LOT OF TWO COLT MODEL 1860 ARMY REVOLVERS IDENTIFIED TO CIVIL WAR VERMONT CAVALRY PRIVATE.

LOT OF TWO COLT MODEL 1860 ARMY REVOLVERS IDENTIFIED TO CIVIL WAR VERMONT CAVALRY PRIVATE. SN 36998 & 28598. Cal. 44. These two Colt revolvers were recently discovered in an estate sale. A document found with the guns state they were carried by John Hale Powers of Newbury, Vermont during the Civil War. He enlisted on 2 October 1861 and was mustered in as a Private in the 1st Vermont Cavalry on 19 November 1861. The 1st Vermont Cavalry was a very famous & gallant regiment who fought in no less than 75 battles & skirmishes and had the greatest losses of killed & wounded of any Union cavalry unit in the war. Early in the war they fought through the Shenandoah Valley, Orange Courthouse, 2nd Bull Run, Fairfax Courthouse, Hanover, Penn. and at Gettysburg made a famous flanking attack on the right flank of the Confederate lines helping contain the Confederate advance and preventing the Union Infantry from being overrun. After Gettysburg they fought at the Battle of The Wilderness, Yellow Cabin, Shaws Shop, then back through the Shenandoah Valley under Sheridan and at Richmond. Pvt. Powers was mustered out on 18 November 1864 and little is known of his life after that. Records do show that he had a son named Hale Powers, who apparently became a doctor. The provenance for this lot is hand written in ink on an old prescription form with Dr. Powers’ name at the top and was found rolled up in the bbl of one of the revolvers. 1) SN 36998. Usual configuration with 7-13/16″ rnd bbl, obviously having been reduced in length during period of use. It has a professionally installed, extra-height, German silver post front sight with 3-screw frame cut for shoulder stock & “COLT’S PATENT” on left front side. It has brass trigger guard & steel back strap with 1-pc walnut grip. 2) SN 28598. Unusual hideout gun with bbl reduced to 4-3/4″ with a tall German silver front sight. Rammer handle was reduced commensurately in a very professional job with the latch lug very professionally relocated. It has a 4-screw frame cut for shoulder stock with “COLT’S PATENT” on left front edge with round head screws. Fitted with brass trigger guard & blued steel back strap with shoulder stock notch in heel & a 1-pc walnut grip. Hammer spring is missing. CONDITION: 1) Fine, all matching except wedge which is unnumbered, grip was not checked. Guns remain in as found attic condition and have not been cleaned or altered. Bbl, as noted, retains thin blue in the most sheltered areas being a light plum/brown patina with scattered chemical spotting & light rust over top. Rammer pivot & handle retain dark case colors. Frame retains 30-35% faded case colors with balance a gray/brown patina with light chemical spotting on left side. Hammer retains about 50% dark case colors. Trigger guard was never silver plated and retains sharp edges with a medium mustard patina. Back strap has blue at top & on butt strap with balance a plum/blue patina. Cylinder retains about 50% thin orig finish with traces of orig Naval battle scene. Mechanics are fine, strong dark bore. 2) Fine, all matching including grip, wedge is unnumbered. Bbl, cut as noted, retains about 85% of a fine old restored blue with a couple of spots of pitting on left side & fine surface rust. Cylinder retains about 75% fine restored finish with four of six safety pins functional, two are mashed and traces of naval battle scene remain. Frame retains about 30-40% faded case colors, bright in the most sheltered areas. Hammer retains strong bright case colors. Grip has chipped toes and shows light wear with minor nicks & scratches and retains most of its orig factory oil finish. Back strap retains thin orig blue mixed with brown patina, strong blue at top and at butt strap with rust around butt strap screw hole. Hammer spring missing as noted, otherwise mechanics are fine. Bright shiny bore. 4-35177 JR379 (7,500-12,500)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2008

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
	2278	$4,025.00	LOT OF TWO COLT MODEL 1860 ARMY REVOLVERS IDENTIFIED TO CIVIL WAR VERMONT CAVALRY PRIVATE. SN 36998 & 28598. Cal. 44. These two Colt revolvers were recently discovered in an estate sale. A document found with the guns state they were carried by John Hale Powers of Newbury, Vermont during the Civil War. He enlisted on 2 October 1861 and was mustered in as a Private in the 1st Vermont Cavalry on 19 November 1861. The 1st Vermont Cavalry was a very famous & gallant regiment who fought in no less than 75 battles & skirmishes and had the greatest losses of killed & wounded of any Union cavalry unit in the war. Early in the war they fought through the Shenandoah Valley, Orange Courthouse, 2nd Bull Run, Fairfax Courthouse, Hanover, Penn. and at Gettysburg made a famous flanking attack on the right flank of the Confederate lines helping contain the Confederate advance and preventing the Union Infantry from being overrun. After Gettysburg they fought at the Battle of The Wilderness, Yellow Cabin, Shaws Shop, then back through the Shenandoah Valley under Sheridan and at Richmond. Pvt. Powers was mustered out on 18 November 1864 and little is known of his life after that. Records do show that he had a son named Hale Powers, who apparently became a doctor. The provenance for this lot is hand written in ink on an old prescription form with Dr. Powers’ name at the top and was found rolled up in the bbl of one of the revolvers. 1) SN 36998. Usual configuration with 7-13/16″ rnd bbl, obviously having been reduced in length during period of use. It has a professionally installed, extra-height, German silver post front sight with 3-screw frame cut for shoulder stock & “COLT’S PATENT” on left front side. It has brass trigger guard & steel back strap with 1-pc walnut grip. 2) SN 28598. Unusual hideout gun with bbl reduced to 4-3/4″ with a tall German silver front sight. Rammer handle was reduced commensurately in a very professional job with the latch lug very professionally relocated. It has a 4-screw frame cut for shoulder stock with “COLT’S PATENT” on left front edge with round head screws. Fitted with brass trigger guard & blued steel back strap with shoulder stock notch in heel & a 1-pc walnut grip. Hammer spring is missing. CONDITION: 1) Fine, all matching except wedge which is unnumbered, grip was not checked. Guns remain in as found attic condition and have not been cleaned or altered. Bbl, as noted, retains thin blue in the most sheltered areas being a light plum/brown patina with scattered chemical spotting & light rust over top. Rammer pivot & handle retain dark case colors. Frame retains 30-35% faded case colors with balance a gray/brown patina with light chemical spotting on left side. Hammer retains about 50% dark case colors. Trigger guard was never silver plated and retains sharp edges with a medium mustard patina. Back strap has blue at top & on butt strap with balance a plum/blue patina. Cylinder retains about 50% thin orig finish with traces of orig Naval battle scene. Mechanics are fine, strong dark bore. 2) Fine, all matching including grip, wedge is unnumbered. Bbl, cut as noted, retains about 85% of a fine old restored blue with a couple of spots of pitting on left side & fine surface rust. Cylinder retains about 75% fine restored finish with four of six safety pins functional, two are mashed and traces of naval battle scene remain. Frame retains about 30-40% faded case colors, bright in the most sheltered areas. Hammer retains strong bright case colors. Grip has chipped toes and shows light wear with minor nicks & scratches and retains most of its orig factory oil finish. Back strap retains thin orig blue mixed with brown patina, strong blue at top and at butt strap with rust around butt strap screw hole. Hammer spring missing as noted, otherwise mechanics are fine. Bright shiny bore. 4-35177 JR379 (7,500-12,500) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2008 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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