FINE COLT 2ND MODEL DRAGOON PERCUSSION REVOLVER.

Revised: 9/24/2012

Correction: This lot does not include the English Dragoon casing and accessories as pictured in the catalog. The casing pictured is being sold as Lot #1538 without a revolver included.

FINE COLT 2ND MODEL DRAGOON PERCUSSION REVOLVER. SN 10663. Cal. 44. Blue & color case hardened with 7-1/2″ oct to rnd bbl, German silver front sight and 1-line New York City address. Left side of frame has a small “COLT’S PATENT” over a tiny “U.S.” and there are small inspector initials on several of the pieces, including the grip. The square back silver plated brass trigger guard & backstrap contain a varnished 1-pc walnut grip with matching SN in backstrap channel. According to The Book of Colt Firearms, Wilson, there were only about 2,700 of this revolver produced in the period 1850-1851, of which about 1,000 were on a military contract. Colt, thinking that the military would purchase more of the production, inspected almost all of the parts including the “U.S.” on the frames and inspector initials on other small parts. When the military contracts did not materialize Colt, being the frugal entrepreneur he was, used all of the inspected parts to produce civilian revolvers. The primary difference was that civilian revolvers had varnished grips without cartouches instead of oil finished grips with cartouches as found on martial revolvers. This era was at the height of the Great Westward Expansion between the War with Mexico and the U.S. Civil War when firearms of any configuration were in great demand, especially large bore handguns. The vast majority of all the civilian Dragoons saw extensive service on the American frontier and then throughout the Civil War, usually under very harsh circumstances with very little or no maintenance. After the Civil War these powerful handguns remained in service well into the 1870s until they were supplanted by cartridge handguns. Very few are found today in orig configuration with high orig finish. CONDITION: Extremely fine plus, all matching except wedge which is numbered “622”. Bbl retains 95-97% strong orig blue with only sharp edge wear and some light nicks on the right side of bbl lug; rammer handle retains about all of its orig case colors turned dark on handle but still strong & bright on pivot; frame retains virtually all of its orig case colors, strong & bright on left side, faded to smoky colors on right side; hammer is a mottled gray/brown patina with bright colors on rear edge; cyl is exceptional, retaining 93-95% thinning orig blue and about 98-99% crisp Dragoon/Indian fight scene roll marking; the “MODEL U.S.M.R. / COLT’S PATENT” legends are crisp as are the surrounding foliate patterns; rear of cyl has three serviceable safety pins; trigger guard & backstrap retain virtually all of their crisp orig silver plating. Grip is sound with a few light nicks & scratches showing very light edge wear and overall retains virtually all of its bright orig varnish. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore with some very fine pitting at cyl end. 4-46699 JR157 (60,000-70,000)

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
	1483	$69,000.00	Revised: 9/24/2012 Correction: This lot does not include the English Dragoon casing and accessories as pictured in the catalog. The casing pictured is being sold as Lot #1538 without a revolver included. FINE COLT 2ND MODEL DRAGOON PERCUSSION REVOLVER. SN 10663. Cal. 44. Blue & color case hardened with 7-1/2″ oct to rnd bbl, German silver front sight and 1-line New York City address. Left side of frame has a small “COLT’S PATENT” over a tiny “U.S.” and there are small inspector initials on several of the pieces, including the grip. The square back silver plated brass trigger guard & backstrap contain a varnished 1-pc walnut grip with matching SN in backstrap channel. According to The Book of Colt Firearms, Wilson, there were only about 2,700 of this revolver produced in the period 1850-1851, of which about 1,000 were on a military contract. Colt, thinking that the military would purchase more of the production, inspected almost all of the parts including the “U.S.” on the frames and inspector initials on other small parts. When the military contracts did not materialize Colt, being the frugal entrepreneur he was, used all of the inspected parts to produce civilian revolvers. The primary difference was that civilian revolvers had varnished grips without cartouches instead of oil finished grips with cartouches as found on martial revolvers. This era was at the height of the Great Westward Expansion between the War with Mexico and the U.S. Civil War when firearms of any configuration were in great demand, especially large bore handguns. The vast majority of all the civilian Dragoons saw extensive service on the American frontier and then throughout the Civil War, usually under very harsh circumstances with very little or no maintenance. After the Civil War these powerful handguns remained in service well into the 1870s until they were supplanted by cartridge handguns. Very few are found today in orig configuration with high orig finish. CONDITION: Extremely fine plus, all matching except wedge which is numbered “622”. Bbl retains 95-97% strong orig blue with only sharp edge wear and some light nicks on the right side of bbl lug; rammer handle retains about all of its orig case colors turned dark on handle but still strong & bright on pivot; frame retains virtually all of its orig case colors, strong & bright on left side, faded to smoky colors on right side; hammer is a mottled gray/brown patina with bright colors on rear edge; cyl is exceptional, retaining 93-95% thinning orig blue and about 98-99% crisp Dragoon/Indian fight scene roll marking; the “MODEL U.S.M.R. / COLT’S PATENT” legends are crisp as are the surrounding foliate patterns; rear of cyl has three serviceable safety pins; trigger guard & backstrap retain virtually all of their crisp orig silver plating. Grip is sound with a few light nicks & scratches showing very light edge wear and overall retains virtually all of its bright orig varnish. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore with some very fine pitting at cyl end. 4-46699 JR157 (60,000-70,000) 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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