EXTRAORDINARILY RARE COLT PROTOTYPE DRAGOON REVOLVER WITH FLUTED CYLINDER REFERRED TO AS 4TH MODEL.

EXTRAORDINARILY RARE COLT PROTOTYPE DRAGOON REVOLVER WITH FLUTED CYLINDER REFERRED TO AS 4TH MODEL. SN 60. Cal. 44. Extraordinarily rare prototype dragoon built from 1st model dragoon parts with 7-1/2″ full rnd bbl, the octagonal section having been rounded with a slight shoulder where the bbl joins the lug. Bore has seven lands & grooves with right hand gain twist. The bbl forcing cone extends 3/8″ behind the lug, substantially longer than normal. It has an odd shaped brass front sight with New York City address & a ’51 Navy style horizontal rammer latch. Rammer handle has small number “3184” obviously from a much later revolver. Rammer handle is built in a separate piece, apparently fitted over a stud from face of pivot instead of usual practice of a solid single piece. There is a small split at joint between handle & pivot. Bottom edges of bbl lug are scalloped & thinned on bottom sides with small inserts forged into recesses where orig dual frame pin holes were exposed when lightning cuts were made. Currently there is a sgl frame pin in center. Frame has stepped sides with tapered front half, narrowed to match the bbl lug & there is no “COLT’S PATENT” marking. Recoil shields also have an unusual shallow scallop across top edges. Cylinder is of full fluted design with oval cylinder stops & made without safety pin. Length is about 2-3/16″ from front face to rear face, not including the ratchet. It has serial number in one of the flutes. Trigger guard & back strap are of brass with square back trigger guard & early style, U-shaped mainspring. Fitted with 1-pc walnut grip of the early design with narrow wrist. Wedge & cylinder pin are unnumbered. This exact revolver is pictured on p. 55 of the book The Colt Revolver, Haven & Belden. It is identified as found. Pictured on p. 77 of The Book of Colt Firearms, Sutherland & Wilson, is another fluted cylinder dragoon with identical lightning cuts but with a severe removal of metal around bullet loading area of bbl lug. Accompanying this revolver is a 6-page letter from R.L. Wilson, noted author & historian, wherein he details much of the information as listed above & documents a few other similar dragoons, stating that there were probably no more than a dozen & probably less than ten of these fluted lightweight dragoons ever produced. He speculates that this revolver was probably the first one of its type ever made with the others following along & all were made in the 1850’s & became predecessor to the venerable Model 1860. Also accompanying is a copy of p. 8 from the catalogue of the exhibition organized by John E. Parsons for the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1942) titled A Loan Exhibition of Percussion Colt Revolvers. Item #26 in this catalogue is another fluted dragoon with flat mainspring, serial number “8191”. Most of these fluted dragoons are extremely well documented from the Colt Collection & directly from Col. Colt’s office. Mr. Wilson states, and this cataloguer concurs, that “serial no. 60 is a museum piece of rare quality and importance”. PROVENANCE: J.C. Harvey Collection. CONDITION: Very fine to extremely fine, all numbered parts are matching & appear to be unfired. Bbl retains about 70% thin orig blue, strong in sheltered areas. Rammer, pivot & handle retain most of their lightly faded orig case colors. Cylinder retains about 90% orig glossy blue, strong in flutes, thin on raised areas. Frame retains mottled faded case colors on left side & left recoil shield with strong case colors on right side. Hammer retains about all of its orig faded case colors. Trigger guard & back strap are a medium mustard patina. Grip has slightly chipped toes with a few light nicks, dings & scratches and retains about 85% orig varnish. An extraordinarily rare & important Colt revolver in the evolution of the dragoon to the Model 1860. 4-35422 JR344 (17,500-22,500)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2008

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
	2261	$17,250.00	EXTRAORDINARILY RARE COLT PROTOTYPE DRAGOON REVOLVER WITH FLUTED CYLINDER REFERRED TO AS 4TH MODEL. SN 60. Cal. 44. Extraordinarily rare prototype dragoon built from 1st model dragoon parts with 7-1/2″ full rnd bbl, the octagonal section having been rounded with a slight shoulder where the bbl joins the lug. Bore has seven lands & grooves with right hand gain twist. The bbl forcing cone extends 3/8″ behind the lug, substantially longer than normal. It has an odd shaped brass front sight with New York City address & a ’51 Navy style horizontal rammer latch. Rammer handle has small number “3184” obviously from a much later revolver. Rammer handle is built in a separate piece, apparently fitted over a stud from face of pivot instead of usual practice of a solid single piece. There is a small split at joint between handle & pivot. Bottom edges of bbl lug are scalloped & thinned on bottom sides with small inserts forged into recesses where orig dual frame pin holes were exposed when lightning cuts were made. Currently there is a sgl frame pin in center. Frame has stepped sides with tapered front half, narrowed to match the bbl lug & there is no “COLT’S PATENT” marking. Recoil shields also have an unusual shallow scallop across top edges. Cylinder is of full fluted design with oval cylinder stops & made without safety pin. Length is about 2-3/16″ from front face to rear face, not including the ratchet. It has serial number in one of the flutes. Trigger guard & back strap are of brass with square back trigger guard & early style, U-shaped mainspring. Fitted with 1-pc walnut grip of the early design with narrow wrist. Wedge & cylinder pin are unnumbered. This exact revolver is pictured on p. 55 of the book The Colt Revolver, Haven & Belden. It is identified as found. Pictured on p. 77 of The Book of Colt Firearms, Sutherland & Wilson, is another fluted cylinder dragoon with identical lightning cuts but with a severe removal of metal around bullet loading area of bbl lug. Accompanying this revolver is a 6-page letter from R.L. Wilson, noted author & historian, wherein he details much of the information as listed above & documents a few other similar dragoons, stating that there were probably no more than a dozen & probably less than ten of these fluted lightweight dragoons ever produced. He speculates that this revolver was probably the first one of its type ever made with the others following along & all were made in the 1850’s & became predecessor to the venerable Model 1860. Also accompanying is a copy of p. 8 from the catalogue of the exhibition organized by John E. Parsons for the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1942) titled A Loan Exhibition of Percussion Colt Revolvers. Item #26 in this catalogue is another fluted dragoon with flat mainspring, serial number “8191”. Most of these fluted dragoons are extremely well documented from the Colt Collection & directly from Col. Colt’s office. Mr. Wilson states, and this cataloguer concurs, that “serial no. 60 is a museum piece of rare quality and importance”. PROVENANCE: J.C. Harvey Collection. CONDITION: Very fine to extremely fine, all numbered parts are matching & appear to be unfired. Bbl retains about 70% thin orig blue, strong in sheltered areas. Rammer, pivot & handle retain most of their lightly faded orig case colors. Cylinder retains about 90% orig glossy blue, strong in flutes, thin on raised areas. Frame retains mottled faded case colors on left side & left recoil shield with strong case colors on right side. Hammer retains about all of its orig faded case colors. Trigger guard & back strap are a medium mustard patina. Grip has slightly chipped toes with a few light nicks, dings & scratches and retains about 85% orig varnish. An extraordinarily rare & important Colt revolver in the evolution of the dragoon to the Model 1860. 4-35422 JR344 (17,500-22,500) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2008 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.

.red{fill:#B50938;} .white{fill:#FFFFFF;} .blue{fill:#005596;}