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Documented Nickel Plated John T. Cleveland Inspected U.S. Colt Cavalry Model Single Action Army Revolver Identified in a Study of the Colt Single Action Army with Factory Letter and John Kopec Letter - Serial no. 35556, 45 Long Colt cal., 7 1/2
inch round bbl., nickel finish, antique ivory grips. Manufactured in 1877, this U.S. Colt Cavalry Model revolver was inspected by John T. Cleveland and is identified by serial number on pages 222 and 249 in Graham, Moore, and Kopec’s “A Study of The Colt Single Action Army Revolver.” When the study was first published in 1976, serial number 34189 and this revolver, no. 35556, were the only two nickel plated Cavalry Models found in the John T. Cleveland inspection era (1876-1877). The authors “believed that these two revolvers [nos. 34189 and 35556] were special ordered for officer’s personal use” (page 249). The revolver is again listed by serial number in the aforementioned book on page 222 where it is cited as having been “turned over to the Ordnance Inspector at the Colt factory on February 13, 1877.” In the later Kopec publication “Cavalry & Artillery Revolvers...A Continuing Study,” eight nickel plated revolvers in the Cleveland series are identified with this revolver no. 35556 not being listed (page 49). Nickel plated Cavalry Models have taken center stage to a grand debate among Colt and U.S. military firearms collectors that continues on to today. Four basic theories for the existence of highly controversial nickel plated U.S. Cavalry Model Revolvers have developed over the decades and are the following: 1) issued to Indian Scouts and Police; 2) special order “officers” revolvers; 3) surplus State of Virginia Militia revolvers sold to and nickel plated by Colt or commercial retailers; and 4) U.S. Navy revolvers. For the history related to this ongoing debate see “A Study of Colt Single Action Army Revolver” pages 249-258. Recently, noted Colt historian and author John Kopec had a chance to re-examine this revolver. In his accompanying bronze seal letter of authentication Kopec stated the revolver falls between two Artillery revolvers (nos. 35550 and 35569) in his database and while not found in the National Archives records, the closest Cavalry Model in the records is no. 35496, which was issued the 2nd Cavalry as of March 18, 1882. “Because this revolver remains today in its basic Cavalry configuration suggests that it had avoided being recalled from Cavalry service during 1893,” wrote Kopec, “and therefore not modified into the Artillery configuration. Its survival in this configuration is probably due to its having been issued to one of the state militia regiments shortly after manufacture. During 1877 there were only 27 revolvers issued to the states. Then in 1878 there were 1207 revolvers issued to various states. The State of Michigan alone being issued 690 revolvers during August of that year. Therefore there remains a good chance that our subject revolver #35556 had been among these 1878 issues.” Per Kopec the revolver was previously in the Captain William Peterson, USN collection. The accompanying factory letter verifies the caliber with barrel length, finish and grips as “Not Listed” and that it was delivered as 1 of 203 to the U.S. Government Inspector at the Colt factory on February 13, 1877. As for the revolver itself, the top of the barrel is marked with the one-line Hartford address and the underside is marked John T. Cleveland’s “J.T.C.” initials and “P” directly ahead of the cylinder pin. The left side of the frame is marked with the three-line patent dates followed by “U.S.” The loading gate is marked with the assembly number “2228”. The cylinder is marked with the letter “P” and “J.T.C.”“J.T.C.” is also marked on the bottom of the frame over the serial number. The full matching serial number is marked on the frame, trigger guard and back strap with the partial number “5556” on the cylinder and barrel. The revolver has a “bulls-eye” ejector rod head and blade front and frame notch rear sights.