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and on the loading lever. A “P” is marked on the back strap behind the hammer and on the left side of the barrel above the wedge screw. The barrel is marked “~ADDRESS SAML COLT NEW-YORK CITY~” reading from the breech towards the muzzle. “COLT’S/PATENT/U.S.” is marked on the left of the frame. The cylinder has the “MODEL U.S.M.R./COLT’S PATENT” marking, the classic “Ranger and Indian” scene showing the Texas Rangers in a running battle
with the Comanche, and the proper First Model Dragoon oval cylinder stops. The trigger guard is the proper First Model Dragoon squareback version. The grip has cartouches on both sides and a rectangular hole cut through towards the middle, possibly for a shoulder stock as alluded above or perhaps a lanyard or for mounting the revolver in a display. The German silver front sight has been filed into a beaded blade style, and a larger U-notch rear
sight has been fitted to the hammer. The revolver is accompanied by Colts patent powder flask, brass ball and conical bullet mold, and a very attractive tooled “MAIN & WINCHESTER/MAKERS/SAN FRANCISCO” marked holster.
CONDITION: Fine with 40% original blue remaining on the barrel, 25% of the original case colors, smooth gray and brown patina on the balance of
the iron, attractive aged patina on the brass grip straps, distinct markings and cylinder scene, and mild overall wear. The grip is fine and has the noted period applied hole, mild lower edge wear including small chips at the toe, mild scrapes and dings, and worn but visible cartouches. Mechanically fine. The flask is very good with moderate age and storage related wear. The holster is very fine and has crisp tooling and markings and minor wear. The mold is fair. Overall, this is a very attractive set centered on a very distinctive example of the already rare Colt “Fluck”
U.S. Second Contract Dragoon revolvers.
Provenance: The Percy Morgan Collection;
The Stanford University Museum and Gallery Collection; Property of a Gentleman.
Estimate: 16,000 - 25,000
From our own research, Percy Morgan appears to have been London born California financier
Percy Tredegar Morgan (1862-1920). He was associated with many businesses in the American West in
the second half of the 19th century and became a trustee of Stanford University on May 3, 1916. He is noted
as having decorated his opulent home, Lantarnam Hall (valued around $400,000 when built), with artifacts acquired
during his time in Europe. It may have become part of the university collection upon his death by suicide following a
serious automobile accident in early 1920. However, a clipping of an advertisement for the revolver claims it belonged “personally
to Leland Stanford, Governor of California. It carries a shooter’s sight on the hammer, which is very unique. We are sure that this arm was made experimental for a shoulder stock as it’s notched through the original grips, which still carries the original inspectors markings.”
The revolver’s serial numbers are marked with the same tiny dies as the civilian Walker revolvers, the Whitneyville Dragoons, and these interesting variations until the dies are presumed to have worn out. Salzer states they wore out around serial number 2650, but this revolver has the tiny numerals and clearly shows the dies were used at least a little longer. Matching full or partial serial numbers in the small “Walker” size numerals are located on the wedge, arbor pin, cylinder, barrel, frame, trigger guard, and butt. The assembly number “137” is marked on the bottom of the barrel just ahead of the lug
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