RARE FACTORY ENGRAVED COLT MODEL 1862 POCKET NAVY CONVERSION REVOLVER.

RARE FACTORY ENGRAVED COLT MODEL 1862 POCKET NAVY CONVERSION REVOLVER. SN 19960. Cal. 38 RF. Nickel finish with 4-1/2″ oct bbl, pin front sight and 1-line New-York U.S. America address. It has 5-shot rebated cylinder with stagecoach holdup scene roll marking. Frame is engraved in late vine style, from the shop of Gustave Young with fine flowing foliate arabesque patterns over the frame & bbl lug with several scrolls terminating in flower blossoms. Left side of frame has COLT’S PATENT engraved in a kidney shaped panel. Sides of hammer are engraved with Mr. Young’s typical wolf’s head pattern with fishscale pattern down both sides of the spur. Top of back strap is engraved with his typical fan pattern with foliate arabesque patterns near the top, at the heel, on butt strap & trigger guard. The silver plated brass trigger guard & back strap contain a varnished 1-pc walnut grip with the last four digits of the SN in back strap channel. 36 CAL marking on left shoulder of trigger guard. Accompanied by a rare factory letter identifying this revolver in caliber 38 Rimfire with 4-1/2″ bbl, blue finish, type of stocks not listed and factory engraved, shipped to J.P. Moores Sons, New York, NY on Aug. 9, 1875 in a shipment of 57 same type revolvers. Although the factory letter states that the finish was blue, there is little doubt that this is a factory nickel finish applied after being engraved by the factory engraver with the conversion cylinder re-polished before plating, leaving the stagecoach holdup scene roll-marking somewhat thin. It is further apparent that this revolver is unfired since plating. All of the serial numbers on the bbl lug, frame, trigger guard & back strap are accompanied by a small “IE” which indicates special finishing for engraving. According to R.L. Wilson in Colt an American Legend, few Pocket Navies were engraved and conversions had a relatively high mortality rate as a substantial number found their way to to Mexico and South America. PROVENANCE: Consignor states gun has been in the same VT family since new. CONDITION: Extremely fine, all matching including wedge & grip. Overall retains about 93-95% strong orig nickel finish with three or four spots of flaked nickel on bbl with other spots of loose nickel. The exposed metal is a dark brown patina. Cylinder, as noted above, appears unfired, retaining virtually all of its factory nickel and about 60-70% thin stagecoach holdup scene. Hammer retains virtually all of its brilliant case colors with some light rust on right side and top edge. Trigger guard & back strap retain virtually all of their orig silver plating. Grip is crisp with lightly worn edges and retains virtually all of its orig factory varnish. Mechanics are crisp, strong bright bore with one large spot of pitting. 4-41950 JR125 (4,000-6,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 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
	2224	$6,325.00	RARE FACTORY ENGRAVED COLT MODEL 1862 POCKET NAVY CONVERSION REVOLVER. SN 19960. Cal. 38 RF. Nickel finish with 4-1/2″ oct bbl, pin front sight and 1-line New-York U.S. America address. It has 5-shot rebated cylinder with stagecoach holdup scene roll marking. Frame is engraved in late vine style, from the shop of Gustave Young with fine flowing foliate arabesque patterns over the frame & bbl lug with several scrolls terminating in flower blossoms. Left side of frame has COLT’S PATENT engraved in a kidney shaped panel. Sides of hammer are engraved with Mr. Young’s typical wolf’s head pattern with fishscale pattern down both sides of the spur. Top of back strap is engraved with his typical fan pattern with foliate arabesque patterns near the top, at the heel, on butt strap & trigger guard. The silver plated brass trigger guard & back strap contain a varnished 1-pc walnut grip with the last four digits of the SN in back strap channel. 36 CAL marking on left shoulder of trigger guard. Accompanied by a rare factory letter identifying this revolver in caliber 38 Rimfire with 4-1/2″ bbl, blue finish, type of stocks not listed and factory engraved, shipped to J.P. Moores Sons, New York, NY on Aug. 9, 1875 in a shipment of 57 same type revolvers. Although the factory letter states that the finish was blue, there is little doubt that this is a factory nickel finish applied after being engraved by the factory engraver with the conversion cylinder re-polished before plating, leaving the stagecoach holdup scene roll-marking somewhat thin. It is further apparent that this revolver is unfired since plating. All of the serial numbers on the bbl lug, frame, trigger guard & back strap are accompanied by a small “IE” which indicates special finishing for engraving. According to R.L. Wilson in Colt an American Legend, few Pocket Navies were engraved and conversions had a relatively high mortality rate as a substantial number found their way to to Mexico and South America. PROVENANCE: Consignor states gun has been in the same VT family since new. CONDITION: Extremely fine, all matching including wedge & grip. Overall retains about 93-95% strong orig nickel finish with three or four spots of flaked nickel on bbl with other spots of loose nickel. The exposed metal is a dark brown patina. Cylinder, as noted above, appears unfired, retaining virtually all of its factory nickel and about 60-70% thin stagecoach holdup scene. Hammer retains virtually all of its brilliant case colors with some light rust on right side and top edge. Trigger guard & back strap retain virtually all of their orig silver plating. Grip is crisp with lightly worn edges and retains virtually all of its orig factory varnish. Mechanics are crisp, strong bright bore with one large spot of pitting. 4-41950 JR125 (4,000-6,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 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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