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The revolver is also featured on pages 80-83 of “Colt Pistols: 1836-1976”
by Wilson and Hable where the grip embellishment is noted as “likely of
native origin, embellished after the gun had gone ‘South of the Border’”
and that the cased revolver “was presented to Juarez by Tejada sometime
during his presidency...” Rock Island Auction Company sold the consecutive
revolver in May 2019 which featured very similar engraving and a grip
of the same style but without additional embellishment. Included
documentation indicated “Navy SN93348 was found in Mexico many years
ago with no documentable provenance. It was in private hands in Texas
until 1996.”
By 1860, Juarez had risen from a 3 year old orphan of native Zapotec
ancestry to become the most powerful figure in the Mexican Republic. He
completed a law degree at the Institute of Sciences in Oaxaca and then
entered politics on the local level as a councilor in Oaxaca in 1831 and then
became a state level congressional deputy the following year. By 1852, he
was governor of the State of Oaxaca. He became the leader of the reform
movement (La Reforma). He was in exile in New Orleans in 1853, but when
Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna was overthrown in 1855 and Juan Alvarez
became president, he served as Mister of State and Minister of Justice. The
new Mexican Constitution of 1857 included many reforms, including new
restrictions on the power of the Catholic Church and clergy within Mexico.
The Juarez Law prohibited legal privileges for individuals or institutions
such as the clergy and Catholic Church and ended special courts, and
the Lerdo Law associated with Sebastian Lerdo de Tejada’s elder brother
Miguel, barred the civil and ecclesiastical institutions from owning real
estate aside from those building used for services and institution. These
provisions and others led to significant opposition by the Catholic Church
and Conservatives. Juarez, by then the President of the Supreme Court,
and President of Congress Isidoro Olvera were taken prisoner, but they
were later freed. President Ignacio Comonfort fell from favor resigned and
left for exile in the United States leaving Juarez as the legal president of
Mexico in late January 1858 and soon as the leader of the Liberal forces
in the Reform War. The war ended with the Liberals victorious but the
country’s finances in disarray.
In 1861, Juarez was officially constitutionally elected president and
returned to Mexico City. While not documented, it may have been at this
time that he was presented this revolver by Sebastian Lerdo de Tejada to
celebrate his election and the success of the Liberals more broadly. He is
known to have been very close with the president and one of his most
influential allies. Like Juarez, Lerdo de Tejada had risen from a orphan to
earning a law degree and entering Liberal politics and became a leader
within the reform movement. He served as the President of the Chamber
of Deputies in 1861-1863 and was later Minister of Foreign Affairs, of the
Interior, and of Justice in Juarez’s cabinet and also became President of the
Supreme Court making him next in line for the presidency.
His elder brother Miguel Lerdo de Tejada had served as Minister of Finance
under Santa Anna and Comonfort but resigned in protest when Juarez
became president and initially resisted suspending payments on Mexico’s
foreign debts. When he ultimately suspended debt payments for a period
of two years, England, Spain, and France responded by sending troops to
Mexico to recover the debt. The Spanish and English stayed only briefly
as they quickly realized that Napoleon III of France intended to install
Maximilian of Austria as emperor in Mexico. Juarez continued to fight
on against the French and conservative forces even after Maximilian was
installed in Mexico City from his stronghold in Paso del Norte (now Ciudad
Juarez). The United States opposed European intervention under the
Monroe Doctrine and diplomatically supported the Mexican Republicans
over the Imperial/Conservative forces. Napoleon III announced the
beginning of the withdrawal of his troops in 1866 leaving Maximilian
in a perilous situation. Juarez and his allies then defeated and captured
Maximilian. He was convicted of conspiring to overthrow the constitutional
government of the Mexican Republic and was executed by firing squad in
May 1867. Some have said Lerdo de Tejada was instrumental in convincing
Juarez to have Maximilian executed to show the world that Mexicans
would not allow foreigners to control their country.
In 1870, he suffered a stroke and lost his wife, but he successfully ran
for re-election the following year. Despite controversies relating to five
proposed constitutional amendments, Juarez was re-elected in 1871.
Sebastian Lerdo de Tejada and General Porfirio Diaz ran against him.
Though he won re-election, Diaz and others opposed his rule leading to
renewed civil conflict. Juarez died in 1872 from a heart attack while still
trying to restore peace. Upon his death Sebastian Lerdo de Tejada became
president. Like Juarez, he became president due serving as president of the
Supreme Court. He granted Diaz amnesty in an attempt to restore peace,
but Diaz rebelled against Lerdo de Tejada after his re-election in 1876.
Lerdo de Tejada was declared to have won the election, but the courts led
by Jose Maria Inglesias ruled that the election had been fraudulent. Lerdo
de Tejada was driven into exile in 1877 and died in New York City in 1889.
While Lerdo de Tejada is little remembered today, Benito Juarez remains
among the most popular and iconic leaders in Mexican history and is
considered a national hero for leading the Liberals to victory both against
the Conservatives during the Reform War and from foreign occupation
during the Second French Intervention in Mexico as well as for his
dedication to establishing Mexico as a modern democratic republic with
protections for the rights of people. His most famous quote remains: “Entre
los individuos, como entre las naciones, el respeto al derecho ajeno es la
paz.” (Among individuals, as among nations, respect for the rights of others
is peace.)
CONDITION: Exceptionally fine. The engraving remains crisp throughout,
and the historic inscription on the grip remains distinct. The barrel retains
85% plus of the original blue finish. The cylinder retains a distinct roll
scene and 30% original blue and has smooth gray and brown patina on
the balance and light drag lines. 90% plus original case colors remain
on the frame, hammer, and loading lever, and the colors are vibrant. The
vast majority of the original niter blue finish remains on the trigger and
screws. The trigger guard and back strap retain 90% plus of the original
silver plating and display attractive age darkened patina. The grip is very
fine and has a distinct inscription with some loss of the enamel, faint age
cracks, slight gaps around the solid gold Mexican coat of arms, distinct
contrasting eye inlays, and distinct designs. Mechanically excellent. The
case is fine with mild age and storage related wear including the keyhole
escutcheon absent and some cracks. The lid inscription is distinct. The
accessories are also fine and have mild wear, nearly all of the original
finishes, and generally minor age and storage related wear. Overall, this is
an extraordinary cased set. This revolver without the historic inscribed grip
and gold Mexican coat of arms would already be a fantastic piece, but the
grip and inscribed case propel this lot into the top of collectible Colts. This
revolver is sure to be an exciting addition to any private or institutional
collection and endures as an exciting reminder of the men and women
who fought to keep Mexico an independent democratic republic alongside
President Benito Juarez.
Provenance: From Sebastian Lerdo de Tejada to Mexican President
Benito Juarez; The John S. duMont Collection; The Andrew Singer
Collection.
Estimate: 45,000 - 70,000
As pictured & described in Colt Pistols (1836-1976)
& Samuel Colt Presents by Wilson
235