4009

RARE CASED & UNIQUE FLORAL ROCOCO ENGRAVED

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:5,000.00 USD Estimated At:10,000.00 - 15,000.00 USD
RARE CASED & UNIQUE FLORAL ROCOCO ENGRAVED

EXPOSITION, COLT LONDON POCKET MODEL PERCUSSION REVOLVER. Cal. 31. S# 26. Bbl. 5". This is a very rare & beautifully engraved Colt Model 1849 most likely made for the Dublin Exposition of 1853. The engraving style is unique w/ floral and rococo designs. The bbl. address is hand engraved in unique small lettering not seen on any other revolver. London proofs were added after engraving as the normal proof on right side of bbl. housing is found in unengraved area below wedge slot which is not noted on any other specimens. Deluxe grips are nicely burled w/ fine color. The casing also has unique carved mother of pearl flower shaped compartment knob not seen on any other specimen. Larry Wilson in his Colt Engraving text shows this gun & states there are 3 types of London engraving & cites this example as being the rarest, few examples & under 100 serial range on pocket models. Gun appears original, complete & authentic as manufactured though serial number on cylinder does not match balance of gun though still two digits “95”. There are other Colt exhibition guns known w/ unserialized cylinders, this gun possibly was rushed for the exposition & this was the cylinder available. Most likely this is the only Model 1849 w/ this style of engraving as made for the Dublin Exposition in 1853 & this 2 digit gun was first year produced in London. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: rare early London oak casing; has no provision for cleaning rod, & no mortise cut for bullet mold sprue cutter. Case contains near new Dixon bag flask w/ virtually all of its original varnish, a 2 cavity "COLTS PATENT" brass bullet mold, L-shaped combination gun tool, original pack of caps w/ Eley Brothers paper label & original 5 cartridge pack of Colt cartridges. Also included in this lot is a copy of “Fine Colts, The Dr. Joseph A. Murphy Collection”. CONDITION: extremely fine overall, all matching w/ exception of cylinder as noted. Bbl. retains about 95% bright blue finish w/ crisp markings. Cylinder has traces of thin blue w/ crisp, complete rolled “Stagecoach Holdup” scene w/ balance silver/blue patina. Frame & hammer retain most of their original muted case color w/ balance silver/gray. Trigger guard & backstrap retain virtually all their silver plate. Grips retain virtually all their original factory varnish w/ light edge wear & a few sm. dents. Accompanying case is very good overall w/ vacant scalloped brass plaque, blue velvet interior is very good w/ light fading, there are several repairs to velvet lining wear worn through apparently in revolver compartment, sides to lidded compartment are bowed out slightly w/ old glued repair. Mold & gun tool are both very good & smooth overall, gun tool retains about half its finish. Cap tin is empty but discernable label, cartridge pack is very good & complete. The pre-Colt contract Dixon flask is excellent retaining virtually all varnish & bright fire blue to spring. PROVENANCE: Raymond Kendall Collection; pictured on pages 230, 239 & 240 of Wilson’s “Colt Engraving Book Volume I” (Though Wilson misidentifies serial number); Pictured on page 87 of the 1999 “Fine Colts, The Dr. Joseph A. Murphy Collection” as front is showing this example as epitome of English engraving of London Colts. (01-17677/JS). ANTIQUE. $10,000-15,000.