RARE CASED ENGRAVED COLT LONDON THIRD MODEL DRAGOON PERCUSSION REVOLVER.

SN 129. SN 129. Cal. 44. Usual configuration with 7-1/2″ oct to rnd bbl, German silver front sight and engraved address “COL. COLT. LONDON.” Left side of frame has “COLTS PATENT” engraved in a ribbon. There were only 700 Hartford-London dragoons, very few engraved and even less cased and engraved. This gun was made in 1853. The silver plated brass trigger guard & backstrap contain a burl walnut deluxe 1-pc grip. Cyl is usual 6-shots with Dragoon/Indian fight scene roll marking and the “MODEL U.S.M.R.” and “COLTS PATENT” legends partially visible. Left side of bbl lug & cyl have British proofs. Revolver is engraved in English style with about 60-70% coverage fine foliate arabesque patterns & beautiful foliate & floral patterns on the recoil shields. Sides of bbl lug and top three flats are engraved to match with feather & line border patterns around the address. Both sides of bbl lug have braided rope border patterns. The rammer pivot is engraved to match with rosettes around each side of the pivot link screw. Backstrap, buttstrap & trigger guard are also engraved to match with line borders. Center of backstrap is hand engraved with a sharp pointed instrument “Capt. Brown” and the front strap engraved in the same hand “U.S.A.”. This style of inscription done with single points from a tool making up letters is not uncommon among maritime inscribed items or other pieces of folk art from the mid-19th century.The use of “U.S.A.” after name with rank most typically refers to regular U.S. Army officer’s. Rammer handle is the early type with vertical latch and is engraved on bottom radius with a running leaf & vine pattern. Accompanied by an orig, blue velvet lined, English oak casing with empty medallion in the lid. Interior is compartmented in bottom for revolver, a bag shaped Barlow copper & brass flask, a scarce brass “COLTS PATENT” 2-cavity bullet & ball mold with steel sprue cutter and locator pin in the right arm. Also accompanied by an L-shaped nipple wrench, a lacquered tin for Eley bros. caps, a rnd brass capper with screw lid marked “S. ALLPORT” and a Hawksley pewter oil bottle. According to Flayderman’s Guide to Antique American Firearms there were approx 700 of these Dragoons made from Hartford parts, finished & assembled in Colt’s London factory in the period 1853-1857. It further states that at least 20% of the Hartford English Dragoon production was engraved. It is further states that in 1861 about 200 of these revolvers (many of them engraved) were returned to Hartford for use in the Civil War. This would explain the inscription on the grip frame. Also accompanied by a large black & white photograph showing the bbl address of this revolver with the notation that it is “one of 10 known”. This revolver is pictured on p. 149 of the book Colt Engraving, Wilson and identified by serial number. It is also pictured on p. 61 as plate XXXV of Samuel Colt Presents, Wilson with credit to Harry C. Knode. PROVENANCE: Harry C. Knode Collection; L.C. Jackson; Robert Howard Estate Collection. CONDITION: Fine, all matching except grip which is unnumbered, and wedge which has the number “6819″. Overall the steel parts retain a medium to dark gray metal patina with a few scattered spots of fine pinprick surface rust. Hammer nose & sides of hammer are lightly pitted. Cyl retains 25-30% faint Dragoon/Indian fight scene with the legends partly visible. Trigger guard retains 75-80% orig silver plating and the back strap about 60%. Grip is sound with light handling & use nicks & dings, shows moderate edge wear and retains 50-60% orig varnish. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore with scattered spots of pitting. Case has a sliver missing from the lid with a few shrunken loose seams and a couple of grain checks in the bottom and overall retains a cleaned finish. Interior is moderately faded & soiled with a couple of repaired partitions. Flask retains about 75% orig finish. Mold has a few light nicks & dings with a dark mustard patina and bright clean cavities. Cap tin, capper & oil bottle are fine. 4-51556 JS (25,000-50,000) – Lot 2191a

