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LOT 3215
Exceptional, Early Production Small Trigger Guard Variant Colt Model 1851
Navy Percussion Revolver - Serial no. 29983, 36 percussion cal., 7 1/2 inch octagon bbl.,
blue/casehardened finish, varnished walnut grips. This extraordinary Colt Model 1851 Navy percussion
revolver was manufactured c. 1853. This revolver has the early features which include: (1) small oval brass
trigger guard, (2) V-type non-beveled loading cut-out, (3) loading lever screw that enters from the left
side of the barrel lug and (4) “thick” barrel lug. The hammer has hand-cut knurling on the spur, and the
barrel has a brass cone front sight. The recoil shield capping cut-out lacks the channel found on later
M1851 Navy revolvers. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped with the first style legend: “-ADDRESS SAML COLT
NEW-YORK CITY-” in one line. The left side of the frame is stamped “COLTS/PATENT” in two lines. The cylinder
is roll-engraved with the Texas Navy battle scene, “COLTS PATENT NO”, “ENGAGED 16 MAY 1843.” on the leading
edge, and “Engraved by W.L. Ormsby. New York.” A “4” inspection mark is stamped on the cylinder and the left side of the
barrel lug. The left side of the trigger guard is stamped with an inverted “V” on the front trigger guard bow and a small “G” on the left shoulder. The full serial number is
stamped on the: (1) barrel lug, (2) frame, (3) trigger guard, (4) back strap, (5) cylinder and (6) loading lever. All of the visible serial numbers match. The barrel and cylinder
have the Colt commercial blue finish. The loading lever, frame and hammer are color casehardened. The brass trigger guard and back strap are silver-plated. The screws and
wedge are a fiery niter blue. The one-piece walnut grip has high polish piano finish.
CONDITION: Excellent. This revolver appears to be un-fired. The barrel and cylinder retain 95% plus of the bright original high polish blue finish. The cylinder has nearly
all of the roll-engraved battle scene and markings. All of the cylinder safety pins are intact. The loading lever, frame and hammer retain 98% of the crisp original muted
casehardened finish with minimal wear. Large amounts of the fire blue finish remain on the screw heads and wedge. The silver-plating on the trigger guard and back
strap is tarnished but remains 90% intact with some finish wear on the edges of the back strap and bottom of the butt. The grip is excellent and retains nearly all of the
original piano finish with a few very minor handling marks. The action functions perfectly. Early production Colt Model 1851 Navy revolvers like this example are seldom
encountered with large amounts of original finish. This is a truly exceptional example of a small trigger guard Colt Model 1851 Navy revolver that would be nearly impossible
to improve upon.
Estimate: 30,000 - 50,000
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