RARE CASED COLT FIRST VARIATION MODEL 1860 RICHARDS CONVERSION REVOLVER.

SN 198214. Cal. 44 COLT. Blue and color case hardened with 8″ rnd bbl, German silver front sight and 1-line New-York U.S. America address. Right side of bbl lug is mounted with an ejector housing and checkered half moon ejector rod head. Left side of frame has a small “COLTS PATENT” and left shoulder of trigger guard is marked “44 CAL” which is overstamped with the Frederick Von Oppen “C” and “RAMPANT COLT”. Von Oppen was employed by Colt as a representative in Belgium and in 1861 was transferred to London to act as Colt’s London agent. During his tenure, European copies of Colt firearms were being marketed as authentic, so Von Oppen purchased the small stamp as noted above and marked most of the firearms passing through the London agency with that mark. The silver plated, brass trigger guard and blue steel backstrap contain a varnished 1-pc walnut grip with last 4-digits of matching SN in backstrap channel. Cyl is the orig for this revolver and has the Ormsby Naval battle scene roll marking. Bottom of bbl and cyl have tiny British proofs. According to The Book of Colt Firearms, Wilson, there were about 9,000 of these revolvers produced 1873-1878 with the majority of them manufactured from previously unused percussion parts. This revolver is one of the late manufactured 1860 Army revolvers that was converted. Accompanied by an orig, green felt lined, English oak casing with empty brass disk in the lid and compartmented in the bottom for the revolver, an “L” shaped screw driver which is missing, an pewter oil bottle and a steel cleaning rod. Left front of the case has a cartridge block containing 59 rds of 44 Colt ammunition. This is Colts first successful model of conversion revolver utilizing the bored-through cyl for self contained center fire cartridges. They were immediately adopted by the buying public and usually saw hard service and are rarely found with high orig finish, cased examples are quite rare. PROVENANCE: The William Gerber Family Collection. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching except wedge, which is properly unnumbered. Bbl retains 65-70% glossy orig blue with the loss areas flaked, not worn, to a light patina; frame and conversion ring contain virtually all of their orig case colors, lightly faded on the conversion ring and loading gate, brilliant on the frame and hammer; cyl retains about 20% orig blue with loss areas flaked, not worn, to a light patina and shows about 98% Ormsby Naval battle scene roll marking; trigger guard retains strong orig silver with front strap having silver at the toe, being mostly a light mustard patina; backstrap and buttstrap retains strong glossy blue, slightly thin in center of backstrap; grip is sound with very few, very light handling & storage nicks and retains virtually all of its bright orig varnish; mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore, may have been fired, but if so, very little. Case has a couple gouges in the top and grain check in the bottom, otherwise is sound and retains most of its orig varnish. Lining in the lid is bright and clean, with faint soil, probably an old re-line. Bottom is heavily faded with heavy soil in the revolver recess. Cartridge block is missing a small chip, ammo & accessories are fine. (WG-009) 4-51065 JR510 (20,000-30,000) – Lot 2028

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2014

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
	2028	$17,250.00	RARE CASED COLT FIRST VARIATION MODEL 1860 RICHARDS CONVERSION REVOLVER. SN 198214. Cal. 44 COLT. Blue and color case hardened with 8″ rnd bbl, German silver front sight and 1-line New-York U.S. America address. Right side of bbl lug is mounted with an ejector housing and checkered half moon ejector rod head. Left side of frame has a small “COLTS PATENT” and left shoulder of trigger guard is marked “44 CAL” which is overstamped with the Frederick Von Oppen “C” and “RAMPANT COLT”. Von Oppen was employed by Colt as a representative in Belgium and in 1861 was transferred to London to act as Colt’s London agent. During his tenure, European copies of Colt firearms were being marketed as authentic, so Von Oppen purchased the small stamp as noted above and marked most of the firearms passing through the London agency with that mark. The silver plated, brass trigger guard and blue steel backstrap contain a varnished 1-pc walnut grip with last 4-digits of matching SN in backstrap channel. Cyl is the orig for this revolver and has the Ormsby Naval battle scene roll marking. Bottom of bbl and cyl have tiny British proofs. According to The Book of Colt Firearms, Wilson, there were about 9,000 of these revolvers produced 1873-1878 with the majority of them manufactured from previously unused percussion parts. This revolver is one of the late manufactured 1860 Army revolvers that was converted. Accompanied by an orig, green felt lined, English oak casing with empty brass disk in the lid and compartmented in the bottom for the revolver, an “L” shaped screw driver which is missing, an pewter oil bottle and a steel cleaning rod. Left front of the case has a cartridge block containing 59 rds of 44 Colt ammunition. This is Colts first successful model of conversion revolver utilizing the bored-through cyl for self contained center fire cartridges. They were immediately adopted by the buying public and usually saw hard service and are rarely found with high orig finish, cased examples are quite rare. PROVENANCE: The William Gerber Family Collection. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching except wedge, which is properly unnumbered. Bbl retains 65-70% glossy orig blue with the loss areas flaked, not worn, to a light patina; frame and conversion ring contain virtually all of their orig case colors, lightly faded on the conversion ring and loading gate, brilliant on the frame and hammer; cyl retains about 20% orig blue with loss areas flaked, not worn, to a light patina and shows about 98% Ormsby Naval battle scene roll marking; trigger guard retains strong orig silver with front strap having silver at the toe, being mostly a light mustard patina; backstrap and buttstrap retains strong glossy blue, slightly thin in center of backstrap; grip is sound with very few, very light handling & storage nicks and retains virtually all of its bright orig varnish; mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore, may have been fired, but if so, very little. Case has a couple gouges in the top and grain check in the bottom, otherwise is sound and retains most of its orig varnish. Lining in the lid is bright and clean, with faint soil, probably an old re-line. Bottom is heavily faded with heavy soil in the revolver recess. Cartridge block is missing a small chip, ammo & accessories are fine. (WG-009) 4-51065 JR510 (20,000-30,000) – Lot 2028 Auction: Firearms - Spring 2014 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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RARE CASED COLT FIRST VARIATION MODEL 1860 RICHARDS CONVERSION REVOLVER.