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LOT 3106
Exceptional Cased Colt Baby Dragoon Percussion Revolver - Serial no. 13297, 31 percussion cal., 4
inch octagon bbl., blue/casehardened finish, walnut grips. This is a very fine original example of a Colt Model 1848 Pocket (Baby Dragoon) Revolver that was manufactured c. 1849. This Baby Dragoon revolver features a five-shot cylinder with rectangular cylinder stop slots roll-engraved with the Stagecoach Holdup scene. The barrel has no provision for a loading lever and there is no loading cut-out in the barrel lug. The barrel and cylinder are blue, the frame and hammer are casehardened and the trigger guard and back strap are silver plated. The one piece walnut grip has a varnished ‘piano’ finish. The top of the barrel is roll- stamped “ADDRESS SAML COLT/NEW-YORK CITY” in two lines. “COLTS/PATENT” is stamped in small letters on the left side of the frame. The full serial number
is stamped on the bottom of the barrel lug, frame,
cylinder, trigger guard and back strap. The partial serial
number, “297” is stamped on the wedge and cylinder
arbor pin. All of the visible serial numbers match. The
revolver is contained in a Colt American style factory
mahogany case with five compartments lined with red
velvet. The case contains: (1) 1848 Pocket Model flask
with embossed eagles on both sides of the flask body.
(2) Brass double cavity Model 1849 bullet mold for
round and conical balls; the top of the mold has “COLTS/
PATENT” stamped across the top of the blocks. (3) Early Eley Brothers green label 100 cap tin of percussion caps for “COLT’S PT/Belt and Pocket/ PISTOLS” (4) blued screw-driver/nipple wrench with sloping shoulders and square cut to nipple barrel. The Colt Baby Dragoon was the first pocket model revolver manufactured at the Colt Hartford factory. Only about 15,000 of these diminutive copies of the Colt Dragoon revolvers were manufactured between 1847 and 1850.
CONDITION: Fine. The revolver retains 50% plus of the original blue. The
102barrel has scattered small patches of finish loss or flaking. The finish on the
cylinder has faded to a blue-gray patina. Nearly all of the crisp cylinder scene is intact. The cylinder pins are fine and the percussion nipples have only light flash pitting. Half of the dove-gray casehardened finish is present on the frame and hammer. 90% of the original silver plated finish remains on the trigger guard and back strap. The grip is excellent and almost all
of the varnished piano finish. The barrel and frame markings are crisp.
The action is tight and functions perfectly. The case exterior is in very
good condition with only a few very minor cracks and minimal handling and storage wear. The case interior is very good. The lining has the usual oil stains and compression marks from contact with the revolver and
accessories. The flask is very good. The body has sharp embossing and a small dent at the base. The bullet mold is in very fine condition with an attractive patina. The markings are crisp and the only wear is some shallow dents on the face of the mold. The cap tin is good, all of the green paper label is intact and the body of the tin retains most of the brown lacquer finish. The screwdriver/nipple wrench is in fine condition with 50% of the original blue finish. High condition factory cased Baby Dragoon revolvers like this example are scarce and very desirable.
Provenance: The Norm Vegely Collection.
Estimate: 15,000 - 22,500