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2014

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	2191a	$23,000.00	RARE CASED ENGRAVED COLT LONDON THIRD MODEL DRAGOON PERCUSSION REVOLVER. SN 129. SN 129. Cal. 44. Usual configuration with 7-1/2″ oct to rnd bbl, German silver front sight and engraved address “COL. COLT. LONDON.” Left side of frame has “COLTS PATENT” engraved in a ribbon. There were only 700 Hartford-London dragoons, very few engraved and even less cased and engraved. This gun was made in 1853. The silver plated brass trigger guard & backstrap contain a burl walnut deluxe 1-pc grip. Cyl is usual 6-shots with Dragoon/Indian fight scene roll marking and the “MODEL U.S.M.R.” and “COLTS PATENT” legends partially visible. Left side of bbl lug & cyl have British proofs. Revolver is engraved in English style with about 60-70% coverage fine foliate arabesque patterns & beautiful foliate & floral patterns on the recoil shields. Sides of bbl lug and top three flats are engraved to match with feather & line border patterns around the address. Both sides of bbl lug have braided rope border patterns. The rammer pivot is engraved to match with rosettes around each side of the pivot link screw. Backstrap, buttstrap & trigger guard are also engraved to match with line borders. Center of backstrap is hand engraved with a sharp pointed instrument “Capt. Brown” and the front strap engraved in the same hand “U.S.A.”. This style of inscription done with single points from a tool making up letters is not uncommon among maritime inscribed items or other pieces of folk art from the mid-19th century.The use of “U.S.A.” after name with rank most typically refers to regular U.S. Army officer’s. Rammer handle is the early type with vertical latch and is engraved on bottom radius with a running leaf & vine pattern. Accompanied by an orig, blue velvet lined, English oak casing with empty medallion in the lid. Interior is compartmented in bottom for revolver, a bag shaped Barlow copper & brass flask, a scarce brass “COLTS PATENT” 2-cavity bullet & ball mold with steel sprue cutter and locator pin in the right arm. Also accompanied by an L-shaped nipple wrench, a lacquered tin for Eley bros. caps, a rnd brass capper with screw lid marked “S. ALLPORT” and a Hawksley pewter oil bottle. According to Flayderman’s Guide to Antique American Firearms there were approx 700 of these Dragoons made from Hartford parts, finished & assembled in Colt’s London factory in the period 1853-1857. It further states that at least 20% of the Hartford English Dragoon production was engraved. It is further states that in 1861 about 200 of these revolvers (many of them engraved) were returned to Hartford for use in the Civil War. This would explain the inscription on the grip frame. Also accompanied by a large black & white photograph showing the bbl address of this revolver with the notation that it is “one of 10 known”. This revolver is pictured on p. 149 of the book Colt Engraving, Wilson and identified by serial number. It is also pictured on p. 61 as plate XXXV of Samuel Colt Presents, Wilson with credit to Harry C. Knode. PROVENANCE: Harry C. Knode Collection; L.C. Jackson; Robert Howard Estate Collection. CONDITION: Fine, all matching except grip which is unnumbered, and wedge which has the number “6819″. Overall the steel parts retain a medium to dark gray metal patina with a few scattered spots of fine pinprick surface rust. Hammer nose & sides of hammer are lightly pitted. Cyl retains 25-30% faint Dragoon/Indian fight scene with the legends partly visible. Trigger guard retains 75-80% orig silver plating and the back strap about 60%. Grip is sound with light handling & use nicks & dings, shows moderate edge wear and retains 50-60% orig varnish. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore with scattered spots of pitting. Case has a sliver missing from the lid with a few shrunken loose seams and a couple of grain checks in the bottom and overall retains a cleaned finish. Interior is moderately faded & soiled with a couple of repaired partitions. Flask retains about 75% orig finish. Mold has a few light nicks & dings with a dark mustard patina and bright clean cavities. Cap tin, capper & oil bottle are fine. 4-51556 JS (25,000-50,000) – Lot 2191a Auction: Firearms - Spring 2014 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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RARE CASED ENGRAVED COLT LONDON THIRD MODEL DRAGOON PERCUSSION REVOLVER.