SCARCE CASED ENGRAVED 2-GUN SET OF EARLY COLT MODEL 1851 LONDON NAVYS.

SCARCE CASED ENGRAVED 2-GUN SET OF EARLY COLT MODEL 1851 LONDON NAVYS. SN 1100 & 1101. Cal. 36. Cased set of consecutive numbered, very early London Navys with 7-1/2″ oct bbls, pin front sights with London addresses with dashes. Both have small guard silver-plated brass trigger guards & back straps with extraordinary dlx, smooth, French walnut grips. Both are English engraved similarly but not identically with tasteful light coverage of foliate arabesque patterns with “COLT’S PATENT” engraved in a ribbon on each frame. Hammer screws on both revolvers have a flower blossom around hammer screw holes with another flower blossom around rammer pivot screw & rammer screw on No. 1100. No. 1101 does not have rammer screw decorations. Both have light decorations on sides of hammers with dolphin motifs on top edges. Back strap of No. 1100 is inscribed “Honble D. F. Monson / 52nd Lt. Infantry”. Back strap of No. 1101 is inscribed with initials “J.V.B.”. These early London Navies were apparently produced shortly after Colt set up his first operation in London and were assembled mostly from parts sent over from the Hartford factory with only about 2,000 more. There are apparently variations in parts with most of parts being Hartford made, as noted, but some of parts were also made in London and obviously these two were engraved in England with London made grips. Both revolvers have British proofs on bbl lugs & cylinders. Accompanied by a spectacular, mahogany, 2-gun, British casing with brass reinforced corners & a concealed lifting ring in brass inlaid bull’s eye in lid. Interior is rose velvet lined, compartmented in bottom for two revolvers, a Hawksley bag shaped flask, a blued steel “COLT’S PATENT” 2-cavity mold with sprue cutter, marked on bottom “N.J”, signifying that it was part of a shipment to the New Jersey Militia. Case also contains two L-shaped nipple wrenches of different sizes & an early galvanized tin of Eley Bros. caps. Right rear corner has a covered compartment for the cleaning rod, which is missing. Left front corner contains a few balls & bullets and a left center compartment contains spare parts & nipples. Left rear corner compartment is empty. Front of case has a mortised brass lock with two mortised brass latches. CONDITION: SN 1100. Very good to fine, all matching except wedge which is unnumbered, grip was not checked. Bbl retains traces of blue in the most sheltered areas being overall a gray/brown patina. Rammer pivot retains faded case colors. Frame retains dark case colors in the most sheltered areas and, along with hammer, retains a dark gray/brown patina. Trigger guard & back strap retain about 93-95% strong orig silver plating. Grip is sound with light handling & use marks and retains about 95% orig varnish. Mechanics are fine, strong dark bore with heavy pitting. SN 1101. Very good to fine, all matching except wedge which is unnumbered, grip was not checked. Bbl retains about 50% thin orig blue with balance a blue/brown patina & some light surface rust & fine pitting. Rammer pivot retains faded case colors. Frame is mostly a dark silver gray patina with some silvered case colors on right side. Cylinder is a light plum colored patina with scattered pitting and retains about 25% Ormsby Naval battle scene. Trigger guard & back strap retain about 70-75% orig silver and grip is sound with light nicks & scratches showing light to moderate wear & retains most of its orig factory varnish. Mechanics are fine, strong bore with light to moderate pitting. Case is sound with handling & storage nicks & scratches on lid and overall retains 75-80% orig varnish. Interior is lightly faded with very light soil. Flask appears to be about new. Mold retains about 50% flaked orig blue, other accessories are fine. 4-35973 JR480 (25,000-40,000)

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
	2284	$32,200.00	SCARCE CASED ENGRAVED 2-GUN SET OF EARLY COLT MODEL 1851 LONDON NAVYS. SN 1100 & 1101. Cal. 36. Cased set of consecutive numbered, very early London Navys with 7-1/2″ oct bbls, pin front sights with London addresses with dashes. Both have small guard silver-plated brass trigger guards & back straps with extraordinary dlx, smooth, French walnut grips. Both are English engraved similarly but not identically with tasteful light coverage of foliate arabesque patterns with “COLT’S PATENT” engraved in a ribbon on each frame. Hammer screws on both revolvers have a flower blossom around hammer screw holes with another flower blossom around rammer pivot screw & rammer screw on No. 1100. No. 1101 does not have rammer screw decorations. Both have light decorations on sides of hammers with dolphin motifs on top edges. Back strap of No. 1100 is inscribed “Honble D. F. Monson / 52nd Lt. Infantry”. Back strap of No. 1101 is inscribed with initials “J.V.B.”. These early London Navies were apparently produced shortly after Colt set up his first operation in London and were assembled mostly from parts sent over from the Hartford factory with only about 2,000 more. There are apparently variations in parts with most of parts being Hartford made, as noted, but some of parts were also made in London and obviously these two were engraved in England with London made grips. Both revolvers have British proofs on bbl lugs & cylinders. Accompanied by a spectacular, mahogany, 2-gun, British casing with brass reinforced corners & a concealed lifting ring in brass inlaid bull’s eye in lid. Interior is rose velvet lined, compartmented in bottom for two revolvers, a Hawksley bag shaped flask, a blued steel “COLT’S PATENT” 2-cavity mold with sprue cutter, marked on bottom “N.J”, signifying that it was part of a shipment to the New Jersey Militia. Case also contains two L-shaped nipple wrenches of different sizes & an early galvanized tin of Eley Bros. caps. Right rear corner has a covered compartment for the cleaning rod, which is missing. Left front corner contains a few balls & bullets and a left center compartment contains spare parts & nipples. Left rear corner compartment is empty. Front of case has a mortised brass lock with two mortised brass latches. CONDITION: SN 1100. Very good to fine, all matching except wedge which is unnumbered, grip was not checked. Bbl retains traces of blue in the most sheltered areas being overall a gray/brown patina. Rammer pivot retains faded case colors. Frame retains dark case colors in the most sheltered areas and, along with hammer, retains a dark gray/brown patina. Trigger guard & back strap retain about 93-95% strong orig silver plating. Grip is sound with light handling & use marks and retains about 95% orig varnish. Mechanics are fine, strong dark bore with heavy pitting. SN 1101. Very good to fine, all matching except wedge which is unnumbered, grip was not checked. Bbl retains about 50% thin orig blue with balance a blue/brown patina & some light surface rust & fine pitting. Rammer pivot retains faded case colors. Frame is mostly a dark silver gray patina with some silvered case colors on right side. Cylinder is a light plum colored patina with scattered pitting and retains about 25% Ormsby Naval battle scene. Trigger guard & back strap retain about 70-75% orig silver and grip is sound with light nicks & scratches showing light to moderate wear & retains most of its orig factory varnish. Mechanics are fine, strong bore with light to moderate pitting. Case is sound with handling & storage nicks & scratches on lid and overall retains 75-80% orig varnish. Interior is lightly faded with very light soil. Flask appears to be about new. Mold retains about 50% flaked orig blue, other accessories are fine. 4-35973 JR480 (25,000-40,000) 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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