FINE CASED ENGRAVED METROPOLITAN POLICE PERCUSSION REVOLVER.

FINE CASED ENGRAVED METROPOLITAN POLICE PERCUSSION REVOLVER. SN 3240. Cal .36. Silver finish with 4-1/2″ rnd bbl and tiny dovetail front sight with 1-line “METROPOLITAN ARMS CO NEW-YORK” address. It has 5-shot fluted, rebated cyl with safety recesses on the lands between the nipples. Silver plated brass trigger guard and backstrap contain a one piece smooth ivory grip. Only about 2,750 of these revolvers were produced in the period 1864-1866, and of that total only about 1,600 had marked bbls. Obviously only a minute portion of that small number were cased and even fewer were engraved and plated, making this a truly rare specimen. These revolvers are almost identical to the Colt Model 1862 Police with the exception of the rammer, which on this revolver is articulated, in two pieces with the Colt Model 1862 rammer of the rack and pinion type. Engraving is by master engraver L.D. Nimschke and consists of full coverage foliate arabesque patterns on the frame with several scrolls terminating in flower blossoms. Engraving extends over the sides of the bbls and terminates in front of the address, with matching engraving on the rammer pivot and lands between the flutes on the cylinder. Top of the back strap has Mr. Nimschke’s typical fan pattern with matching foliate arabesque patterns down the back strap, on the butt strap and trigger guard. Hammer also received his deluxe treatment of foliate arabesque pattern on the sides with fishscale patterns on the sides of the spur and top edge of the hammer, with highly detailed wolf’s heads on each side of the hammer nose. Accompanied by its orig burgundy velvet lined mahogany casing compartmented in the bottom for the revolver, double sided flask with foliate pattern, a two cavity blued steel Manhattan Arms marked mold with sprue cutter, L-shaped nipple wrench, an open packet of five combustible cartridges and a lacquered tin of Ely’s caps. Case has a mortised brass lock in the front edge with the locking tang removed and is loose in one compartment. Accompanied by a large volume of research material compiled by the consignor and his family regarding the provenance of this revolver and his family history as relates to the famous scout Kit Carson having given this revolver to Lt. E.F. Beale and its descendancey down to the consignor. That Lt. Beale and Kit Carson were close personal friends is of absolutely no doubt and it is well documented that Mr. Carson also gave Lt. Beale his Hawken plains rifle which Lt. Beale’s son, Truxton, presented to Theodore Roosevelt who in turn presented it to the Boone & Crockett Club where is it currently on display. Edward Fitzgerald Beale was born Feb. 1822 in Washington, DC into a military family and, through family connections was appointed to the Naval Academy by President Andrew Jackson, graduating in 1842. In Oct. 1845 as acting sailing master of the frigate Congress under the command of Commodore Robert Stockton, he sailed for California, but 20 days out Stockton dispatched Beale back to Washington with important dispatches, reaching Washington in March 1846. He was promoted to the grade of Master and in May of 1846 overtook and rejoined the “Congress”, reaching Monteray, CA on July 20. By that time the war with Mexico had begun and Commodore Stockton dispatched Beale to serve with the land forces. He and a small body of men under Lt. Archibald Gillespie joined Gen. Stephen Kerney’s column just before the disastrous Battle of San Pasqual on Dec. 6, 1846. The Mexican army had surrounded the small American force and threatened to destroy it when Beale, Kit Carson and his Delaware Indian’s servant crawled through the Mexican lines and made their way to San Diego for reinforcements, which saved the American force. Over the next two years Beale made six or seven more journeys across country frequently in company with Kit Carson, carrying dispatches and along with Kit Carson brought proof to the federal government of the discovery of gold in CA. Beale resigned in 1851 and returned to CA as the manager for a company owned by Commodore Stockton and a Mr. Aspinwall, in the new territory. Beale became superintendent of Indian affairs for CA and NV and later surveyed the route for the Trans-Continental Railroad. In 1856 he was appointed Brigadier Gen. of the CA state militia. In 1857 President Buchanan appointed Beale to survey a wagon road from Ft. Defiance New Mexico territory to the Colorado River. That survey also incorporated the experimental use of camels in crossing desert regions. The camels performed well but they scared the horses and mules so the army abandoned the experiment. Descendants of those camels still roam the Arizona desert today. In 1861 President Lincoln appointed Beale surveyor General of CA and NV. After the Civil War Beale retired to Rancho Tejon, part of the 270,000 acres he had acquired near present-day Bakersfield, CA and later purchased the Decatur house in Washington, DC. In 1876 President Grant appointed Beale minister to Austria-Hungary, a post he held for a year. Grant also suggested Beale to be