RARE MARTIAL COLT WALKER PERCUSSION REVOLVER.

SN C Company #136. Cal. 44. Usual configuration with 9″ oct to rnd bbl, German silver front sight & 1-line “ADDRESS SAML COLT NEW YORK CITY” left hand address. Left side of bbl lug has the serial number & right side is marked “US / 1847” that is partially obscured by the wedge screw. Frame has the serial number on the left side and tiny number “136” on the front end between the frame lug pins. Serial number is also found on the trigger guard in very tiny letters & numbers and on the butt strap in larger letters & numbers. Cylinder is also matching numbered in tiny numbers & letters and cylinder retains its one orig safety pin. The brass trigger guard & steel back strap contain a 1-pc walnut grip with number “136” in the butt strap channel. Left side of front strap, under the grip and inside back strap are also numbered “136”. Left edge of butt strap, under the wood is numbered “44” which number is also found on the left ear of the grip. Bottom of the bbl, under the rammer handle has a number “4”. Face of cylinder also has a number “4”. Wedge is also marked with tiny numbers “136” and has the “3” stamped horizontally. Rammer handle is an orig Walker handle with slot for the retaining spring but has been converted to a horizontal latch, with latch stud in a dovetail about 1″ from the muzzle. It appears that the rammer handle spring dovetail was filled during the period of use to accommodate the conversion. As is well documented from numerous official sources there were 1,000 Martial Colt Walker revolvers produced in 1847 with design cooperation between Samuel Colt & Capt. Samuel H. Walker, for whom these pistols were named. The initial shipment of Walker pistols was to have been 220 pistols numbered “C” Company, Capt. Walker’s own company. These pistols were delivered to the Vera Cruz Ordnance Depot for issue to Company “C”, however it appears that Col. John Hays was the better politician and seized this shipment for his own company. Later Company “C” would receive 280 pistols numbered in the “A” & “B” Company serial series. It is also well documented that Capt. Walker was killed in combat at the battle of Huamantla on Oct. 9, 1847. When the war was over Col. Hays’ Company “C”, upon embarkation for return to the U.S. were ordered to turn in their issued arms. Of the 394 total pistols issued to Company “C” only 191 were turned in. Records indicate that 125 were lost in battle plus the 191 turned in (which were mostly unserviceable) accounts for only 316 of the total 394 that were issued, which indicates that about 78 of them were retained by the Texans when they returned home. The 191 turned in Walker pistols, of which only 82 were recorded as serviceable, were shipped to the Baton Rouge Arsenal. The last shipment of 500 Walker pistols were shipped to Vera Cruz in March 1848, and then returned to the Baton Rouge Arsenal in November 1848, unissued, minus 41 pistols that were stolen. In December 1848 all of the pistols at Baton Rouge Arsenal were shipped to the San Antonio Ordnance Depot where most of them were issued to dragoon companies & infantry regiments fighting Indians. By April 1850 all of the old model Walker pistols had been returned to the San Antonio Ordnance Depot and exchanged for the new 1st Model Dragoon revolvers. These Walker pistols apparently remained in that depot until February 1861 when they were surrendered to the Confederacy. Obviously the Confederate military would have issued them to their fighting units. An inventory of known Walker pistols compiled by Mr. W.F.S. Quick in Jan. 1953, lists “C Company number 136” as being owned by Charles W. Fritz of Norwood, OH. Of the 1,000 Martial Walker’s initially manufactured it is unknown just how many survived today, but of those that are known, very few survive in orig configuration with any orig finish. PROVENANCE: Collection of Dr. Douglas Sirkin. CONDITION: About fine, all matching except rammer handle which is obviously a period of use replacement. No orig finish remains being an overall gray metal patina with what appears to be traces of blue on the frame; trigger guard & front strap are a medium mustard patina; cylinder is matching patina with no remaining cylinder scene or pressure ridge; grip has chipped toes showing heavy wear with a repaired crack on the left side and some battering on the bottom edges. Mechanics are fine; strong bore with bright shine and scattered pitting. 4-49844 JR320 (75,000-150,000) – Lot 2173

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
