EXTREMELY RARE OUTSTANDING CASED 1ST MODEL COLT DRAGOON PERCUSSION REVOLVER IDENTIFIED TO C.H. BOWMAN OF THE TAMPICO RANGERS “VETERAN OF MEXICAN WAR” BELIEVED TO BE THE FINEST IN ITS EXISTENCE.

EXTREMELY RARE OUTSTANDING CASED 1ST MODEL COLT DRAGOON PERCUSSION REVOLVER IDENTIFIED TO C.H. BOWMAN OF THE TAMPICO RANGERS “VETERAN OF MEXICAN WAR” BELIEVED TO BE THE FINEST IN ITS EXISTENCE. SN 5842. Cal. 44. Blue & color case hardened with 7-1/2″ oct to rnd bbl, German silver front sight and 1-line left hand New York City address with brackets. Frame is marked with a small “COLT’S PATENT” over a tiny “U.S.” Cyl is usual 6-chambers with oval stop notches and the Dragoon/Indian fight scene roll marking and a crisp, clear “U.S. DRAGOONS. / COLT’S PATENT” surrounding the SN. The sgl safety pin is crisp. The silver plated square back brass trigger guard & backstrap contain a varnished 1-pc walnut grip with last three digits of matching SN in buttstrap channel. Accompanied by an extremely rare, orig, burgundy velvet lined Colt casing with fluted lid and an empty brass plaque on top. Interior is compartmented for the revolver, an orig brass 2-cavity, early Dragoon “COLT’S PATENT” 2-cavity bullet & ball mold with sprue cutter, an orig U-shaped Walker-style nipple wrench/screwdriver and a lacquered Eley’s cap tin. Bullet mold “COLTS PATENT” marking is on right side, not on the sprue cutter. Also accompanied by a pristine new “COLTS PATENT” powder flask with low mounted triangle hangers and plunger spout with “COLTS PATENT” markings on the ball cavity lid. This gun was once owned by Elmer Keith, it was considered by him to be the focal point and prize of his collection, so much so that he illustrated it on the fly cover of his book “Six Guns” and again illustrated it in its case on pg 10, also made reference to it on pg 8 by SN and indicated “I have one of the only two….” “in existence today”. Keith was an extraordinary colorful big game hunter, scholar, firearms collector and developer of the .44 mag cartridge. This guns rarity, its condition and equally extraordinary rare case would make it prize for any collection, but the fact that the guns ownership can be traced to an actual member of the Tampico Rangers and a vetran of the Mexican war also makes the gun historically important. At the time of Keith’s ownership there were a small group of medals that came with the gun, clearly identifying its owner. One of these rare bronze military campaign medals had inscribed on the back “C.H. BOWMAN TAMPICO RANGERS”. Unfortunately, prior to the Pickup’s acquiring this gun, the previous owner removed the medals and sold them privately to a Military medal collector. Attempts to reunite medals to date have been unsuccessful. There is no question about the association of the medals and the guns, as they are clearly and most distinctively illustrated in Keith’s book with the gun on the cover and on pg 10. Prior to the pickups acquiring this gun, the former owner obtained a 15 page plus document regarding the guns history and significance from noted colt authority R.L. Wilson, at that time the medals were still with the gun, as Wilson’s report makes reference to them. This gun is accompanied by the book Six Guns, Keith. According to Flayderman’s Guide to Antique American Firearms only about 7,000 of these revolvers were manufactured in the period 1848-1850. They are rarely found with any orig finish and a cased revolver is extremely rare with only a few known. Consultation with one of the premiere Colt authorities in the United States disclosed that it is his opinion that this is probably the only known 1st Model Dragoon with fluted lid case and in his opinion it is one of the finest 1st Model Dragoons extant. This lot is also accompanied by a 15 page report regarding this gun prepared by R.L. Wilson. PROVENANCE: Dr. John & Margaret Pickup Collection; John Woodard Collection; Elmer Keith Collection. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching including cyl & grip except wedge which is unnumbered. Bbl retains 60-65% orig blue mixed with flaked patina, strong blue in sheltered areas; rammer pivot retains about all of its orig case colors turned a little dark; frame retains 30-40% faded case colors and the hammer dark case colors on left side & back edge with balance faded; cyl retains 75-80% strong but fading orig blue and about 95% crisp, orig Dragoon/Indian fight scene roll marking; The “U.S. DRAGOONS.” and “COLT’S PATENT” legends are crisp with surrounding foliate patterns completely visible as is the Ormsby signature; trigger guard retains virtually all of a strong orig silver plating and backstrap about 95% orig silver. The grip has a tiny chip by the backstrap channel and another on left bottom edge and overall retains about all of its fine orig varnish finish. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore. Case has a few very minor grain checks in the lid and another in the bottom with usual light handling & storage nicks & scratches and retains about all of a fine restored finish; interior compartments have been slightly modified. Interior also is heavily faded inside the lid with moderate soil and some chemical spotting; bottom is lightly to moderately faded with light soil; mold is very fine with fine pitting on sprue cutter; flask has a few small dents and retains about all of its orig finish; cap tin & nipple wrench are fine. 4-46417 JR133 (125,000-225,000)

