers all match, and the factory “dot” marking designating engraving or special finishing is marked above or below the matching serial numbers on the barrel, frame, trigger guard, and back strap. The barrel is marked with “-ADDRESS SAML COLT/ HARTFORD CT.-” on top and “2” on the bottom left. The left side of the trigger guard has a “3.”
CONDITION: Very good with crisp engraving and markings, distinct cylinder scene, 60% original silver on the grip frame and traces on the other components mainly on the bottom of the barrel and top of the loading lever, mottled gray patina on the balance of the iron, and aged patina on the balance of the brass. The grip is very fine and has some shrinkage from age, minor flakes at the top left, minor handling wear, and attractive natural aged patina and grain. Mechanically fine.
Provenance: Norm Flayderman & Co. Inc. Catalog 88 Item 1242; Property of a Gentleman.
Estimate: 4,500 - 6,500
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