	2173	$80,500.00	RARE MARTIAL COLT WALKER PERCUSSION REVOLVER. SN C Company #136. Cal. 44. Usual configuration with 9″ oct to rnd bbl, German silver front sight & 1-line “ADDRESS SAML COLT NEW YORK CITY” left hand address. Left side of bbl lug has the serial number & right side is marked “US / 1847” that is partially obscured by the wedge screw. Frame has the serial number on the left side and tiny number “136” on the front end between the frame lug pins. Serial number is also found on the trigger guard in very tiny letters & numbers and on the butt strap in larger letters & numbers. Cylinder is also matching numbered in tiny numbers & letters and cylinder retains its one orig safety pin. The brass trigger guard & steel back strap contain a 1-pc walnut grip with number “136” in the butt strap channel. Left side of front strap, under the grip and inside back strap are also numbered “136”. Left edge of butt strap, under the wood is numbered “44” which number is also found on the left ear of the grip. Bottom of the bbl, under the rammer handle has a number “4”. Face of cylinder also has a number “4”. Wedge is also marked with tiny numbers “136” and has the “3” stamped horizontally. Rammer handle is an orig Walker handle with slot for the retaining spring but has been converted to a horizontal latch, with latch stud in a dovetail about 1″ from the muzzle. It appears that the rammer handle spring dovetail was filled during the period of use to accommodate the conversion. As is well documented from numerous official sources there were 1,000 Martial Colt Walker revolvers produced in 1847 with design cooperation between Samuel Colt & Capt. Samuel H. Walker, for whom these pistols were named. The initial shipment of Walker pistols was to have been 220 pistols numbered “C” Company, Capt. Walker’s own company. These pistols were delivered to the Vera Cruz Ordnance Depot for issue to Company “C”, however it appears that Col. John Hays was the better politician and seized this shipment for his own company. Later Company “C” would receive 280 pistols numbered in the “A” & “B” Company serial series. It is also well documented that Capt. Walker was killed in combat at the battle of Huamantla on Oct. 9, 1847. When the war was over Col. Hays’ Company “C”, upon embarkation for return to the U.S. were ordered to turn in their issued arms. Of the 394 total pistols issued to Company “C” only 191 were turned in. Records indicate that 125 were lost in battle plus the 191 turned in (which were mostly unserviceable) accounts for only 316 of the total 394 that were issued, which indicates that about 78 of them were retained by the Texans when they returned home. The 191 turned in Walker pistols, of which only 82 were recorded as serviceable, were shipped to the Baton Rouge Arsenal. The last shipment of 500 Walker pistols were shipped to Vera Cruz in March 1848, and then returned to the Baton Rouge Arsenal in November 1848, unissued, minus 41 pistols that were stolen. In December 1848 all of the pistols at Baton Rouge Arsenal were shipped to the San Antonio Ordnance Depot where most of them were issued to dragoon companies & infantry regiments fighting Indians. By April 1850 all of the old model Walker pistols had been returned to the San Antonio Ordnance Depot and exchanged for the new 1st Model Dragoon revolvers. These Walker pistols apparently remained in that depot until February 1861 when they were surrendered to the Confederacy. Obviously the Confederate military would have issued them to their fighting units. An inventory of known Walker pistols compiled by Mr. W.F.S. Quick in Jan. 1953, lists “C Company number 136” as being owned by Charles W. Fritz of Norwood, OH. Of the 1,000 Martial Walker’s initially manufactured it is unknown just how many survived today, but of those that are known, very few survive in orig configuration with any orig finish. PROVENANCE: Collection of Dr. Douglas Sirkin. CONDITION: About fine, all matching except rammer handle which is obviously a period of use replacement. No orig finish remains being an overall gray metal patina with what appears to be traces of blue on the frame; trigger guard & front strap are a medium mustard patina; cylinder is matching patina with no remaining cylinder scene or pressure ridge; grip has chipped toes showing heavy wear with a repaired crack on the left side and some battering on the bottom edges. Mechanics are fine; strong bore with bright shine and scattered pitting. 4-49844 JR320 (75,000-150,000) – Lot 2173 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 MARTIAL COLT WALKER PERCUSSION REVOLVER.