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
	1456	$181,125.00	EXTREMELY RARE OUTSTANDING CASED 1ST MODEL COLT DRAGOON PERCUSSION REVOLVER IDENTIFIED TO C.H. BOWMAN OF THE TAMPICO RANGERS “VETERAN OF MEXICAN WAR” BELIEVED TO BE THE FINEST IN ITS EXISTENCE. SN 5842. Cal. 44. Blue & color case hardened with 7-1/2″ oct to rnd bbl, German silver front sight and 1-line left hand New York City address with brackets. Frame is marked with a small “COLT’S PATENT” over a tiny “U.S.” Cyl is usual 6-chambers with oval stop notches and the Dragoon/Indian fight scene roll marking and a crisp, clear “U.S. DRAGOONS. / COLT’S PATENT” surrounding the SN. The sgl safety pin is crisp. The silver plated square back brass trigger guard & backstrap contain a varnished 1-pc walnut grip with last three digits of matching SN in buttstrap channel. Accompanied by an extremely rare, orig, burgundy velvet lined Colt casing with fluted lid and an empty brass plaque on top. Interior is compartmented for the revolver, an orig brass 2-cavity, early Dragoon “COLT’S PATENT” 2-cavity bullet & ball mold with sprue cutter, an orig U-shaped Walker-style nipple wrench/screwdriver and a lacquered Eley’s cap tin. Bullet mold “COLTS PATENT” marking is on right side, not on the sprue cutter. Also accompanied by a pristine new “COLTS PATENT” powder flask with low mounted triangle hangers and plunger spout with “COLTS PATENT” markings on the ball cavity lid. This gun was once owned by Elmer Keith, it was considered by him to be the focal point and prize of his collection, so much so that he illustrated it on the fly cover of his book “Six Guns” and again illustrated it in its case on pg 10, also made reference to it on pg 8 by SN and indicated “I have one of the only two….” “in existence today”. Keith was an extraordinary colorful big game hunter, scholar, firearms collector and developer of the .44 mag cartridge. This guns rarity, its condition and equally extraordinary rare case would make it prize for any collection, but the fact that the guns ownership can be traced to an actual member of the Tampico Rangers and a vetran of the Mexican war also makes the gun historically important. At the time of Keith’s ownership there were a small group of medals that came with the gun, clearly identifying its owner. One of these rare bronze military campaign medals had inscribed on the back “C.H. BOWMAN TAMPICO RANGERS”. Unfortunately, prior to the Pickup’s acquiring this gun, the previous owner removed the medals and sold them privately to a Military medal collector. Attempts to reunite medals to date have been unsuccessful. There is no question about the association of the medals and the guns, as they are clearly and most distinctively illustrated in Keith’s book with the gun on the cover and on pg 10. Prior to the pickups acquiring this gun, the former owner obtained a 15 page plus document regarding the guns history and significance from noted colt authority R.L. Wilson, at that time the medals were still with the gun, as Wilson’s report makes reference to them. This gun is accompanied by the book Six Guns, Keith. According to Flayderman’s Guide to Antique American Firearms only about 7,000 of these revolvers were manufactured in the period 1848-1850. They are rarely found with any orig finish and a cased revolver is extremely rare with only a few known. Consultation with one of the premiere Colt authorities in the United States disclosed that it is his opinion that this is probably the only known 1st Model Dragoon with fluted lid case and in his opinion it is one of the finest 1st Model Dragoons extant. This lot is also accompanied by a 15 page report regarding this gun prepared by R.L. Wilson. PROVENANCE: Dr. John & Margaret Pickup Collection; John Woodard Collection; Elmer Keith Collection. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching including cyl & grip except wedge which is unnumbered. Bbl retains 60-65% orig blue mixed with flaked patina, strong blue in sheltered areas; rammer pivot retains about all of its orig case colors turned a little dark; frame retains 30-40% faded case colors and the hammer dark case colors on left side & back edge with balance faded; cyl retains 75-80% strong but fading orig blue and about 95% crisp, orig Dragoon/Indian fight scene roll marking; The “U.S. DRAGOONS.” and “COLT’S PATENT” legends are crisp with surrounding foliate patterns completely visible as is the Ormsby signature; trigger guard retains virtually all of a strong orig silver plating and backstrap about 95% orig silver. The grip has a tiny chip by the backstrap channel and another on left bottom edge and overall retains about all of its fine orig varnish finish. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore. Case has a few very minor grain checks in the lid and another in the bottom with usual light handling & storage nicks & scratches and retains about all of a fine restored finish; interior compartments have been slightly modified. Interior also is heavily faded inside the lid with moderate soil and some chemical spotting; bottom is lightly to moderately faded with light soil; mold is very fine with fine pitting on sprue cutter; flask has a few small dents and retains about all of its orig finish; cap tin & nipple wrench are fine. 4-46417 JR133 (125,000-225,000) 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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