RARE COLT MODEL 1860 FLUTED ARMY PERCUSSION REVOLVER PURPORTEDLY USED BY CAPTAIN MERRIWEATHER CSA.

SN 1492. Cal. 44. Blue & color case hardened with 7-1/2″ rnd bbl, German silver front sight and 1-line block letter Hartford address. Left side of frame is marked with a tiny “COLTS PATENT”. Frame is 4-screw type cut for shoulder stock with flat head hammer screw. Cylinder is usual 6-shots with full length flutes on the outside diameter between the chambers with one flute having the patent date marking and another the SN. All six safety pins are prominent and serviceable. The silver plated brass trigger guard & steel back strap contain a varnished 1-pc Army-size walnut grip with matching SN in back strap channel. A note card from Mr. Rholes’ file states that this revolver was used by a Captain Merriweather of the Confederate Army. He states that it was taken as payment by Dr. Bryce Runyon of Clarksville, TN while he was attending to Capt. Merriweather. He continues that there is an article on it by Bryce Merriweather, Jr., in the Colt Collector’s Newsletter. Given that the SN is 1492, it is called “Old Columbus”. There were approx. 4,000 of this variation out of the first 8,000 production run. A large number of these fluted cylinder Models 1860 were shipped to a southern distributor on the eve of the Civil War, very likely this one would have been in those early shipments to the south and therefore is considered a Confederate used revolver. These revolvers almost universally saw continuous hard service throughout the Civil War and later on the American frontier under harsh conditions with limited maintenance. They are rarely found today in orig configuration or with any orig finish. PROVENANCE: Tommy Rholes Estate Collection. CONDITION: Fine, all matching including wedge, cyl & grip. Bbl retains a mottled blue/brown patina with stronger blue in the bbl lug gullets; rammer pivot retains strong case colors with the balance a matching patina; frame & hammer retain strong case colors, turned a little dark, more faded on the recoil shields and top edge of hammer; cyl is a matching mottled blue/brown patina with flaked blue in the flutes; trigger guard retains virtually all of its orig silver plating and the back strap 50-60% loose silver. Grip shows light edge wear with a few light nicks and retains 95-97% strong orig varnish. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore with scattered spots of pitting. It appears that this revolver saw long term storage in a holster which caused the blue to flake. Chambers of the cyl are somewhat corroded, apparently from having been left loaded in long term storage. Overall revolver shows very little use. 4-50665 JR105 (10,000-15,000) – Lot 2198

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
	2198	$9,775.00	RARE COLT MODEL 1860 FLUTED ARMY PERCUSSION REVOLVER PURPORTEDLY USED BY CAPTAIN MERRIWEATHER CSA. SN 1492. Cal. 44. Blue & color case hardened with 7-1/2″ rnd bbl, German silver front sight and 1-line block letter Hartford address. Left side of frame is marked with a tiny “COLTS PATENT”. Frame is 4-screw type cut for shoulder stock with flat head hammer screw. Cylinder is usual 6-shots with full length flutes on the outside diameter between the chambers with one flute having the patent date marking and another the SN. All six safety pins are prominent and serviceable. The silver plated brass trigger guard & steel back strap contain a varnished 1-pc Army-size walnut grip with matching SN in back strap channel. A note card from Mr. Rholes’ file states that this revolver was used by a Captain Merriweather of the Confederate Army. He states that it was taken as payment by Dr. Bryce Runyon of Clarksville, TN while he was attending to Capt. Merriweather. He continues that there is an article on it by Bryce Merriweather, Jr., in the Colt Collector’s Newsletter. Given that the SN is 1492, it is called “Old Columbus”. There were approx. 4,000 of this variation out of the first 8,000 production run. A large number of these fluted cylinder Models 1860 were shipped to a southern distributor on the eve of the Civil War, very likely this one would have been in those early shipments to the south and therefore is considered a Confederate used revolver. These revolvers almost universally saw continuous hard service throughout the Civil War and later on the American frontier under harsh conditions with limited maintenance. They are rarely found today in orig configuration or with any orig finish. PROVENANCE: Tommy Rholes Estate Collection. CONDITION: Fine, all matching including wedge, cyl & grip. Bbl retains a mottled blue/brown patina with stronger blue in the bbl lug gullets; rammer pivot retains strong case colors with the balance a matching patina; frame & hammer retain strong case colors, turned a little dark, more faded on the recoil shields and top edge of hammer; cyl is a matching mottled blue/brown patina with flaked blue in the flutes; trigger guard retains virtually all of its orig silver plating and the back strap 50-60% loose silver. Grip shows light edge wear with a few light nicks and retains 95-97% strong orig varnish. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore with scattered spots of pitting. It appears that this revolver saw long term storage in a holster which caused the blue to flake. Chambers of the cyl are somewhat corroded, apparently from having been left loaded in long term storage. Overall revolver shows very little use. 4-50665 JR105 (10,000-15,000) – Lot 2198 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.

.red{fill:#B50938;} .white{fill:#FFFFFF;} .blue{fill:#005596;}

RARE COLT MODEL 1860 FLUTED ARMY PERCUSSION REVOLVER PURPORTEDLY USED BY CAPTAIN MERRIWEATHER CSA.