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LOT 3254
Three Digit Serial Number
294 Colt Model 1862 Police
Percussion Revolver with Very Scarce Iron Back Strap
Formerly of the Famed William Locke Collection - Serial no. 294, 36 cal.,
6 1/2 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened/silver finish, varnished deluxe walnut grips.
Manufactured in 1861, this highly attractive Colt Model 1862 Police revolver remains in
exceptionally fine condition considering it was manufactured during the Civil War and low
three digit serial number. The Colt Model 1862 Police, known in the period as “Colt’s Police Pistol”
and “Colt’s New Model Revolving Police Pistol.” The ‘62 Police combines improvements from the Model
1860 Army such as the creeping loading lever, round barrel, and rebated cylinder with the smaller
Model 1849 Pocket’s size while also offering more firepower per shot than Colt’s other pocket models.
It is also significant as the last model released during Samuel Colt’s life. Formal police departments
were fairly new and just starting to be more common in the U.S. when this model came out, and
this revolver had all the proper desired features. The revolver has the Colt commercial blue finish
on the barrel, cylinder, and iron back strap, casehardened loading lever, frame and hammer and
silver plated iron trigger guard. The iron grip strap is a rare feature usually found on very low serial
number examples. Hartford address on the top of the barrel, “COLTS/PATENT” on the left of the
frame, and the five-shot fluted cylinder. Matching numbers appear on the frame, trigger guard, back
strap, cylinder, barrel, wedge, and arbor pin. This revolver was formerly of the famed William Locke
collection and was featured in Seller’s “The William M. Locke Collection” on page 154 and the April
1983 issue of Man at Arms.
CONDITION: Very fine, retaining 60% bright original high polish blue finish and 40% original
case colors. The iron back strap has a smooth gray patina. The trigger guard retains 80% age
darkened original silver plating. The grip is excellent with some minor handling marks and
most of the original varnish remaining. Mechanically excellent.
Provenance: The William Locke Collection; The Robert Berryman Collection;
Property of a Gentleman.
Estimate: 3,000 - 5,000
LOT 3255
Fine Cased Colt Model 1855 “Root” Percussion Sidehammer Pocket Revolver - Serial
no. 1371, 31 cal., 3 1/2 inch octagon bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. Root Model Samuel Colt’s
“New Model” pocket pistols and the larger rifles, carbines, and shotguns of the same basic
design were the only solid frame percussion arms produced by Colt. This example is a Model
4 variation manufactured in 1861. The octagon barrel has a brass post front sight, Hartford
address without pointing hand motif, and matching serial number on the underside. The 5-shot
cylinder is fluted and has the patent date marking in one of the flutes. The period partitioned
case contains a “COLTS/PATENT” marked two cavity iron bullet model, an Eley’s cap tin, a single
sided eagle powder flask, screwdriver, and cleaning rod.
CONDITION: Fine, retaining 70% bright original high polish blue finish with thinning to brown
on the balance. Hammer retains some original case colors. The grip is very fine with a chip
at the toe, mild high edge wear, handling marks, and most of the original varnish remaining.
Mechanically excellent. The case is very good showing minor handling/storage marks, loose
partitions, and high spot wear on the lining. The accessories are very fine.
Provenance: The Edward M. Feldman Collection; Property of a Gentleman.
Estimate: 4,500 - 6,500
LOT 3256
Exceptionally Fine London
Proofed Colt Model 1849 Pocket Percussion
Revolver with Non-Numbered Cylinder - Serial no.
209291, 31 cal., 6 inch octagon bbl., blue/casehardened/
silver finish, walnut grips. This is an exceptional original
example of a Colt Model 1849 Pocket revolver manufactured in 1862 during
the American Civil War with London proof and view marks on the left side
of the barrel lug and between the nipples on the unusual non-numbered
five-shot cylinder. By 1862, this model featured a six-shot cylinder. The barrel
also has a small brass cone front sight and the one-line New York barrel address. The cylinder
has the standard stagecoach holdup scene and “COLTS PATENT” markings. “COLTS/PATENT” is
stamped in two lines on the left side of the frame. The matching serial number is visible on the
loading lever (partial), frame, trigger guard, and back strap. The factory “E” marking is stamped
above the serial number on the barrel and below the serial numbers on the frame, trigger
guard, and back strap. A “7” is stamped on the left side of the trigger guard towards the rear.
The barrel and cylinder have a high polish blue finish. The loading lever, hammer and frame are
color casehardened. The trigger guard and back strap are silver plated. The one-piece walnut
grip has a high polish piano finish.
CONDITION: Exceptionally fine with 80% bright original high polish blue finish, 85% plus vibrant
original case colors, 98% original silver with attractively aged patina, and fairly minor overall
wear including some dings by the wedge, light flaking mainly on the cylinder, minor drag lines,
and handling mark. The grip is very fine and retains glossy original piano varnish and has a few
dings and scratches and light wear at the lower edges. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 2,000 - 3,000
LOT 3253
Cased Three-Digit
Serial Number Colt
Model 1848 Baby
Dragoon Percussion
Revolver - Serial no.
464, 31 cal., 5 inch
octagon bbl., blue/
casehardened/silver
finish, walnut grips.
This early production
Colt Model 1848 Baby
Dragoon revolver,
bearing serial number
464, was manufactured
in 1847. Samuel Colt’s
“Baby Dragoon” was the
beginning of his new
and most popular line of
revolvers in the 19th century: the Hartford factory’s small frame “pocket” revolvers. Only approximately 15,000 Baby Dragoons were
manufactured between 1847 and 1850 compared to approximately 350,000 Model 1849 Pocket revolvers manufactured from 1850
to 1873. These revolvers were much easier to carry than Colt’s larger revolvers, especially considering that the alternative to the
Baby Dragoon was the Walker and the Dragoon revolvers which were massive. The 5 inch barrel has a fixed brass cone shaped front
sight and the two-line “ADDRESS SAML COLT/NEW YORK CITY” address on top. The frame has the tiny “COLT’S/PATENT” marking on
the left. The cylinder has the oval cylinder stops, the Texas Rangers and Comanche fight scene and is marked “464 COLTS PATENT”.
The full matching serial number is also found on the barrel, frame, trigger guard, butt of the back strap, wedge and cylinder pin.
The included relined to fit mahogany case has red velvet lining with indents holding the revolver, an Eley cap tin, a reproduction
double sided eagle pattern pocket powder flask, reproduction “COLTS/PATENT” marked .31 caliber two-cavity brass mold without
sprue cutter, reproduction L-shaped combination tool a few extra percussion nipples and some lead balls.
CONDITION: Very good, retains strong traces of faded original blue finish and case colors, and 40% plus original silver plated finish
concentrated on the front grip strap and around the trigger guard, with bright golden patina on the balance of the exposed brass,
and a crisp cylinder scene, barrel markings and edges in the metal overall. Grip is very good with most of the refinished glossy
piano varnish finish, a few dents, scratches and minor nicks, and defined edges. Mechanically excellent. Case is very good as relined
with a crack visible in the lid, absent lock plate piece, scattered dents and scratches, and general aging on the interior.
Estimate: 4,500 - 6,500
As pictured & described
in The William M. Locke
Collection by Sellers
169