EXTRAORDINARILY RARE & PROBABLY THE SINGLE FINEST CASED ENGRAVED COLT THUER CONVERSION MODEL 1860 ARMY REVOLVER EXTANT.

EXTRAORDINARILY RARE & PROBABLY THE SINGLE FINEST CASED ENGRAVED COLT THUER CONVERSION MODEL 1860 ARMY REVOLVER EXTANT. SN 185326/IE. Cal. 44. Extraordinary Colt with 8″ rnd bbl, orig front sight and 1-line address. It has “COLTS PATENT” on left side of the frame in an unusual pattern. “COLTS” is in an arc above “PATENT” and is hand stamped, not engraved. Trigger guard is brass with steel back strap which is mounted with a 1-pc ivory grip that is spectacularly raise-carved on both sides with the family crest of Don Jose Laureano Sanz on left side over the script initials “JLS”. Right side has large raised intertwined initials “JLS”. Both sides have fine shaded backgrounds. Grip is of one solid piece of ivory. SN on four locations on the bottom of the revolver are all accompanied by the initials “I.E.”, indicating factory ivory and engraved. Revolver is full silver plated with gold washed cylinder, conversion ring & hammer, as installed on the revolver. The accompanying, matching numbered, percussion cylinder is also gold washed. Frame has full coverage, extraordinarily fine, intertwined leaf & vine pattern engraving with very fine punch dot background in Gustave Young’s finest hand, undoubtedly by the master himself. Engraving extends over recoil shields onto the bbl lug and up the bbl terminating at the end of the bbl address with matching fine patterns around the front sight. Rammer handle is checkered with a fine chip & dot border with hand checkered rammer latch. Rammer pivot is engraved to match and the rammer itself is gold washed. Hammer is engraved in great detail with a wolf’s head on each side with matching leaf & vine patterns down each lower side and extend onto the sides of the hammer spur. Top edge of hammer is elaborately engraved with hand checkered spur. Back strap is engraved to match as are the butt strap & trigger guard. Both cylinders have hand engraved Ormsby Naval battle scene with wonderful foliate arabesque patterns in the rebated areas. Percussion cylinder retains all six of its safety pins. This revolver is without peer and certainly one of Mr. Young’s finest works. Accompanied by its orig, extraordinary, Brazilian rosewood casing with silver plated brass appointments and swinging latches on front with a mortised silver plated lock that has a rectangular escutcheon. Top center of lid has a scalloped rectangular plate engraved “JLS” surrounded by foliate & floral engraved patterns. Interior is purple velvet lined and compartmented in bottom for the revolver, two orig empty boxes for Colt’s 44 Thuer cartridges, one box body is green and the other Kraft colored with both having identical orange labels orange with black lettering. Front center compartment contains a spectacular Army-sized, “COLTS PATENT”, sgl-sided flask with angle spout and silver plated top, thumb pad & spout. Front center compartment contains a presentation quality, high polish blue, 2-cavity mold with “COLT’S PATENT” sprue cutter and marked on right side “44H”. Additionally accompanied by a fine tin of Eley’s caps with orange label and a sealed lacquered tin of Goldmarks percussion caps. Right rear corner compartment contains an L-shaped nipple wrench with high polish blue and a set of high polish blue Thuer cartridge reloading tools. Left front corner compartment contains two spare blued trigger/lockbolt screws and six orig spare nipples. Altogether an extraordinary orig, unused, royalty quality presentation set. Additionally accompanied by an article from The Texas Gun Collectors Association magazine by Dr. James T. Brown regarding the Phillip R. Phillips Firearms Collection at the Woolaroc Museum in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. This article shows this exact set with the caption “Presented to Gov. of Puerto Rico by the People of Puerto Rico”. Apparently this set was in the Phillips Collection at one time and displayed in the Woolaroc Museum. Additionally accompanied by a copy of the April 1997 issue of Man at Arms magazine which features this set on the cover and is photographed in the article which is titled “Post Civil War .44 Caliber Conversions” by Val Christian. Pages 16&17 feature this revolver in its case in full color, as found with the exception of the two cartridge boxes. The caption to that photograph directs the reader to p. 5 which briefly describes this set as “considered to be one of engraver Gustave Young’s finest achievements”. And finally accompanied by four caliber 44 Thuer cartridges, three with lead bullets and one with a wooden shot sabot plus six 44 