EXTREMELY RARE DOUBLE PANEL SCENE FACTORY EXHIBITION ENGRAVED COLT MODEL 1849 POCKET PERCUSSION REVOLVER.

EXTREMELY RARE DOUBLE PANEL SCENE FACTORY EXHIBITION ENGRAVED COLT MODEL 1849 POCKET PERCUSSION REVOLVER. SN 31113. Cal. 31. Blue & color case hardened with 6″ oct bbl & brass pin front sight. Top flat of bbl has the unusual engraved address of “SAML COLT” with no additional decorations. Left side of frame has engraved “COLT’S PATENT” in a ribbon. The small guard silver plated trigger guard & back strap contain a deluxe burl walnut 1-pc grip with varnish finish and the SN in the back strap channel. First four digits of SN are visible with the last digit obscured by oil & wear. Serial number was observed in usual places on bottom of bbl lug, cyl, trigger guard & butt strap. Last four digits of SN are on the rammer handle & wedge with the last three digits of SN on cyl spindle. SN on bbl lug, frame & trigger guard is accompanied by a small punch dot indicating that this revolver was to receive extra polish for engraving. Cylinder is usual 5-shots with stagecoach holdup scene. Revolver is beautifully engraving, probably by Gustave Young or at least from his shop with full coverage rare transitional vine style foliate arabesque patterns without background, as is observed during this time period. Exhibition engraving patterns extend over bbl lug & top side flats of bbl and on rammer pivot. Left side of bbl lug is engraved with an early style spread-winged American eagle clutching arrows in its right talons and an olive branch in the other. Eagle has rays emanating from the background. Right side of bbl lug is engraved with a classic recumbent lion also with rays emanating from the background. Top of back strap, heel, butt strap & trigger bow are engraved with matching foliate arabesque patterns. Hammer is engraved with a small foliate arabesque pattern on the sides with a wolf’s head on each side of the hammer nose, fish scales on sides of spur and, most unusually fish scales down the entire top edge of the hammer. Hammer spur has hand checkered panel. Trigger guard & back strap have the early heavy silver plating with the bbl & frame having the early “soft” finish. In the period 1850 to about 1873 there were in excess of 300,000 Model 1849 revolvers produced with a portion of those factory engraved. Few, however, were panel scene engraved and are virtually unknown. It is extremely unusual to find such an early made Pocket model with exhibition double panel scene engraving. This revolver is completely authentic in all respects and one of the most rare of all the Pocket models. Similar examples of exhibition engraved 1849s from this time period (1852-53) are illustrated in the Colt Engraving Book, Vol 1, pp.49,55,59. CONDITION: Very good to fine, all matching including wedge, cyl & grip. Bbl retains 50-60% thin orig blue with the balance a blue/brown patina, showing only sharp edge wear. Frame retains traces of case colors in the most sheltered areas being an overall gray/brown patina. Cylinder is matching mottled gray/brown patina and retains about all of the stagecoach holdup scene with all five safety pins intact. Grip is sound showing moderate wear with a few light nicks & scratches and retains most of its orig factory varnish. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore with a few small scattered spots of light pitting. 4-42710 JR123 (50,000-80,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2011

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
	2109	$0.00	EXTREMELY RARE DOUBLE PANEL SCENE FACTORY EXHIBITION ENGRAVED COLT MODEL 1849 POCKET PERCUSSION REVOLVER. SN 31113. Cal. 31. Blue & color case hardened with 6″ oct bbl & brass pin front sight. Top flat of bbl has the unusual engraved address of “SAML COLT” with no additional decorations. Left side of frame has engraved “COLT’S PATENT” in a ribbon. The small guard silver plated trigger guard & back strap contain a deluxe burl walnut 1-pc grip with varnish finish and the SN in the back strap channel. First four digits of SN are visible with the last digit obscured by oil & wear. Serial number was observed in usual places on bottom of bbl lug, cyl, trigger guard & butt strap. Last four digits of SN are on the rammer handle & wedge with the last three digits of SN on cyl spindle. SN on bbl lug, frame & trigger guard is accompanied by a small punch dot indicating that this revolver was to receive extra polish for engraving. Cylinder is usual 5-shots with stagecoach holdup scene. Revolver is beautifully engraving, probably by Gustave Young or at least from his shop with full coverage rare transitional vine style foliate arabesque patterns without background, as is observed during this time period. Exhibition engraving patterns extend over bbl lug & top side flats of bbl and on rammer pivot. Left side of bbl lug is engraved with an early style spread-winged American eagle clutching arrows in its right talons and an olive branch in the other. Eagle has rays emanating from the background. Right side of bbl lug is engraved with a classic recumbent lion also with rays emanating from the background. Top of back strap, heel, butt strap & trigger bow are engraved with matching foliate arabesque patterns. Hammer is engraved with a small foliate arabesque pattern on the sides with a wolf’s head on each side of the hammer nose, fish scales on sides of spur and, most unusually fish scales down the entire top edge of the hammer. Hammer spur has hand checkered panel. Trigger guard & back strap have the early heavy silver plating with the bbl & frame having the early “soft” finish. In the period 1850 to about 1873 there were in excess of 300,000 Model 1849 revolvers produced with a portion of those factory engraved. Few, however, were panel scene engraved and are virtually unknown. It is extremely unusual to find such an early made Pocket model with exhibition double panel scene engraving. This revolver is completely authentic in all respects and one of the most rare of all the Pocket models. Similar examples of exhibition engraved 1849s from this time period (1852-53) are illustrated in the Colt Engraving Book, Vol 1, pp.49,55,59. CONDITION: Very good to fine, all matching including wedge, cyl & grip. Bbl retains 50-60% thin orig blue with the balance a blue/brown patina, showing only sharp edge wear. Frame retains traces of case colors in the most sheltered areas being an overall gray/brown patina. Cylinder is matching mottled gray/brown patina and retains about all of the stagecoach holdup scene with all five safety pins intact. Grip is sound showing moderate wear with a few light nicks & scratches and retains most of its orig factory varnish. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore with a few small scattered spots of light pitting. 4-42710 JR123 (50,000-80,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2011 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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