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RARE AND FINE NIMSCHKE ENGRAVED COLT MODEL 1862

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:4,000.00 USD Estimated At:8,000.00 - 12,000.00 USD
RARE AND FINE NIMSCHKE ENGRAVED COLT MODEL 1862
POCKET NAVY CARTRIDGE CONVERSION REVOLVER WITH “TIFFANY” EAGLE & SNAKE GRIPS. Cal. 38 RF. S# 1915/1972. Bbl. 5.5" rnd., 1-line New York address, ejector housing, Nimschke-style engraving on entirety of frame and en suite arabesques and punch dot backgrounds on barrel. Classic Nimschke style radiating half round design on recoil shield & loading gate door. Well fit Wexell & Degress “eagle and snake” raised relief silverplated grips. For many years these rare grips were associated with Tiffany of New York, but research by Marlin Pohemus proved manufacture and 1874 patent. This revolver originally made in percussion in 1863, conversion about 1874. This exact gun is pictured in the most famous of all Colt reference books, “The Book of Colt Firearms” and was originally in the collection of Robert Q. Sutherland. His text states: “Purchased with an interesting history which attests to original ownership by several Mexican military officers & revolutionaries, including Diaz, Villa, & Zapata”. This is a rare pattern, and few examples are known. A nearly identical example SN 1029, is found on page 327 of Bruce McDowell’s 1997 text “A Study of Colt Conversions and Other Percussion Revolvers”. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: custom made Lucite stand. CONDITION: fine overall, appears all original. SN 1972 on barrel, frame & trigger guard. “1915” Found on cylinder pin and ejector housing door. SN “087” found on cylinder. Wedge is unnumbered. Small assembly letters “R” found on face of cylinder and “P” on back of barrel housing. About 75-80% of original nickel/silver on barrel, frame, trigger guard, and grips. The cylinder retains about 10% original finish with well discerned “stagecoach holdup scene” rolled design. Mechanically fine with bright well-defined rifled bore with some pitting. PROVENANCE: Robert Q. Sutherland Collection Pictured on pages 229 & 576-577 Sutherland & Wilson “The Book of Colt Firearms”, 1971. Lot 913 July 23, 1996 Butterfield & Butterfield Auctions, San Francisco REFERENCE: pictured page 337, Wilson “The Colt Engraving Book, Vol. 1”. (01-18960/JS). ANTIQUE. $8,000-12,000.