Secretary of the Navy under President Arthur, but President Arthur preferred someone else. Beale died at the Decatur house in April 1893. Accompanied by a book which is inscribed to “Harold Marsh Sewall from his friend Truxton Beale”, which is a biography of Lt. Beale, Edward Fitzgerald Beale, A Pioneer in the Path of Empire 1822-1903, Stephen Bonsal published in 1912. According to a signed and notarized statement from the consignor, this revolver was given to Lt. Beale by Kit Carson who then passed it to Mr. Y.S. Walter who founded the Delaware County Republican newspaper in Chester, PA who then passed it down through his granddaughter’s family, the Stiner’s where in about 1960 it was given as a gift from Marie Stiner to consignor’s father, Wendell G. Shaw (1925-1988), from whom the consignor inherited it. Both the Walter’s and the Beale’s had a long family history in Chester, PA and were involved in Republican politics at the same time. Also accompanied by a very old and brittle yellowed piece of paper about 9″ x 4-3/4″ which bears the handwritten in ink historical information “owned by Kit Carson; the great scout / Presented to Lt. E.F. Beal —– Presented to the Hon YS Walter —– Who was the grandfather of my wife / Now the property of Edw. Stiner”. Also accompanied by an 8″ x 10″ b/w photo of consignor’s father displaying this revolver and case. The same photo appears in a newspaper clipping from the Portland Press Herald of March 28, 1964. Beale Air Force Base in CA is named after Lt. Beale. CONDITION: Revolver is fine to very fine, all matching except grip which is unnumbered. Bbl retains 75-80% strong orig silver plating with the loss areas a medium to dark patina. Frame, cylinder, hammer and grip frame retain most of their orig silver plating, somewhat thin and oxidized on the cylinder. Grip is sound showing little or no wear and retains crisp edges and a beautiful mellow ivory patina. Mechanics are fine, strong bore with fine pitting. Case has a couple of grain checks at the bottom, otherwise is sound with usual handling and storage marks and retains most of its orig varnish. Interior is moderately to heavily faded with moderate soil in the bottom with damage from the front sight and hammer spur. Flask has a few minor dents, otherwise is sound with a dark brass patina. Mold is very fine, retains most of its orig factory blue. Cartridge packet is soiled and missing top. Cap tin is very fine. 4-39672 JR380 (6,000-10,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2010

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
	2221	$8,625.00	FINE CASED ENGRAVED METROPOLITAN POLICE PERCUSSION REVOLVER. SN 3240. Cal .36. Silver finish with 4-1/2″ rnd bbl and tiny dovetail front sight with 1-line “METROPOLITAN ARMS CO NEW-YORK” address. It has 5-shot fluted, rebated cyl with safety recesses on the lands between the nipples. Silver plated brass trigger guard and backstrap contain a one piece smooth ivory grip. Only about 2,750 of these revolvers were produced in the period 1864-1866, and of that total only about 1,600 had marked bbls. Obviously only a minute portion of that small number were cased and even fewer were engraved and plated, making this a truly rare specimen. These revolvers are almost identical to the Colt Model 1862 Police with the exception of the rammer, which on this revolver is articulated, in two pieces with the Colt Model 1862 rammer of the rack and pinion type. Engraving is by master engraver L.D. Nimschke and consists of full coverage foliate arabesque patterns on the frame with several scrolls terminating in flower blossoms. Engraving extends over the sides of the bbls and terminates in front of the address, with matching engraving on the rammer pivot and lands between the flutes on the cylinder. Top of the back strap has Mr. Nimschke’s typical fan pattern with matching foliate arabesque patterns down the back strap, on the butt strap and trigger guard. Hammer also received his deluxe treatment of foliate arabesque pattern on the sides with fishscale patterns on the sides of the spur and top edge of the hammer, with highly detailed wolf’s heads on each side of the hammer nose. Accompanied by its orig burgundy velvet lined mahogany casing compartmented in the bottom for the revolver, double sided flask with foliate pattern, a two cavity blued steel Manhattan Arms marked mold with sprue cutter, L-shaped nipple wrench, an open packet of five combustible cartridges and a lacquered tin of Ely’s caps. Case has a mortised brass lock in the front edge with the locking tang removed and is loose in one compartment. Accompanied by a large volume of research material compiled by the consignor and his family regarding the provenance of this revolver and his family history as relates to the famous scout Kit Carson having given this revolver to Lt. E.F. Beale and its descendancey down to the consignor. That Lt. Beale and Kit Carson were close personal friends is of absolutely no doubt and it is well documented that Mr. Carson also gave Lt. Beale his Hawken plains rifle which Lt. Beale’s son, Truxton, presented to Theodore Roosevelt who in turn presented