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There are pairs of gold bands at the muzzle and breech ends
of the barrel, gold borders around the sides of the frame and
top strap, gold borders on the back strap, a single gold band
at the breech end of the cylinder, gold bands at the front
edge of the loading gate and recoil shield, and gold inlaid
scrolls on the shoulders of the trigger guard and the upper
side flats of the back strap. This is an exceptional amount of
gold inlays for any antique Colt Single Action Army, but it is
especially extraordinary on a Nimschke engraved revolver.
In addition, the top of the back strap features a gold inlaid
“MG” monogram. The revolver features a blade front sight,
the one-line “COLT’S PT. F. A. MFG. Co HARTFORD CT. U.S.A.”
address on top of the barrel, small “44” caliber designation on
the underside of the barrel, “44 CAL” on the front left of the
trigger guard, assembly number “340” on the loading gate,
and matching serial numbers visible on the frame, trigger
guard, and back strap. It is fitted with a pair of Rampant Colt
and federal eagle embossed checkered hard rubber grips
with the matching partial serial number “6506” marked on
the insides at the butt. The revolver is now accompanied by a
russet leather Mexican double loop holster with floral designs
in silver and gold bullion.
The shipment of the revolver to H.C. Furman is notable
beyond his name being listed on the pull from Nimschke’s
scrapbook. Howard Cogswell Furman (1841-1926) was the
second husband of Ella Remington (1845-1913), the daughter
of Philo Remington (1816-1889), the eldest of the sons of
Eliphalet Remington. They wed in 1884 shortly after Furman’s
firm became Remington’s sole agents for sporting arms and
ammunition. He was the New York manager for Lamberson,
Furman & Co., agents for Remington from 1883 to 1888
based out of 281 and 283 Broadway. The company name is
boldly printed on the cover of Remington’s price lists for that
period, and their advertisements in the 1880s focused on
them being the sole agents for E. Remington & Co. and make
no mention of Colt. Our records do not list any other Colts
shipped to Furman. Given this, the shipment of “Black Beauty”
to Furman is at first surprising, but when you consider the
timing, it makes more sense. Remington revolvers engraved
by Nimschke in the 1880s would have involved Furman’s
company, and Nimschke’s was only about a mile away at
1 Essex Street. Remington had relied heavily on foreign
contracts, including selling Model 1875 revolvers to Mexico,
but was suffering financially and went into receivership
in 1886 after defaulted payments. The works were sold at
auction in March 1888 to Hartley & Graham for $200,000.
Furman represented his firm at the sale.
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