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LOT 191
Very Fine Civil War Cased Factory Engraved Colt Model 1862
Police Percussion Revolver - Serial no. 23721, 36 cal., 5 1/2
inch round bbl., blue/casehardened/silver finish, walnut grips.
Samuel Colt’s New Model Revolving Police Pistol came out
just in time for the American Civil War and would have been
an excellent sidearm for a police officer in one of the new
police departments popping up in cities across the country
or as a private sidearm for a soldier. Writing in “Armsmear:
The Home, the Arm, and the Armory of Samuel Colt” in 1866,
Henry Barnard noted of the Pocket Police and Pocket Navy,
“The calibre, too, of the Pocket and Police pistols is .36-inch,
the same as that of the Navy pistol. The increased calibre makes
them more deadly weapons.” The Pocket Police thus offered more
firepower in a package the same size as the very popular Model 1849
Pocket. They also have the round barrel and toothed loading lever of
the Model 1860 Army revolver, and very attractive fluted and stepped
cylinders. They were generally referred to as Colt’s Police Pistol in the
period, and have been called the Model 1862 Police and the Pocket
Police by collectors. They are considered by many to be the most
attractive of all of Colt’s percussion revolvers. Because they were
designed to be great carry guns, they are hard to find in high condition,
and this revolver is certainly among the very best extant. This stunning
example was manufactured in 1863 and has the standard markings,
including matching serial numbers (grip not removed). It has the “E”
designation for factory engraving by the lower serial numbers and
stunning entwining floral scroll engraving with beaded backgrounds
on the barrel, frame, hammer, and grip straps. The case contains a cap
tin, cartridge pack marked for “Colt’s New Model Revolving Police Pistol,”
some balls and bullets, a “36 P” marked blued Colt ball/bullet mold,
L-shaped combination tool, and an eagle pattern pocket flask.
CONDITION: Very fine with crisp engraving, 60% plus bright original
high polish blue finish, 85% plus of the vibrant original case colors,
aged patina on the brass grip straps, and minor age and storage related
wear. The grip is fine and has mild edge wear, 80% plus original varnish,
some hammering dents on the butt, and minor scratches. Mechanically
excellent. The case and accessories are very fine and have fairly minor
age and storage related wear, and the flask and mold retain the vast
majority of their original finish. Overall, this is a very attractive cased
Civil War factory engraved Colt Model 1862 Police.
Provenance: The Norm Vegely Collection; Private Collection.
Estimate: 14,000 - 22,500
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