SCARCE EARLY COLT CAVALRY SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER WITH CASEY & JOHNSON INSPECTOR INITIALS.

SCARCE EARLY COLT CAVALRY SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER WITH CASEY & JOHNSON INSPECTOR INITIALS. SN 16911. Cal. 45 Colt. Blue & color case hardened with 7-1/2″ bbl, full front sight and 1-line script letter address with serifs at each end. Ejector housing is first type with bull’s eye ejector rod head. Base pin is orig type with dimpled ends but may be a more recent replacement. Hammer firing pin is also a replacement with cone-shaped firing pin in place of the concave style. Left side of frame has 2-line patent dates with a small “U.S.”. Mounted with 1-pc walnut grip that has last four digits of matching SN in backstrap channel. Bottom of bbl also has last four digits of SN under ejector housing along with a tiny “C” (A.P. Casey) sub-inspector initial. Cyl also has matching last four digits of SN and a tiny “C” which is also found on top of backstrap and bottom right edge of grip. Trigger guard has a tiny “J” (W.W. Johnson) sub-inspector initial. Grip appears to have had the bottom outside edges flattened for an unknown purpose but which removed any cartouches. This revolver was manufactured during 1875 with a number of known examples that have been documented to the 5th & 7th Cavalry Regiments. Given that this revolver was produced during the height of the Indian Wars wherein most of the military production was issued to front line cavalry troops, it can be reasonably assumed that this revolver saw frontier service fighting the Indians. Few of the revolvers from this era survive today in orig configuration as a large number of them were recalled and altered to artillery length. Others were lost on the frontier, either during battles or were stolen. The very few surviving examples from the A.P. Casey era are known today with dual sub-inspector initials. Accompanied by a 2-page letter from renowned Colt author & historian, John Kopec, wherein he verifies most of the above information and calls this revolver a rare variation. PROVENANCE: Wes Adams Estate Collection. CONDITION: Fine, all matching including bbl, cyl & grip. Bbl retains about 50% orig blue, strong & dark under ejector housing and around front sight and in other sheltered areas being mostly a cleaned gray metal patina with some fine pitting on left side of muzzle; frame retains 60-70% orig case colors, strong & bright in sheltered areas turning dark in other areas and faded to silver with cleaned top strap; trigger guard & back strap retain thin blue with front & back straps blue/gray patina; hammer retains strong but faded case colors; cyl retains 60-70% thin blue on outer diameter, stronger in the flutes; grip is sound with the aforementioned flattening on the sides with a few light nicks & scratches and retains a hand worn patina. Mechanics are fine; bright shiny bore with a few scattered spots of pitting. 4-44708 JR216 (6,000-10,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2012

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
	1101	$10,925.00	SCARCE EARLY COLT CAVALRY SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER WITH CASEY & JOHNSON INSPECTOR INITIALS. SN 16911. Cal. 45 Colt. Blue & color case hardened with 7-1/2″ bbl, full front sight and 1-line script letter address with serifs at each end. Ejector housing is first type with bull’s eye ejector rod head. Base pin is orig type with dimpled ends but may be a more recent replacement. Hammer firing pin is also a replacement with cone-shaped firing pin in place of the concave style. Left side of frame has 2-line patent dates with a small “U.S.”. Mounted with 1-pc walnut grip that has last four digits of matching SN in backstrap channel. Bottom of bbl also has last four digits of SN under ejector housing along with a tiny “C” (A.P. Casey) sub-inspector initial. Cyl also has matching last four digits of SN and a tiny “C” which is also found on top of backstrap and bottom right edge of grip. Trigger guard has a tiny “J” (W.W. Johnson) sub-inspector initial. Grip appears to have had the bottom outside edges flattened for an unknown purpose but which removed any cartouches. This revolver was manufactured during 1875 with a number of known examples that have been documented to the 5th & 7th Cavalry Regiments. Given that this revolver was produced during the height of the Indian Wars wherein most of the military production was issued to front line cavalry troops, it can be reasonably assumed that this revolver saw frontier service fighting the Indians. Few of the revolvers from this era survive today in orig configuration as a large number of them were recalled and altered to artillery length. Others were lost on the frontier, either during battles or were stolen. The very few surviving examples from the A.P. Casey era are known today with dual sub-inspector initials. Accompanied by a 2-page letter from renowned Colt author & historian, John Kopec, wherein he verifies most of the above information and calls this revolver a rare variation. PROVENANCE: Wes Adams Estate Collection. CONDITION: Fine, all matching including bbl, cyl & grip. Bbl retains about 50% orig blue, strong & dark under ejector housing and around front sight and in other sheltered areas being mostly a cleaned gray metal patina with some fine pitting on left side of muzzle; frame retains 60-70% orig case colors, strong & bright in sheltered areas turning dark in other areas and faded to silver with cleaned top strap; trigger guard & back strap retain thin blue with front & back straps blue/gray patina; hammer retains strong but faded case colors; cyl retains 60-70% thin blue on outer diameter, stronger in the flutes; grip is sound with the aforementioned flattening on the sides with a few light nicks & scratches and retains a hand worn patina. Mechanics are fine; bright shiny bore with a few scattered spots of pitting. 4-44708 JR216 (6,000-10,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2012 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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