Page 158 - 87-BOOK3

LOT 3216
Historic “Abstract of Work In Progress” at Colt’s Patent Firearms Mfg. Co. Detailing the Parts On-Hand for Revolving Rifles and Shotguns from January 1858 to June 1862 - This historic set of documentation is a veritable treasure trove for Colt researchers, particularly those interested in Colt’s Model 1855 revolving rifles and shotguns in the antebellum era and early part
of the American Civil War. Thousands of Colt’s revolving long guns are known to have been used to defend the Union, including by the cavalry, the 8th Massachusetts Infantry guarding Washington, D.C., other Union infantry units, and the famous Berdan Sharpshooters. They were also used by the Confederates who used Colts purchased prior to the war or captured in combat. These repeating rifles offered considerable firepower and were particularly useful in fighting off massed infantry attacks since they could discharge multiple shots in the time it would have taken to reload a standard rifle-musket. In time, they began to be replaced by breechloaders like the Sharps and Spencer, but they were still being used in the fight for the Union as the war came to a close.
The detached spine reads “ABSTRACT/OF/WORK IN/PROGRESS” and “COLT’S/PATENT/FIRE ARMS/MFG. CO.” The first page lists
“Parts of Pistols and Rifles On hand 1st January 1858 Colt’s Armory” and lists the number of various components on hand in the
Store Room, Finishing Shop, “Samuel Knous hands”, and “Marden Greens hands.” It then has updated listings of “Parts of #1 Pistol
and Rifles on hand.” Edward Whitney replaces Samuel Knous in June of 1859 and then on January 1, 1860, Green is dropped and
Whitney and E.S. Whitney are listed. Following months list Whitney, and in May of 1860, there is a transition to listing “Whitneys
hands” and “Assemblers hands” and then only “Assemblers hands.” In January 1860 the heading changed to “Parts of Rifles on hand”
and then in February 1860 the heading is “Parts of Rifle and Shot Guns.” These two headings are used throughout the remaining
months. The sections are divided between .36 caliber rifles, .44 caliber rifles, .56 caliber rifles, .60 caliber shotguns, and .75 caliber
shotguns. Given the size of the spine in relation to the thickness of the existing pages, approximately half of the book,
maybe more is absent.
CONDITION: Good. The book is incomplete but the section present has fairly minor age and storage related wear and retains
distinct writing and details from the Colt Armory within. This is an exceptional piece of Colt firearms history. Chances to own original documents from the factory, let alone this many, are very rare. Estimate: 2,500 - 4,000
LOT 3217
Historic Correspondence of Samuel Colt and Edwin Wesson - This group contains letters from both Samuel Colt and Edwin Wesson as well as
letters to Colt from Colonel Craig of the Ordnance Department. The
first letter from Edwin Wesson to Daniel Crawford of Washington,
Alabama, on February 21, 1843, discusses rifles ordered by Crawford,
that he cannot promise how soon they will ship, and how he sets up
the sights. The second letter is also to Crawford, this time on March 4,
1847, and addressed to him in Rockford, Alabama. In this letter, he is
writing about a rifle for one of Crawford’s friends and notes that he has
so many orders that getting a rifle to them would take “nearer 6 months than 6 weeks.” He then discusses interest in manufacturing superior
powder for rifles but states he couldn’t ship any to Crawford due to the difficulty of shipping small quantities.
The first Colt letter is marked as a copy of a letter of introduction and is
marked “1 Spring Gardens/Cockspur Street/London January 1st 1854”.
Colt writes, “Dear Sir. This is to introduce Mr. Sainthill my Belgian Agent,
to whom you will please give all the information he requires, concerning
my foreign Patents & oblige. Yours resp’y, Samuel Colt.” It is addressed to
“Mons A. Perpigne/Avocal/46. Rue St Anne/Paris.”The next is a copy of
the letter from Colonel Henry K. Craig, Chief of the Ordnance Department
from September 6, 1858. That letter is addressed to “Sam Colt Esq” and
states, “Sir, Thou are required immediately to comply with existing
pressing orders, 750 Colt’s Belt Pistols, which remember, I have to request may be delivered at the earliest day practicable, on Account of the late assignment.” The last is marked “Copy” at the top and has a “CONGRESS/PARSONS CO.” embossed stamp on the upper left. It is marked “Hartford Sept. 7, 1858.” It is Colt’s response to Craig noting, “I hasten in reply to say that since receiving your last order of August 12th for 500, there has never been a time when less than 750 Pistols have been ready
for inspection besides the 368 ordered on the 22d July and that number has now increased to several thousand, and I can readily complete in a fortnights time what is required to make up the full number for which I now have orders.” He goes on to note, “Major Thornton has at this time Six sub-inspectors stationed here who heretofore have inspected, proved and received about 50 pistols a week each man - say 300 a week or 1200 a month altogether. As yet there has been received but 500 Belt pistols of the 5368 called for in the last two orders leaving 4868 still to be inspected and delivered to complete your orders of July 22 and August 12, which with the present force and the present rate will require over four months for their inspection.” Clearly Colt had a good handle on the details of his company’s progress and production rates. He closes writing, “I have no and will continue to have a sufficient number of Pistols ready to employ advantageously three or four times the present force of sub-inspectors allowed me, and shall be glad to have them furnished (if it can conveniently be done) until all the Arms under my present existing control are inspected and received by your Department.”
CONDITION: The letters are all very good with distinct writing and mild age and storage related
wear as well as moderate creasing. 156 Estimate: 1,500 - 2,500
LOT 3218
Selection
of Colt
Advertisements
and Related
Material -
One item is a
copy of “Great
Metropolis”
guide for New York from 1846 which includes a
full-page advertisement on page 159 for “Colt’s
Repeating Pistols, With the latest Improvements
of 1844 and 1845.”The advertisement lists John
Ehlers at No. 2 Barclay St., Astor House, New York.
Other pierce include a business card for Frank
D. Popowics of Colt’s Chicago office, a Nov. 1907
price list for revolvers and pistols, a business card
for Ralph C. Kingsbury of Colt’s Sales Department
in Hartford, a 11935 publication on the “Strike
Against Colt’s Patent Firearms Manufacturing
Company, a “1905 Component Parts” list for
Colt rifles and revolvers, a blank 1880s Colt
receipt, prints of Colt revolvers, “The Pioneers of Civilization. Colt’s Revolving breech Firearms” flier (reproduction from 1960), two “Centennial Campaign” fliers, an advertisement for “Colt’s New Model Army Metallic Cartridge Revolving Pistol,”“The Assembler’s Problems- Gremlins!” drawing of a 1911
by Bill Powers, “Directions for Loading and Managing Colt’s Pistols,”“Colt’s Patent Repeating Pistols, Army, Navy and Pocket Sizes” (one older and one marked as a 1960 Ray Riling Research reproduction), another advertisement on the same page as a Frederick Miller advertisement, a sample of an Officer’s Model advertisement, and an Art Department proposal for a Match Target advertisement. CONDITION: Generally very good or better overall with minor age and storage related wear.
Estimate: 2,000 - 3,000