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LOT 3136
Extraordinary Civil War Era Factory Engraved Deluxe Gold and Silver Plated Colt Model 1851 Navy Revolver with Stunning “Statue of Freedom” Relief Carved Grip - Serial no. 138839, 36 cal., 7 1/2 inch octagon bbl., gold/silver finish, carved antique ivory grips. This attractive factory engraved deluxe gold and silver plated Colt Model 1851 Navy revolver was manufactured in 1863 right at the height of the Civil War and has “E” marked by the main serial number locations. This marking was used by the factory on revolvers designated for factory engraving between 1861 and 1870. Many of the engraved revolvers from the 1860s would have been presented to military officers or government officials. This deluxe sidearm would have certainly been worthy of any high ranking officer and should be compared to some of the Colts documented in the various books on Colt engraving. The left side of the one- piece antique ivory grip has an exquisite relief carving of the “Statue of Freedom.” The statue was finally installed on the dome of the expanded U.S. Capitol Building in late 1863, the same year this factory embellished revolver was made. The statue was originally named
“Freedom Triumphant in War and Peace” and was designed by Thomas Crawford in the antebellum era with input from then Secretary of War Jefferson Davis who disapproved of the liberty cap in the original design as a reference to manumitted slaves and approved the more militant final design in 1857, the same year Crawford died. It was cast starting in 1860 and completed by the end of 1862 by Clark Mills who had been assigned to complete the statue at his foundry on Bladensburg
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Road just outside the capital on Bladensburg Road. It was completed in part by enslaved artisan Philip Reed. The statue was initially displayed on the Capitol Grounds while the war raged on and became a very important Union symbol. When the installation was finished, a salute of 35 guns was fired followed by a salute from the forts surrounding the capital. By the time Freedom looked down from atop the Capitol, Reed and many of the other former slaves that had transformed Washington, D.C., were finally freedmen. The Washington Chronicle on December 2, 1863, noted: “Long will the eyes of patriots gaze upon this noble statue on the morrow; but the effulgence of its golden splendors shall dazzle the eyes of traitors, and its detested sight strike the blow of terror to the their hearts; and far across the waters of the Potomac, where war has scourged the land, and where ruin and famine have worked their progress, the statue of Freedom shall disseminate its bright scintillations, proudly smiling, as it were, over the downfall of these plotters of treason and murder.”The complex statue thus is a very fitting design for a Union revolver.
This revolver also features rare gold plating over top of silver plating on the barrel, wedge and on the casehardened hammer, and a silver plated loading lever, cylinder, frame, trigger guard, trigger and back strap. The barrel, loading lever, frame, hammer, trigger guard and back strap are decorated with high quality factory floral scroll engraving. Such extensive embellishment certainly indicates this revolver was crafted for a special purpose. Some of the finest Colts from the Civil War era were produced for the United States Sanitary Commission to raise funds to support Union soldiers, and they often ended up in the hands of high ranking officers. Many of the other beautiful Colts were ordered for presentation to officers and government officials. The barrel has a brass cone front sight, and a notch rear sight is on the hammer. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped “-ADDRESS COL. SAML COLT NEW-YORK U.S. AMERICA-” in one line with border engraving at the muzzle end. “COLT’S PATENT NO. 8839” is stamped on the cylinder which features the iconic roll-engraved Texas Navy battle scene. “COLTS/PATENT” is stamped in two lines on the left of the frame. “36 CAL” is stamped on the left rear trigger guard bow. The revolver has all matching visible serial numbers. They are marked on the loading lever, barrel, frame, trigger guard, cylinder, butt, and handwritten (faint) inside the grip mortise. The wedge is seized preventing inspection of the wedge and cylinder pin, but they are most likely matching numbered as well. CONDITION: Exceptionally fine. This incredible revolver retains 80% plus original gold plating. The gold remains strongest on the barrel, and there are areas showing through to original silver plating on the balance. 95% original silver plating remains on the cylinder which retains a defined scene. 60% plus original silver plating remains on the frame, and 70% plus original silver plating remains on the trigger guard and grip straps. The rear strap has some fading and a bright golden patina on the exposed brass. There are a few scattered patches of light surface corrosion in the iron. The engraving remains sharp overall. The grip is very fine and retains crisp details in the carving, an attractive age darkened patina, a mild stress crack on the right, age related stress lines visible on the flats, and defined edges. Part of the wedge spring is absent. Mechanically excellent. This is an attractive Civil War production factory engraved deluxe gold and silver plated Colt Model 1851 Navy revolver with a stunning “Statue of Freedom” relief carved grip. This historic revolver was manufactured the same year that the statue was installed on the U.S. Capitol dome, and the revolver was very likely intended for presentation to an important, high ranking individual. Estimate: 18,000 - 27,500