EXCEPTIONALLY RARE SAMUEL COLT PRESENTATION CASED 3-GUN SET.

EXCEPTIONALLY RARE SAMUEL COLT PRESENTATION CASED 3-GUN SET. This exceptional set is one of only three known similar sets. It was presented to Lt. Silas Bent by Col. Colt himself in about 1856. The set consists of a fabulous burled rosewood case 16” long, 9-5/8″ wide & 2-1/2″ deep with a scalloped corner, rectangular, brass plate in the lid engraved in period script “Lieut. Silas Bent / Compliments of / Col Colt”. It has a shield shaped brass lock escutcheon for mortised brass lock. Lined with burgundy velvet & compartmented in bottom for three Colt percussion revolvers including an 1851 Navy, an 1849 pocket model & an 1855 side hammer root. It also has compartments for a dbl sided Navy flask with angle spout, a dbl sided eagle flask for smaller revolvers, a steel 2-cavity, 36 cal mold & a steel 2-cavity, 31 cal mold. There is also an empty paper container for Hicks Caps & a lacquered tin of Eley Bros. caps. Also accompanied by an L-shaped nipple wrench & an L-shaped screwdriver. Revolvers are as follows: (1) Model 1851 Navy. Cal. 36. SN 49962. Usual configuration with 7-1/2″ oct bbl, pin front sight with 1-line New York City address. It has silver-plated grip frame & 1-pc walnut grip. CONDITION: Fine to very fine, all matching including the wedge. May have been fired but if so very little. Bbl retains a flaked blue/brown patina with about 30% glossy orig blue. Rammer retains about 50% orig case colors, bright on the pivot, faded to silver elsewhere. Cylinder retains 15-20% orig blue with balance flaked to a medium patina. All six safety pins are crisp & it retains virtually all of its orig Ormsby Naval battle scene. Frame retains most of its orig case colors, faded & faint and turning to silver. Hammer retains 75-80% faded case colors, strong on right side. Grip frame, with its small trigger guard, retains 95-97% orig silver plate. Grip is crisp & retains virtually all of its orig varnish. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore with a few spots of pitting. (2) 1849 pocket model. Cal. 31. SN 149376. Usual configuration, 4″ oct bbl, pin front sight, 2-line New York City address with serifs. It has 5-shot cylinder & silver-plated brass grip frame with 1-pc walnut grip. CONDITION: Very fine. All matching including the wedge. Bbl retains 60-70% flaked blue/brown patina with spots of dark blue. Rammer retains 60-70% orig case colors, mostly on the pivot and half of the arm. Cylinder retains a mottled blue/brown flaked patina with some hammer marks & a few nicks & dings and retains about 50% stagecoach hold-up scene. Frame retains virtually all of its orig case colors, bright & strong on the sides, turning dark on recoil shields. Hammer is a mottled gray patina. Grip frame retains 93-95% strong orig silver. Grip, with a few minor nicks, scratches & light edge wear, retains most of its bright orig varnish. There are many hammer marks on bottom of butt. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore with a few spots of pitting. (3) Model 3A 1855 Root. Cal. 31. SN 441. Usual configuration with 3-1/2″ oct bbl, pin front sight, 5-shot full fluted cylinder with 1-pc walnut grip. Bbl address is in two lines “COLT’S PT. / 1855” & Colt’s normal Hartford address in two lines with small crosses at each end & between the two inscriptions. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching. Bbl retains 30-40% glossy orig blue in sheltered areas with balance flaked to medium patina. Frame retains about 95% glossy bright orig blue with some thinning on backstrap. Grip is sound with a few minor nicks & retains virtually all of its orig varnish. Cylinder retains 50-60% thin orig blue, stronger in the flutes. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore.

Accompanied by a large packet of information regarding this set & the relationship between Lt. Bent & Col. Colt. Lt. Bent was born October, 1820 in St. Louis, entered the Navy at age 16 as a midshipman & served 25 years resigning as Lt. to pursue family business. At one point, probably at the 1851 London Exposition, he became acquainted with Samuel Colt after which they apparently became close friends. It is well known that Colt had few friends, as a matter of personal choice, so it is speculated that their friendship was very personal based on mutual interest in Bent’s profession in Hydrography, which also may have been Colt’s interest. Regardless of the connection, their friendship apparently continued & became very close as is evidenced by the fact that Lt. Bent was accorded the honor of personally accompanying Colt in a private carriage after Colt’s wedding on the way to the reception. Another influence that may have prompted this gift was the fact that Lt. Bent, as Commodore Perry’s Flag Lt. on his historic trip to Japan 1852-55, carried several Colt firearms as presentations to Japanese dignitaries, which was an attempt by Colt to open up Japanese firearms trade. In return Lt. Bent was given several Japanese matchlock arms which he arranged, through the Navy, to be released to Colt which were displayed for many years in the Colt museum. It is well recorded that Lt. Bent gave Colt a Kris & sheath, as a wedding present, which was prominently displayed in Colt’s home, Armsmear. This is well documented and illustrated in several books. It is also well documented that Lt. Bent spent considerable time advising Mr. & Mrs. Colt on the refurbishing of Armsmear.

