RARE CASED INSCRIBED EARLY COLT BABY DRAGOON PERCUSSION REVOLVER.

Revised: 3/11/2012

Additional Information: The markings on the barrel are incorrect.

RARE CASED INSCRIBED EARLY COLT BABY DRAGOON PERCUSSION REVOLVER. SN 171. Cal. 31. Blue & color case hardened with 4″ oct bbl, brass pin front sight and 2-line New-York City address with brackets. Frame has forward located “COLT’S PATENT” on the left side and the silver plated square back brass trigger guard and backstrap contain a varnished 1-pc walnut grip with last three digits of matching SN in backstrap channel. Backstrap is engraved in block letters “H.F. BISSELL”. Cyl is usual 5-shots with Dragoon/Indian fight scene, rnd cyl stop notches and one safety pin which is battered. Cyl arbor is early type with cupped tip and no grease grooves. Right recoil shield has a capping cutout and it has a Type I hammer face. Hammer is early style without roller and it has a flat hammer spring with Type I Boss. Accompanied by an extremely rare casket burl walnut casing with empty silver shield in the lid. Interior is brown velvet lined with Paterson style recesses in the bottom for the revolver, a dbl sided “COLTS PATENT” early eagle flask, a “COLTS PATENT” brass 2-cavity bullet & ball Baby Dragoon bullet mold, an L-shape nipple wrench and a small lacquered tin of Eley’s caps. Bottom front edge of case has an iron mortised lock with wooden shield shaped escutcheon. Bottom of case is covered in dark paper. According to Colt’s Pocket ’49 It’s Evolution, Jordan & Watt, only an estimated 4,650 of these rare revolvers were produced with right hand addresses that have brackets. Of that number only an estimated 500 had the Type I hammer face. That information coupled with the extremely rare casing makes this a truly very rare Baby Dragoon. Henry F. Bissell was a Union soldier who enlisted as a Corporal in Company C, Connecticut 14th Infantry on 30, July, 1862 and was mustered in on 20, August, 1862. On 13, July, 1863 he transferred to Company F, 3rd Veteran Reserve Corps, and was discharged on July 6, 1865. He was promoted to Sergeant on February 9, 1863. The 14th Connecticut participated in the Battles of Antietam, MD on September 17, 1862; Fredricksburg on December 13, 1862 and was the first division to charge the stone wall at Marye’s Hill. It fought again on May 1 through 3, 1863 at Chancellorsville and again at Gettysburg July 2nd and 3rd. On the July 2 they were stationed at the center of the 2nd Corps and on July 3 repulsed Longstreet’s Charge, capturing 5 battle flags and over 200 prisoners. In the afternoon of July 3, 1863 this 8 companies of this regiment captured the large brick barn and house of William Bliss which were nearly half a mile forward of the Union lines and held them until ordered to burn the buildings, during which time they suffered several casualties. On July 6 the regiment began the pursuit of Lee’s army and were engaged at Falling Waters, Maryland. It was during this time that Sgt. Bissell was transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps, which means that during one of the early July battles he was severely wounded and unfit for active service. PROVENANCE: Jim Handy (2004); Robert Howard Estate Collection. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching including wedge, cyl & grip, cyl spindle is not numbered. Bbl retains about 85% thinning orig blue. Frame retains dark orig case colors, more faded on the recoil shields. Hammer retains dark case colors on sides and rear edge with the top edge turned brown and light pitting around hammer nose. Trigger guard & backstrap retain most of their orig silver plating with some slight losses on trigger bow and light bubbling on backstrap. Cyl is a medium gray patina and retains 80-85% Ranger/Indian fight scene roll marking. Grip is sound with some hammer marks on bottom edges and a large bruise on left side at the frame and overall retains most of its orig varnish. Mechanics are fine, strong bore with dark pitting in the grooves. Case has a few grain checks in bottom otherwise is sound with usual storage & handling light nicks & scratches and overall retains a cleaned varnish finish. Interior is moderately faded & soiled with some staining in the lid & bottom from the revolver and flask. Flask retains most of its orig finish on the body with 60-70% orig polish on collar and about 50% on spout, which is a Dixon & Sons replacement. Mold has numerous light nicks & dings but is completely sound with clean cavities and retains a dark mustard patina. Nipple wrench is lightly pitted and cap tin is fine. 4-45371 JR45 (20,000-30,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2012