caliber lead bullets. Don Jose Laureano Sanz (1822-1898) was the Marquis de San Juan and Governor General of Puerto Rico in the late 1860’s early 1870’s period, about the time that this set was created. Don Jose was credited with establishing the 1st Battalion of the Institute of Volunteers of Puerto Rico, which amounts to the Puerto Rican National Guard. There is substantial other information about Don Laureano Sanz available on the internet, however it is in Spanish and time constraints prevent detailed translation. This rare, one of a kind and the finest example of Gustave Young’s greatest works, was discovered in the 1940’s by renowned Colt historian & author James E. Serven. It has appeared in numerous publications over the years as follows: Samuel Colt Presents; The Antique Arms Annual; The Book of Colt Engraving; Colt Engraving; The Colt Heritage; Colt An American Legend, all by Wilson; Colt Firearms from 1836, Serven, and has appeared in numerous magazine articles including The Gun Report and The Texas Gun Collector magazines. Additionally accompanied by a 3-page letter from renowned Colt historian & author R.L. Wilson detailing some of the above information. Also accompanying is a portfolio of photographs & pages from various magazines & publications. PROVENANCE: Dr. Joseph A. Murphy Collection; Phillip R. Phillips; Butterfield & Butterfield. CONDITION: Extremely fine plus, all matching except wedge & grip which are unnumbered. Overall retains virtually all of its orig factory silver & gold wash with some very fine pimpling on bbl lug & backstrap and very minor losses at heel. Revolver is probably unfired with either cylinder. Flask is incredibly new retaining virtually all of its orig factory finish. Mold is equally new with a few light dings on bottom & left side and otherwise retains virtually all of its brilliant high gloss blue. Cap tins are extremely fine as are loading tools. Cartridge boxes show light wear and a couple of open corners with light soil on green box and moderate soil & wear on Kraft colored box label. Case is equally fine with light handling & use nicks & scratches and moderate wear on leather covered bottom. Interior is moderately to heavily faded. A truly incredible set. 4-36513 JR145 (475,000-875,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2009

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
	2153	$0.00	EXTRAORDINARILY RARE & PROBABLY THE SINGLE FINEST CASED ENGRAVED COLT THUER CONVERSION MODEL 1860 ARMY REVOLVER EXTANT. SN 185326/IE. Cal. 44. Extraordinary Colt with 8″ rnd bbl, orig front sight and 1-line address. It has “COLTS PATENT” on left side of the frame in an unusual pattern. “COLTS” is in an arc above “PATENT” and is hand stamped, not engraved. Trigger guard is brass with steel back strap which is mounted with a 1-pc ivory grip that is spectacularly raise-carved on both sides with the family crest of Don Jose Laureano Sanz on left side over the script initials “JLS”. Right side has large raised intertwined initials “JLS”. Both sides have fine shaded backgrounds. Grip is of one solid piece of ivory. SN on four locations on the bottom of the revolver are all accompanied by the initials “I.E.”, indicating factory ivory and engraved. Revolver is full silver plated with gold washed cylinder, conversion ring & hammer, as installed on the revolver. The accompanying, matching numbered, percussion cylinder is also gold washed. Frame has full coverage, extraordinarily fine, intertwined leaf & vine pattern engraving with very fine punch dot background in Gustave Young’s finest hand, undoubtedly by the master himself. Engraving extends over recoil shields onto the bbl lug and up the bbl terminating at the end of the bbl address with matching fine patterns around the front sight. Rammer handle is checkered with a fine chip & dot border with hand checkered rammer latch. Rammer pivot is engraved to match and the rammer itself is gold washed. Hammer is engraved in great detail with a wolf’s head on each side with matching leaf & vine patterns down each lower side and extend onto the sides of the hammer spur. Top edge of hammer is elaborately engraved with hand checkered spur. Back strap is engraved to match as are the butt strap & trigger guard. Both cylinders have hand engraved Ormsby Naval battle scene with wonderful foliate arabesque patterns in the rebated areas. Percussion cylinder retains all six of its safety pins. This revolver is without peer and certainly one of Mr. Young’s finest works. Accompanied by its orig, extraordinary, Brazilian rosewood casing with silver plated brass appointments and swinging latches on front with a mortised silver plated lock that has a