Provenance of this set seems to go back to the early 1930’s when it was purchased by Robert Abels from a William McNary of St. Louis, MO (Lt. Bent’s home town). A notarized statement from Mr. Abels further states that he sold the set to Norm Flayderman in 1962. A typewritten note, also apparently from Mr. Abels, states basically as above but goes on further that McNary said that he bought them from “an ex-Major’s widow of St. Louis”. He further states that he cannot trace anything directly to Lt. Bent. In a 1962 letter to Mr. Abels, Norm Flayderman is asking for additional information on the set. Then in 1963 Norm apparently sold the set to Mr. Andrew T. Seymour III of Fort Worth. There is also a letter from Silas B. McKinley, grandson of Lt. Bent stating that he knew very little about relations between Colt & his grandfather beyond the family tradition that Col. Colt purchased his grandfather’s engagement ring for him.

CONDITION: Navy flask has a large dent on one side near the top, otherwise retains about 90% orig finish on the body with some oxidation on cap & spout. Small flask retains 85-90% orig finish with some light rust on the spring. Two molds are fine as are the nipple wrench & screwdriver. Cap box & cap tin are equally fine. Case has a loose front corner & one small sliver of veneer missing on right rear corner with a crack in bottom, otherwise is completely sound with several light handling & storage marks. Interior is moderately faded with a rectangular area in lid where there may have been a label or something written. Bottom is moderately faded with light soil & wear from revolvers. This is truly a spectacular set & undoubtedly a once in a lifetime opportunity to own something this historic as a personal presentation from Col. Colt himself to a personal friend. 4-57777 JR454 (50,000-100,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2006

