Page 189 - 4094-BOOK1

Thus, these smaller pocket models had a much
larger potential market as early concealed
carry pistols. While the company was officially
the Patent Arms Manufacturing Company,
advertisements in newspapers such as those run
in New York City’s Evening Post in the fall and
winter of 1839 were already headlined “Colt’s
Repeating Fire Arms” including “Pistols, from
pocket to holster size,” and thus helped set the
stage for Samuel Colt’s later fame and success.
This example has a German silver band at the
muzzle, German silver blade front sight, “-Patent
Arms M’g Co. Paterson N.J.-Colt’s Pt.-” marked
on top of the barrel reading from the breech
towards the muzzle, two German silver bands
at the breech, another pair on the recoil shield,
a single band on the underside of the barrel
ahead of the lug, a German silver escutcheon
with scalloped edges and neatly inscribed “BAL”
initials in script, the centaur scene and Colt four
horse head logo on both of the cylinders, and a
varnished walnut grip. This revolver is pictured
and described in “The Paterson Colt Book” by
Wilson on p. 77. Wilson erred in saying that the
cylinder installed on the revolver is the early
type that engages the rotating collar. Both the
installed cylinder and the spare cylinder are
the Ehlers style with ratchets on the rear of the
cylinders. The installed cylinder has “1” visible on
the back and the other numbers worn while the
second cylinder has the matching serial number
“164”. The matching serial number “164” is also
found on the wedge, barrel lug, trigger, left side
of the front strap, inside of the back strap, and on
the bonded two-piece grip at the butt.
CONDITION: Very good with 25% original blue
on the barrel, lighter original blue elsewhere,
aged patina on the German silver bands and
escutcheon, distinct markings and cylinder
scenes, minor pitting, crack in the rear of the
installed cylinder, repaired hammer, and mild
wear. The slightly undersized grip is also very
good and has mild handling and storage wear.
The revolver functions but not fully due to the
repaired mainspring. This is the model that
started it all: Colt’s first revolving pistol, the No. 1
Pocket Model “Baby Paterson.”
Provenance: The Dennis A. LeVett Collection;
The Charles Marx Collection.
Estimate: 45,000 - 65,000
187