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LOT 1152
Civil War
U.S. Inspected Colt Model 1860 Army Percussion Revolver with Highly
Attractive Mexican Eagle Relief Carved Grip - Serial no. 142466, 44 cal., 8 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened finish, antique ivory grips. This revolver was manufactured in 1863
and has single letter U.S. inspector markings on the barrel (“D”), cylinder (“D”), trigger guard (“H”), and back strap (“H”). The
barrel has a German silver blade front sight and the one-line New York address. The cylinder has the classic Naval Battle of Campeche
roll scene. The frame is cut for a shoulder stock and has “COLTS/PATENT” lightly struck on the left. Matching serial numbers are visible on the cylinder, barrel, frame, trigger guard, and back strap. The revolver was fitted with a pair of checkered grips with a raised relief carved rendition
of the coat of arms of Mexico in raised relief on the left showing a golden eagle with a rattlesnake in its beak perched on a cactus. After the American Civil War, Mexico was a significant market for firearms as the country went through its own series of revolutions and civil wars. After the
Civil War, the U.S. government sold of thousands of surplus arms, some to Mexican officials.
CONDITION: Very fine with mostly silver-gray patina and a crisp scene on the cylinder, attractive aged patina on the brass trigger guard, 75% plus original blue and casehardened
finish on the remainder, and mild dings and scratches. The undersized period replacement grip has crisp checkering and carving, minor age cracks, and attractive natural aged tones and grain. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 5,500 - 8,500
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LOT 1153
Fine Early Production Colt Model 1860 Army Richards Cartridge Conversion Revolver -
Serial no. 147, 44 CF cal., 8 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened/silver finish, walnut grips. This is a fine representative example of one of approximately 9,000 Richards conversion Model 1860 Army revolvers manufactured c. 1872-1878. These were manufactured alongside the
early Colt Single Action Army revolvers. Because the early SAAs were mainly produced under government contracts, these cartridge “conversion” revolvers were actually among the first Colt cartridge revolvers available to civilians and are believed to have seen significant use on the western frontier. Though titled “conversions,” they were primarily manufactured new as cartridge revolvers using a combination of older percussion revolver components and newly manufactured components. These distinctive Richards “conversions” designed by Charles Brinckerhoff Richards (1835-1919), who was also one of the co-designers of the SAA, feature a breech plate with integral notch rear sight and a floating firing pin rather than a hammer mounted firing pin. The loading lever was replaced with an ejector rod. This example has a period modified German silver blade front sight that has been filed and grooved, “-ADDRESS COL. SAML COLT NEW-YORK U.S. AMERICA-” on top of the barrel, “COLTS/PATENT” on the left side of the frame, “44 CAL” on the left side of the trigger guard, matching visible serial numbers aside from the “104” numbered cylinder, and assembly number “165” on the breech plate and loading gate. CONDITION: Fine with 75% original blue on the barrel, patches of original blue in the recesses of the cylinder and top and bottom of the back strap, 70% plus muted original case colors, 20% original silver plating with dark aged patina, aged patina on the brass, and smooth gray and brown patina on the balance. The grip is very good and has moderate handling wear, minor edge wear, and some scratches and dings. Mechanically fine. Estimate: 4,000 - 6,000
SERIAL NUMBER 147