RARE MARTIALLY MARKED COLT MODEL 1860 ARMY RICHARDS CONVERSION REVOLVER.

SN 729. Cal. 44 Colt CF. These rare conversions were performed at the Springfield Armory just prior to manufacture of single action armies by Colt and are among the rarest of US martial cartridge revolvers. Blue & color case hardened with 7-7/8 rnd bbl, German silver front sight and 1-line address. Left side of bbl lug is marked with a tiny “US”. Left side of frame is marked with “COLTS PATENT”. Conversion is 2nd type with mixed SNs (5355 bbl, 98539 frame, 17648 trigger guard and backstrap) all of which are accompanied by the conversion number “729″, which also appears on the bottom of the ejector lug, in two places on the bottom of the bbl lug, wedge, cylinder arbor, frame, trigger guard, butt strap & cylinder. The silver plated brass trigger guard and blued steel back strap contain a 1-pc walnut grip with SN “729″ inked in the back strap channel. Left side of the grip has a well discernible “OWA” (Orville W. Ainsworth) cartouche. There are also small “A” inspector initials on various parts including externally trigger guard, bbl and cylinder. According to The Book of Colt Firearms, Wilson, there were only about 1,200 of these revolvers converted at Springfield Armory with two different numbering systems. The first system had the conversion number accompanied by an “A” and the second series omitted the letter. These are the first military issued cartridge firearms and almost universally saw extensive hard service and are almost never found with any orig finish. This is among the finest examples of its type extant. PROVENANCE: Jeffery Braksted, Great Falls, MT. Lewis Yearout 1992. Estate Collection of Lewis & Leyton Yearout. CONDITION: Very fine to extremely fine, all matching as noted above. Bbl retains about 90% strong arsenal blue. Frame, conversion ring, loading gate & hammer retain about 95% strong arsenal case colors, lightly faded on the loading gate and left recoil shield; cylinder retains about 20% blue, shows very little, if any, use and shows about all Ormsby Naval battle scene roll marking; trigger guard retains traces of silver plate and the back strap about 80-90% thinning arsenal blue. Grips are sound and solid with a few small storage dings and dents, edge wear and most of orig thin varnish finish. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore. Bbl has been cut back about 1/8″. Still bright and well defined “feathering” to finish around front sight. 4-53884 JS33 (10,000-15,000) – Lot 3066

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Auction: Firearms - Fall 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
	3066	$23,000.00	RARE MARTIALLY MARKED COLT MODEL 1860 ARMY RICHARDS CONVERSION REVOLVER. SN 729. Cal. 44 Colt CF. These rare conversions were performed at the Springfield Armory just prior to manufacture of single action armies by Colt and are among the rarest of US martial cartridge revolvers. Blue & color case hardened with 7-7/8 rnd bbl, German silver front sight and 1-line address. Left side of bbl lug is marked with a tiny “US”. Left side of frame is marked with “COLTS PATENT”. Conversion is 2nd type with mixed SNs (5355 bbl, 98539 frame, 17648 trigger guard and backstrap) all of which are accompanied by the conversion number “729″, which also appears on the bottom of the ejector lug, in two places on the bottom of the bbl lug, wedge, cylinder arbor, frame, trigger guard, butt strap & cylinder. The silver plated brass trigger guard and blued steel back strap contain a 1-pc walnut grip with SN “729″ inked in the back strap channel. Left side of the grip has a well discernible “OWA” (Orville W. Ainsworth) cartouche. There are also small “A” inspector initials on various parts including externally trigger guard, bbl and cylinder. According to The Book of Colt Firearms, Wilson, there were only about 1,200 of these revolvers converted at Springfield Armory with two different numbering systems. The first system had the conversion number accompanied by an “A” and the second series omitted the letter. These are the first military issued cartridge firearms and almost universally saw extensive hard service and are almost never found with any orig finish. This is among the finest examples of its type extant. PROVENANCE: Jeffery Braksted, Great Falls, MT. Lewis Yearout 1992. Estate Collection of Lewis & Leyton Yearout. CONDITION: Very fine to extremely fine, all matching as noted above. Bbl retains about 90% strong arsenal blue. Frame, conversion ring, loading gate & hammer retain about 95% strong arsenal case colors, lightly faded on the loading gate and left recoil shield; cylinder retains about 20% blue, shows very little, if any, use and shows about all Ormsby Naval battle scene roll marking; trigger guard retains traces of silver plate and the back strap about 80-90% thinning arsenal blue. Grips are sound and solid with a few small storage dings and dents, edge wear and most of orig thin varnish finish. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore. Bbl has been cut back about 1/8″. Still bright and well defined “feathering” to finish around front sight. 4-53884 JS33 (10,000-15,000) – Lot 3066 Click here to view provenance Auction: Firearms - Fall 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 MARTIALLY MARKED COLT MODEL 1860 ARMY RICHARDS CONVERSION REVOLVER.