it to the Boone & Crockett Club where is it currently on display. Edward Fitzgerald Beale was born Feb. 1822 in Washington, DC into a military family and, through family connections was appointed to the Naval Academy by President Andrew Jackson, graduating in 1842. In Oct. 1845 as acting sailing master of the frigate Congress under the command of Commodore Robert Stockton, he sailed for California, but 20 days out Stockton dispatched Beale back to Washington with important dispatches, reaching Washington in March 1846. He was promoted to the grade of Master and in May of 1846 overtook and rejoined the “Congress”, reaching Monteray, CA on July 20. By that time the war with Mexico had begun and Commodore Stockton dispatched Beale to serve with the land forces. He and a small body of men under Lt. Archibald Gillespie joined Gen. Stephen Kerney’s column just before the disastrous Battle of San Pasqual on Dec. 6, 1846. The Mexican army had surrounded the small American force and threatened to destroy it when Beale, Kit Carson and his Delaware Indian’s servant crawled through the Mexican lines and made their way to San Diego for reinforcements, which saved the American force. Over the next two years Beale made six or seven more journeys across country frequently in company with Kit Carson, carrying dispatches and along with Kit Carson brought proof to the federal government of the discovery of gold in CA. Beale resigned in 1851 and returned to CA as the manager for a company owned by Commodore Stockton and a Mr. Aspinwall, in the new territory. Beale became superintendent of Indian affairs for CA and NV and later surveyed the route for the Trans-Continental Railroad. In 1856 he was appointed Brigadier Gen. of the CA state militia. In 1857 President Buchanan appointed Beale to survey a wagon road from Ft. Defiance New Mexico territory to the Colorado River. That survey also incorporated the experimental use of camels in crossing desert regions. The camels performed well but they scared the horses and mules so the army abandoned the experiment. Descendants of those camels still roam the Arizona desert today. In 1861 President Lincoln appointed Beale surveyor General of CA and NV. After the Civil War Beale retired to Rancho Tejon, part of the 270,000 acres he had acquired near present-day Bakersfield, CA and later purchased the Decatur house in Washington, DC. In 1876 President Grant appointed Beale minister to Austria-Hungary, a post he held for a year. Grant also suggested Beale to be Secretary of the Navy under President Arthur, but President Arthur preferred someone else. Beale died at the Decatur house in April 1893. Accompanied by a book which is inscribed to “Harold Marsh Sewall from his friend Truxton Beale”, which is a biography of Lt. Beale, Edward Fitzgerald Beale, A Pioneer in the Path of Empire 1822-1903, Stephen Bonsal published in 1912. According to a signed and notarized statement from the consignor, this revolver was given to Lt. Beale by Kit Carson who then passed it to Mr. Y.S. Walter who founded the Delaware County Republican newspaper in Chester, PA who then passed it down through his granddaughter’s family, the Stiner’s where in about 1960 it was given as a gift from Marie Stiner to consignor’s father, Wendell G. Shaw (1925-1988), from whom the consignor inherited it. Both the Walter’s and the Beale’s had a long family history in Chester, PA and were involved in Republican politics at the same time. Also accompanied by a very old and brittle yellowed piece of paper about 9″ x 4-3/4″ which bears the handwritten in ink historical information “owned by Kit Carson; the great scout / Presented to Lt. E.F. Beal —– Presented to the Hon YS Walter —– Who was the grandfather of my wife / Now the property of Edw. Stiner”. Also accompanied by an 8″ x 10″ b/w photo of consignor’s father displaying this revolver and case. The same photo appears in a newspaper clipping from the Portland Press Herald of March 28, 1964. Beale Air Force Base in CA is named after Lt. Beale. CONDITION: Revolver is fine to very fine, all matching except grip which is unnumbered. Bbl retains 75-80% strong orig silver plating with the loss areas a medium to dark patina. Frame, cylinder, hammer and grip frame retain most of their orig silver plating, somewhat thin and oxidized on the cylinder. Grip is sound showing little or no wear and retains crisp edges and a beautiful mellow ivory patina. Mechanics are fine, strong bore with fine pitting. Case has a couple of grain checks at the bottom, otherwise is sound with usual handling and storage marks and retains most of its orig varnish. Interior is moderately to heavily faded with moderate soil in the bottom with damage from the front sight and hammer spur. Flask has a few minor dents, otherwise is sound with a dark brass patina. Mold is very fine, retains most of its orig factory blue. Cartridge packet is soiled and missing top. Cap tin is very fine. 4-39672 JR380 (6,000-10,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2010 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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