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
	165	$51,750.00	EXCEPTIONALLY RARE SAMUEL COLT PRESENTATION CASED 3-GUN SET. This exceptional set is one of only three known similar sets. It was presented to Lt. Silas Bent by Col. Colt himself in about 1856. The set consists of a fabulous burled rosewood case 16” long, 9-5/8″ wide & 2-1/2″ deep with a scalloped corner, rectangular, brass plate in the lid engraved in period script “Lieut. Silas Bent / Compliments of / Col Colt”. It has a shield shaped brass lock escutcheon for mortised brass lock. Lined with burgundy velvet & compartmented in bottom for three Colt percussion revolvers including an 1851 Navy, an 1849 pocket model & an 1855 side hammer root. It also has compartments for a dbl sided Navy flask with angle spout, a dbl sided eagle flask for smaller revolvers, a steel 2-cavity, 36 cal mold & a steel 2-cavity, 31 cal mold. There is also an empty paper container for Hicks Caps & a lacquered tin of Eley Bros. caps. Also accompanied by an L-shaped nipple wrench & an L-shaped screwdriver. Revolvers are as follows: (1) Model 1851 Navy. Cal. 36. SN 49962. Usual configuration with 7-1/2″ oct bbl, pin front sight with 1-line New York City address. It has silver-plated grip frame & 1-pc walnut grip. CONDITION: Fine to very fine, all matching including the wedge. May have been fired but if so very little. Bbl retains a flaked blue/brown patina with about 30% glossy orig blue. Rammer retains about 50% orig case colors, bright on the pivot, faded to silver elsewhere. Cylinder retains 15-20% orig blue with balance flaked to a medium patina. All six safety pins are crisp & it retains virtually all of its orig Ormsby Naval battle scene. Frame retains most of its orig case colors, faded & faint and turning to silver. Hammer retains 75-80% faded case colors, strong on right side. Grip frame, with its small trigger guard, retains 95-97% orig silver plate. Grip is crisp & retains virtually all of its orig varnish. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore with a few spots of pitting. (2) 1849 pocket model. Cal. 31. SN 149376. Usual configuration, 4″ oct bbl, pin front sight, 2-line New York City address with serifs. It has 5-shot cylinder & silver-plated brass grip frame with 1-pc walnut grip. CONDITION: Very fine. All matching including the wedge. Bbl retains 60-70% flaked blue/brown patina with spots of dark blue. Rammer retains 60-70% orig case colors, mostly on the pivot and half of the arm. Cylinder retains a mottled blue/brown flaked patina with some hammer marks & a few nicks & dings and retains about 50% stagecoach hold-up scene. Frame retains virtually all of its orig case colors, bright & strong on the sides, turning dark on recoil shields. Hammer is a mottled gray patina. Grip frame retains 93-95% strong orig silver. Grip, with a few minor nicks, scratches & light edge wear, retains most of its bright orig varnish. There are many hammer marks on bottom of butt. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore with a few spots of pitting. (3) Model 3A 1855 Root. Cal. 31. SN 441. Usual configuration with 3-1/2″ oct bbl, pin front sight, 5-shot full fluted cylinder with 1-pc walnut grip. Bbl address is in two lines “COLT’S PT. / 1855” & Colt’s normal Hartford address in two lines with small crosses at each end & between the two inscriptions. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching. Bbl retains 30-40% glossy orig blue in sheltered areas with balance flaked to medium patina. Frame retains about 95% glossy bright orig blue with some thinning on backstrap. Grip is sound with a few minor nicks & retains virtually all of its orig varnish. Cylinder retains 50-60% thin orig blue, stronger in the flutes. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore. Accompanied by a large packet of information regarding this set & the relationship between Lt. Bent & Col. Colt. Lt. Bent was born October, 1820 in St. Louis, entered the Navy at age 16 as a midshipman & served 25 years resigning as Lt. to pursue family business. At one point, probably at the 1851 London Exposition, he became acquainted with Samuel Colt after which they apparently became close friends. It is well known that Colt had few friends, as a matter of personal choice, so it is speculated that their friendship was very personal based on mutual interest in Bent’s profession in Hydrography, which also may have been Colt’s interest. Regardless of the connection, their friendship apparently continued & became very close as is evidenced by the fact that Lt. Bent was accorded the honor of personally accompanying Colt in a private carriage after Colt’s wedding on the way to the reception. Another influence that may have prompted this gift was the fact that Lt. Bent, as Commodore Perry’s Flag Lt. on his historic trip to Japan 1852-55, carried several Colt firearms as presentations to Japanese dignitaries, which was an attempt by Colt to open up Japanese firearms trade. In return Lt. Bent was given several Japanese matchlock arms which he arranged, through the Navy, to be released to Colt which were displayed for many years in the Colt museum. It is well recorded that Lt. Bent gave Colt a Kris & sheath, as a wedding present, which was prominently displayed in Colt’s home, Armsmear. This is well documented and illustrated in several books. It is also well documented that Lt. Bent spent considerable time advising Mr. & Mrs. Colt on the refurbishing of Armsmear. Provenance of this set seems to go back to the early 1930’s when it was purchased by Robert Abels from a William McNary of St. Louis, MO (Lt. Bent’s home town). A notarized statement from Mr. Abels further states that he sold the set to Norm Flayderman in 1962. A typewritten note, also apparently from Mr. Abels, states basically as above but goes on further that McNary said that he bought them from “an ex-Major’s widow of St. Louis”. He further states that he cannot trace anything directly to Lt. Bent. In a 1962 letter to Mr. Abels, Norm Flayderman is asking for additional information on the set. Then in 1963 Norm apparently sold the set to Mr. Andrew T. Seymour III of Fort Worth. There is also a letter from Silas B. McKinley, grandson of Lt. Bent stating that he knew very little about relations between Colt & his grandfather beyond the family tradition that Col. Colt purchased his grandfather’s engagement ring for him. CONDITION: Navy flask has a large dent on one side near the top, otherwise retains about 90% orig finish on the body with some oxidation on cap & spout. Small flask retains 85-90% orig finish with some light rust on the spring. Two molds are fine as are the nipple wrench & screwdriver. Cap box & cap tin are equally fine. Case has a loose front corner & one small sliver of veneer missing on right rear corner with a crack in bottom, otherwise is completely sound with several light handling & storage marks. Interior is moderately faded with a rectangular area in lid where there may have been a label or something written. Bottom is moderately faded with light soil & wear from revolvers. This is truly a spectacular set & undoubtedly a once in a lifetime opportunity to own something this historic as a personal presentation from Col. Colt himself to a personal friend. 4-57777 JR454 (50,000-100,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2006 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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