EXTRAORDINARILY RARE COLT MODEL 1861 NAVY PROTOTYPE OR EXPERIMENTAL PERCUSSION REVOLVER.

SN 28208. Cal. 36. Blue & color case hardened with 7-1/2 rnd bbl, German silver front sight and 1-line New-York U.S. America address. The trigger guard & backstrap are steel and are color case hardened and contain an extraordinary, carved, 1-pc walnut grip. Grip is beautifully carved with foliate arabesque patterns at the top & bottom on each side with the center section an intricate basket weave pattern. Back strap channel of the grip is marked with the full matching serial number to this revolver. Frame is most unusual, without “COLTS PATENT” marking on the left side. Cylinder is usual six chambers with the Ormsby naval battle scene roll marking and has all six safety pins prominent & serviceable. Bbl address & cylinder roll marking are very light strikes as is normally found on the ’61 Navy. Accompanied by a one page letter from Colt Historian, researcher and author, R.L. Wilson, where in he verifies most of the above information. Mr. Wilson states that the grip on this revolver is carved similarly to the grip found on a cased Colt pocket navy about which Mr. Wilson had also written a letter attributing the carved grip to Charles J. Helfricht, father of Colt master engraver Cuno A. Helfricht. In the letter accompanying the revolver being sold here he attributes the carved grip to Colt craftsman J. Grosch. Regardless of the attribution these carved grips are extraordinarily rare and only found on equally rare revolvers. Consignor states that this revolver has never previously been offered for sale after it was discovered in a small estate sale in Connecticut several years ago. Consignor further states that when this revolver was purchased from that estate sale it was accompanied by an elaborately engraved Colt Single Action Sheriff’s Model revolver with ebony grip. An additional rare feature on this revolver are the very fine checkered ramrod handle & hammer spur. CONDITION: Very fine to extremely fine, all matching including wedge, cylinder & grip. Bbl retains about 90% glossy orig blue, thin on each side, turning a little plum with spots of surface discoloration; left side of bbl lug has three scratches and right side has nicks & dings around the wedge slot; frame & hammer retain bright case colors, slightly more faded on the recoil shields and top edge of hammer; trigger guard retains bright case colors in sheltered areas, moderately faded on the trigger bow and turned gray on the front strap; back strap retains strong case colors at the top and bright colors on the butt strap, lightly to moderately faded in center of back strap; cyl retains about 70-80% thin blue and shows about 90% Ormsby Naval Battle Scene roll marking; grip is sound showing light to moderate edge wear with a few light scratches in the finish and overall retains about 95% strong orig varnish. Mechanics are fine; bright shiny bore. 4-50310 JR325 (30,000-40,000) – Lot 2207

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
	2207	$0.00	EXTRAORDINARILY RARE COLT MODEL 1861 NAVY PROTOTYPE OR EXPERIMENTAL PERCUSSION REVOLVER. SN 28208. Cal. 36. Blue & color case hardened with 7-1/2 rnd bbl, German silver front sight and 1-line New-York U.S. America address. The trigger guard & backstrap are steel and are color case hardened and contain an extraordinary, carved, 1-pc walnut grip. Grip is beautifully carved with foliate arabesque patterns at the top & bottom on each side with the center section an intricate basket weave pattern. Back strap channel of the grip is marked with the full matching serial number to this revolver. Frame is most unusual, without “COLTS PATENT” marking on the left side. Cylinder is usual six chambers with the Ormsby naval battle scene roll marking and has all six safety pins prominent & serviceable. Bbl address & cylinder roll marking are very light strikes as is normally found on the ’61 Navy. Accompanied by a one page letter from Colt Historian, researcher and author, R.L. Wilson, where in he verifies most of the above information. Mr. Wilson states that the grip on this revolver is carved similarly to the grip found on a cased Colt pocket navy about which Mr. Wilson had also written a letter attributing the carved grip to Charles J. Helfricht, father of Colt master engraver Cuno A. Helfricht. In the letter accompanying the revolver being sold here he attributes the carved grip to Colt craftsman J. Grosch. Regardless of the attribution these carved grips are extraordinarily rare and only found on equally rare revolvers. Consignor states that this revolver has never previously been offered for sale after it was discovered in a small estate sale in Connecticut several years ago. Consignor further states that when this revolver was purchased from that estate sale it was accompanied by an elaborately engraved Colt Single Action Sheriff’s Model revolver with ebony grip. An additional rare feature on this revolver are the very fine checkered ramrod handle & hammer spur. CONDITION: Very fine to extremely fine, all matching including wedge, cylinder & grip. Bbl retains about 90% glossy orig blue, thin on each side, turning a little plum with spots of surface discoloration; left side of bbl lug has three scratches and right side has nicks & dings around the wedge slot; frame & hammer retain bright case colors, slightly more faded on the recoil shields and top edge of hammer; trigger guard retains bright case colors in sheltered areas, moderately faded on the trigger bow and turned gray on the front strap; back strap retains strong case colors at the top and bright colors on the butt strap, lightly to moderately faded in center of back strap; cyl retains about 70-80% thin blue and shows about 90% Ormsby Naval Battle Scene roll marking; grip is sound showing light to moderate edge wear with a few light scratches in the finish and overall retains about 95% strong orig varnish. Mechanics are fine; bright shiny bore. 4-50310 JR325 (30,000-40,000) – Lot 2207 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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EXTRAORDINARILY RARE COLT MODEL 1861 NAVY PROTOTYPE OR EXPERIMENTAL PERCUSSION REVOLVER.