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This historically significant revolver was among the first 100 manufactured in 1847 as part of the
220 revolvers marked for C Company. The barrel has a German silver blade front sight, no visible
address, “US/1847” above the wedge screw on the right, and “C COMPANY No 81” on the left side.
“C COM-Y No 81” is marked on the trigger guard between the bow and screw. “81” is visible on the
front of the frame, left side of the frame, and bottom of the arbor pin. No number was marked on
the loading lever; it is nearly impossible to find Walkers with original loading levers as this example
has. No number is evident on the cylinder. A removable “JF/93” (Jim Frisbie Collection Number 93)
collection marking is on the trigger guard bow.
This revolver was formerly in the collection of Gordon Francis Kibby who was rightly very proud
of the revolver and used it in his letterhead as can be seen in the included copy of a letter from
Kibby in 1979. The included copy of the January 1971 issue of “The Gun Report” notes that at
the Michigan Antique Arms Collectors Association fall gun show, Kibby won the “Best Single
Arm” award “for his exceptionally fine ‘Walker Colt’”. Kibby had also won the first place award in a
competition with over a thousand other collectors at the 1961 NRA Michigan Show in Saginaw. He
previously indicated he purchased the revolver from a Joe Betty of Kalamazoo, Michigan, for $2,800.
Betty was a pilot and said he traded three cartons of cigarettes for the revolver from a local while in
Vera Cruz, Mexico, the same place many of the Walkers were turned in and approximately 150 miles
due east from where Captain Walker was killed at the Battle of Huamantla.
CONDITION: Very good with an even brown patina mixed with light pitting on the iron parts, well-
worn markings, and mellow to dark patina on the brass trigger guard which has a slight bend.
The front sight has been worn and reshaped, and one of the barrel pins sheared off and was long
ago rusted in place in the corresponding hole on the barrel. Two of the nipples are replacements,
and two more are broken. The nose of the hammer has been reshaped to a point long ago, and
there is no difference in patina. There are some tool marks on the arbor pin which has the same
wear and pitting in the fouling grooves as the rest of the pin and revolver. The grips are expertly
done old replacements and are very compatible with the appearance of the revolver as are the
wedge and lever latch. Some screws might be replacements as well, but the major parts are all
original. Mechanically fine. This is an incredibly rare opportunity to get your hands on a historically
significant C Company Colt Model 1847 Walker revolver.
Provenance: The Joe Betty Collection; The Gordon Francis Kibby Collection; The Jim Frisbie
Collection; The Charles Marx Collection.
Estimate: 120,000 - 225,000