RARE CASED VON OPPEN COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER.

RARE CASED VON OPPEN COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER. SN 14877. Cal. 450 Boxer. Blue & color case hardened with 5-1/2″ bbl, full front sight and script letter address. Left side of frame has two patent dates with left shoulder of trigger guard marked “45 CAL / B”. Mounted with 1-pc walnut grip that has last four digits of SN in backstrap channel. Ejector rod housing is 1st type with bull’s eye ejector rod head. Serial number was observed in the three usual places, on frame, trigger guard & buttstrap with last four digits of SN on bottom of bbl, under ejector rod housing and on cylinder. Right shoulder of the trigger guard is marked with a tiny Rampant Colt and a “C”. This is the mark of Baron Frederick Von Oppen who was Samuel Colt’s brother-in-law and was the head of Colt’s London Agency and Sales Agent for all of Europe, the middle and near East. This mark was established by Von Oppen with the concurrence of Samuel Colt which was used as an additional mark to certify Colt originality as early as 1872 and was applied to Colt firearms that were not clearly marked with the Colt address, especially those in the 450 Boxer and 450 Eley calibers. These Von Oppen marked single actions are rarely encountered today with only a few known. Bbl & cyl have tiny English proofs. Accompanied by an orig English oak casing with brass disc in lid. Interior is green baize lined with the Colt London Agency paper label inside lid. Bottom is compartmented for revolver, a steel cleaning rod an L-shaped nipple wrench, a Dixon pewter oiler and a cartridge block for 28 cartridges containing 28 mixed manufacture rds. According to Colt Peacemaker Encyclopedia, Cochran, which on p. 333 lists only 729 single actions produced in this caliber. CONDITION: Revolver is about fine, all matching including cyl & grip. Bbl retains 50-60% orig blue, strong in sheltered areas and flaked, not worn to a medium patina. Frame & hammer retain nearly all of their orig factory case colors, brilliant in sheltered areas, lightly to moderately faded elsewhere. Trigger guard & backstrap retain 75-80% strong orig blue thin on frontstrap and center of backstrap which has candy-striping. Cylinder retains 93-95% strong orig blue. Grip is sound with a tiny chip out of right toe with light handling & use marks and retains most of a wiped-on top finish. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore with three or four tiny spots of very light pitting. Case is fine with a few small chips out of lid and a couple of minor grain checks in bottom with usual handling & storage marks and retains most of an old wiped-on finish on lid. Interior is moderately faded & soiled with damage from front sight & hammer spur. Label shows wear from cylinder, otherwise is intact and moderately yellowed. Accessories are fine. 4-38592 (17,000-24,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2009

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
	2193	$0.00	RARE CASED VON OPPEN COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER. SN 14877. Cal. 450 Boxer. Blue & color case hardened with 5-1/2″ bbl, full front sight and script letter address. Left side of frame has two patent dates with left shoulder of trigger guard marked “45 CAL / B”. Mounted with 1-pc walnut grip that has last four digits of SN in backstrap channel. Ejector rod housing is 1st type with bull’s eye ejector rod head. Serial number was observed in the three usual places, on frame, trigger guard & buttstrap with last four digits of SN on bottom of bbl, under ejector rod housing and on cylinder. Right shoulder of the trigger guard is marked with a tiny Rampant Colt and a “C”. This is the mark of Baron Frederick Von Oppen who was Samuel Colt’s brother-in-law and was the head of Colt’s London Agency and Sales Agent for all of Europe, the middle and near East. This mark was established by Von Oppen with the concurrence of Samuel Colt which was used as an additional mark to certify Colt originality as early as 1872 and was applied to Colt firearms that were not clearly marked with the Colt address, especially those in the 450 Boxer and 450 Eley calibers. These Von Oppen marked single actions are rarely encountered today with only a few known. Bbl & cyl have tiny English proofs. Accompanied by an orig English oak casing with brass disc in lid. Interior is green baize lined with the Colt London Agency paper label inside lid. Bottom is compartmented for revolver, a steel cleaning rod an L-shaped nipple wrench, a Dixon pewter oiler and a cartridge block for 28 cartridges containing 28 mixed manufacture rds. According to Colt Peacemaker Encyclopedia, Cochran, which on p. 333 lists only 729 single actions produced in this caliber. CONDITION: Revolver is about fine, all matching including cyl & grip. Bbl retains 50-60% orig blue, strong in sheltered areas and flaked, not worn to a medium patina. Frame & hammer retain nearly all of their orig factory case colors, brilliant in sheltered areas, lightly to moderately faded elsewhere. Trigger guard & backstrap retain 75-80% strong orig blue thin on frontstrap and center of backstrap which has candy-striping. Cylinder retains 93-95% strong orig blue. Grip is sound with a tiny chip out of right toe with light handling & use marks and retains most of a wiped-on top finish. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore with three or four tiny spots of very light pitting. Case is fine with a few small chips out of lid and a couple of minor grain checks in bottom with usual handling & storage marks and retains most of an old wiped-on finish on lid. Interior is moderately faded & soiled with damage from front sight & hammer spur. Label shows wear from cylinder, otherwise is intact and moderately yellowed. Accessories are fine. 4-38592 (17,000-24,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2009 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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