rectangular escutcheon. Top center of lid has a scalloped rectangular plate engraved “JLS” surrounded by foliate & floral engraved patterns. Interior is purple velvet lined and compartmented in bottom for the revolver, two orig empty boxes for Colt’s 44 Thuer cartridges, one box body is green and the other Kraft colored with both having identical orange labels orange with black lettering. Front center compartment contains a spectacular Army-sized, “COLTS PATENT”, sgl-sided flask with angle spout and silver plated top, thumb pad & spout. Front center compartment contains a presentation quality, high polish blue, 2-cavity mold with “COLT’S PATENT” sprue cutter and marked on right side “44H”. Additionally accompanied by a fine tin of Eley’s caps with orange label and a sealed lacquered tin of Goldmarks percussion caps. Right rear corner compartment contains an L-shaped nipple wrench with high polish blue and a set of high polish blue Thuer cartridge reloading tools. Left front corner compartment contains two spare blued trigger/lockbolt screws and six orig spare nipples. Altogether an extraordinary orig, unused, royalty quality presentation set. Additionally accompanied by an article from The Texas Gun Collectors Association magazine by Dr. James T. Brown regarding the Phillip R. Phillips Firearms Collection at the Woolaroc Museum in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. This article shows this exact set with the caption “Presented to Gov. of Puerto Rico by the People of Puerto Rico”. Apparently this set was in the Phillips Collection at one time and displayed in the Woolaroc Museum. Additionally accompanied by a copy of the April 1997 issue of Man at Arms magazine which features this set on the cover and is photographed in the article which is titled “Post Civil War .44 Caliber Conversions” by Val Christian. Pages 16&17 feature this revolver in its case in full color, as found with the exception of the two cartridge boxes. The caption to that photograph directs the reader to p. 5 which briefly describes this set as “considered to be one of engraver Gustave Young’s finest achievements”. And finally accompanied by four caliber 44 Thuer cartridges, three with lead bullets and one with a wooden shot sabot plus six 44 caliber lead bullets. Don Jose Laureano Sanz (1822-1898) was the Marquis de San Juan and Governor General of Puerto Rico in the late 1860’s early 1870’s period, about the time that this set was created. Don Jose was credited with establishing the 1st Battalion of the Institute of Volunteers of Puerto Rico, which amounts to the Puerto Rican National Guard. There is substantial other information about Don Laureano Sanz available on the internet, however it is in Spanish and time constraints prevent detailed translation. This rare, one of a kind and the finest example of Gustave Young’s greatest works, was discovered in the 1940’s by renowned Colt historian & author James E. Serven. It has appeared in numerous publications over the years as follows: Samuel Colt Presents; The Antique Arms Annual; The Book of Colt Engraving; Colt Engraving; The Colt Heritage; Colt An American Legend, all by Wilson; Colt Firearms from 1836, Serven, and has appeared in numerous magazine articles including The Gun Report and The Texas Gun Collector magazines. Additionally accompanied by a 3-page letter from renowned Colt historian & author R.L. Wilson detailing some of the above information. Also accompanying is a portfolio of photographs & pages from various magazines & publications. PROVENANCE: Dr. Joseph A. Murphy Collection; Phillip R. Phillips; Butterfield & Butterfield. CONDITION: Extremely fine plus, all matching except wedge & grip which are unnumbered. Overall retains virtually all of its orig factory silver & gold wash with some very fine pimpling on bbl lug & backstrap and very minor losses at heel. Revolver is probably unfired with either cylinder. Flask is incredibly new retaining virtually all of its orig factory finish. Mold is equally new with a few light dings on bottom & left side and otherwise retains virtually all of its brilliant high gloss blue. Cap tins are extremely fine as are loading tools. Cartridge boxes show light wear and a couple of open corners with light soil on green box and moderate soil & wear on Kraft colored box label. Case is equally fine with light handling & use nicks & scratches and moderate wear on leather covered bottom. Interior is moderately to heavily faded. A truly incredible set. 4-36513 JR145 (475,000-875,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2009 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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