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
	1592	$12,650.00	Revised: 3/11/2012 Additional Information: The markings on the barrel are incorrect. RARE CASED INSCRIBED EARLY COLT BABY DRAGOON PERCUSSION REVOLVER. SN 171. Cal. 31. Blue & color case hardened with 4″ oct bbl, brass pin front sight and 2-line New-York City address with brackets. Frame has forward located “COLT’S PATENT” on the left side and the silver plated square back brass trigger guard and backstrap contain a varnished 1-pc walnut grip with last three digits of matching SN in backstrap channel. Backstrap is engraved in block letters “H.F. BISSELL”. Cyl is usual 5-shots with Dragoon/Indian fight scene, rnd cyl stop notches and one safety pin which is battered. Cyl arbor is early type with cupped tip and no grease grooves. Right recoil shield has a capping cutout and it has a Type I hammer face. Hammer is early style without roller and it has a flat hammer spring with Type I Boss. Accompanied by an extremely rare casket burl walnut casing with empty silver shield in the lid. Interior is brown velvet lined with Paterson style recesses in the bottom for the revolver, a dbl sided “COLTS PATENT” early eagle flask, a “COLTS PATENT” brass 2-cavity bullet & ball Baby Dragoon bullet mold, an L-shape nipple wrench and a small lacquered tin of Eley’s caps. Bottom front edge of case has an iron mortised lock with wooden shield shaped escutcheon. Bottom of case is covered in dark paper. According to Colt’s Pocket ’49 It’s Evolution, Jordan & Watt, only an estimated 4,650 of these rare revolvers were produced with right hand addresses that have brackets. Of that number only an estimated 500 had the Type I hammer face. That information coupled with the extremely rare casing makes this a truly very rare Baby Dragoon. Henry F. Bissell was a Union soldier who enlisted as a Corporal in Company C, Connecticut 14th Infantry on 30, July, 1862 and was mustered in on 20, August, 1862. On 13, July, 1863 he transferred to Company F, 3rd Veteran Reserve Corps, and was discharged on July 6, 1865. He was promoted to Sergeant on February 9, 1863. The 14th Connecticut participated in the Battles of Antietam, MD on September 17, 1862; Fredricksburg on December 13, 1862 and was the first division to charge the stone wall at Marye’s Hill. It fought again on May 1 through 3, 1863 at Chancellorsville and again at Gettysburg July 2nd and 3rd. On the July 2 they were stationed at the center of the 2nd Corps and on July 3 repulsed Longstreet’s Charge, capturing 5 battle flags and over 200 prisoners. In the afternoon of July 3, 1863 this 8 companies of this regiment captured the large brick barn and house of William Bliss which were nearly half a mile forward of the Union lines and held them until ordered to burn the buildings, during which time they suffered several casualties. On July 6 the regiment began the pursuit of Lee’s army and were engaged at Falling Waters, Maryland. It was during this time that Sgt. Bissell was transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps, which means that during one of the early July battles he was severely wounded and unfit for active service. PROVENANCE: Jim Handy (2004); Robert Howard Estate Collection. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching including wedge, cyl & grip, cyl spindle is not numbered. Bbl retains about 85% thinning orig blue. Frame retains dark orig case colors, more faded on the recoil shields. Hammer retains dark case colors on sides and rear edge with the top edge turned brown and light pitting around hammer nose. Trigger guard & backstrap retain most of their orig silver plating with some slight losses on trigger bow and light bubbling on backstrap. Cyl is a medium gray patina and retains 80-85% Ranger/Indian fight scene roll marking. Grip is sound with some hammer marks on bottom edges and a large bruise on left side at the frame and overall retains most of its orig varnish. Mechanics are fine, strong bore with dark pitting in the grooves. Case has a few grain checks in bottom otherwise is sound with usual storage & handling light nicks & scratches and overall retains a cleaned varnish finish. Interior is moderately faded & soiled with some staining in the lid & bottom from the revolver and flask. Flask retains most of its orig finish on the body with 60-70% orig polish on collar and about 50% on spout, which is a Dixon & Sons replacement. Mold has numerous light nicks & dings but is completely sound with clean cavities and retains a dark mustard patina. Nipple wrench is lightly pitted and cap tin is fine. 4-45371 JR45 (20,000-30,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2012 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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