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LOT 1191
Rare Colt Ehlers No. 1 Pocket Model “Baby” Paterson Percussion Revolver - Serial no. 71, 28 cal., 3 inch octagon bbl., blue finish, varnished walnut grips. This Elhers improved Colt Paterson Pocket Model (Fourth Model Ehlers Pocket) revolver was completed by John Ehlers after his acquisition of Samuel Colt’s Patent Arms Manufacturing Co. John Ehlers was one of the earliest investors in the Patent Arms Manufacturing Co. He purchased the company at auction and acquired an estimated 536 incomplete Colt Paterson No. 1 and No.
2 revolvers and advertised “Colt’s Patent Repeating Fire- Arms With the Latest Improvement of 1843 and 1844” in 1844 and 1845 in New York. This revolver has a full blue finish and displays the distinctive Ehler’s features which include a loading lever with dovetail mounted catch below the barrel, recoil shield capping cut-out on the right side of the frame, a hammer with coarsely knurled spur, and barrel markings that lack the “M’g Co” found
on Colt manufactured Paterson revolvers. The cylinder is roll-engraved with “COLT” and the centaur and horsemen fight scene. The straight grip is nicely figured walnut with a high polish “piano” finish and beveled bottoms. The frame has the distinctive Paterson folding trigger. The barrel is roll-stamped “-Patent Arms Paterson N.J.
Colts Pt-” on the top flat. “73” is marked on the back of the barrel, underside of the wedge, rear of the cylinder, and top of the frame plate under the cylinder, and “71” is marked on the left side of the front strap and back strap and butt mortise of the grip.
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