DOUBLE CASED SET OF PRESENTATION COLT MODEL 1849 POCKET & COLT MODEL 1851 NAVY PERCUSSION REVOLVERS TO COMMANDER 31ST MASS VOLS & 1ST U.S.COLORED CAV.

Revised: 9/22/2010

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Consignor states he had previously seen a picture of this casing (without guns) before it was relined and all the partitions were loose in the bottom and since then it obviously has been restored. The consignor initiated the case restoration after having discovered the mate to the M1849. This pair of revolvers is accompanied by two 3-ring binders of information regarding the life & service of Lt. Col. Charles Moses Whelden of Pittsfield, MA and an article entitled “Reunited After 125 years- An Unusual Pair of Presentation Colt Revolvers”, illuminating the research and reunion of the Colt pair. Gen. Reed, who presented the revolvers to Col. Whelden, was also a member of the Ancient & Honorable Artillery Company of Boston, whose Museum at Faneuil Hall still holds Whelden’s uniform and flag of the Mass 31st.

DOUBLE CASED SET OF PRESENTATION COLT MODEL 1849 POCKET & COLT MODEL 1851 NAVY PERCUSSION REVOLVERS TO COMMANDER 31ST MASS VOLS & 1ST U.S.COLORED CAV. SN 1) 182485; 2) 22082. 1) Model 1849 Pocket. Cal. 31. Usual configuration with 6″ oct bbl, brass pin front sight and 2-line Hartford address with dashes. Left side of frame is marked “COLTS PATENT” and the large guard silver plated brass trigger guard & back strap contain a 1-pc walnut grip with last three digits of SN visible in back strap channel. Any other numbers are obscured. It has 5-shot cyl with stagecoach holdup scene roll-marking. This revolver is one of the pieces assembled from English parts returned from the London Armory and has the domed English style screws in the frame. Other screws are American style. Back strap is engraved in period script “Qtr. M Genl J Reed to Adgt C M Whelden” and the butt strap is engraved “April 25th 1861”. 2) Model 1851 Navy. Cal. 36. Third Model Navy with 7-1/2″ oct bbl, brass pin front sight and 1-line New York City address with dashes. Left side of frame has a small “COLTS PATENT” and the left shoulder and left front web of trigger guard have tiny inspector initials. Cyl is usual 6-shots with Ormsby Naval battle scene and three of safety pins serviceable. Small guard silver plated brass trigger guard & back strap contain a 1-pc walnut grip with three digits “208” visible in back strap channel with the fourth number obscured. Back strap is engraved in period script identically to the Model 1849 Pocket revolver above, “Qtr. M Genl J Reed to Adgt C M Whelden” and the butt strap is engraved “April 25th 1861”. Accompanied by a fine brass bound rosewood casing with brass reinforcing corners and an empty rectangular plate in the lid. Front has sliding brass latches and a mortised replacement lock with oval escutcheon. Interior is newly burgundy velvet lined with newly attached partitions. Bottom is partitioned for both revolvers, a Colt’s dbl sided eagle & trophy of arms angle spout Navy sized flask, dbl sided eagle & shield pocket sized flask, a 2-cavity blued steel “COLTS PATENT” 36 caliber mold with sprue cutter and a blued steel 2-cavity “COLTS PATENT” mold with sprue cutter marked “31 PKT” on right side. This casing did not originate with this pair of revolvers however consignor states that he purchased it in 1990 from old time dealer, Kenneth Schindler of Vero Beach, FL. Consignor had previously seen a picture of this casing (without guns) before it was relined and all the partitions were loose in the bottom and since then it obviously has been restored. The consignor initiated the case restoration after having discovered the mate to the M1849. This pair of revolvers is accompanied by two 3-ring binders of information regarding the life & service of Lt. Col. Charles Moses Whelden of Pittsfield, MA and an article entitled “Reunited After 125 years-An Unusual Pair of Presentation Colt Revolvers”, illuminating the research and reunion of the Colt pair. In 1841 Mr. Whelden was a volunteer in the Washington Light Infantry, was also a Captain of the Pittsfield Fire Department, a pioneer in California in 1849 and an engineer. He was a druggist by trade, however devoted much of his time to the militia and became a member of the exclusive Ancient & Honorable Artillery Company of Boston, the first organized military company in Massachusetts and the third oldest charter organization in the world. By the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 Mr. Whelden was a Captain in the Massachusetts Militia and was one of the first to respond to the call to arms. In April 1861 he volunteered as an unpaid officer on the Staff of Gen. Benjamin F. Butler and a week later was given authority to raise a regiment for service. Apparently to commemorate this event, Brig. Gen. John H. Reed, newly appointed Quartermaster General for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, a friend of Whelden’s and also a member of the Ancient & Honorable Artillery Company of Boston, presented Whelden with this pair of Colts. Whelden raised a regiment of troops which became the Massachusetts 31st Volunteer Infantry and Whelden was appointed Lt. Colonel commanding this regiment. Col Whelden served on the staff of Gen. Butler with his regiment in Louisiana 1861-62 and his regiment was the first to enter the City of New Orleans after its capture on May 1, 1862. In July 1862 he was on detached duty as the Commander of Fort Pike in Louisiana until December when he resigned his commission and again served as an unpaid volunteer officer under Gen. Butler until Dec. 7, 1863. At that time he was commissioned Lt. Colonel commanding the 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry and from that date until Aug. 15, 1864 he was the Provost Marshall for the States of Virginia & North Carolina. During this time the first U.S. Colored Cavalry participated in operations around Richmond and captured Bermuda Hundred & City Point on May 5, 1864. The unit next saw action on June 16-19, 1864 during the siege & assault on Petersburg. On July 27-28, 1864 they again saw action at Bottom Run. Shortly after that the unit was assigned to Fortress Monroe for detached service in Texas. At this time Col. Whelden resigned and became the Superintendent of the Government Gas Works at Norfolk, VA in which position he remained the rest of the war. After the war Col. Whelden returned to Pittsfield and died there Jan. 24, 1910 at age 88 years 29 days. Gen. Reed, who presented the revolvers to Col. Whelden, was also a member of the Ancient & Honorable Artillery Company of Boston, whose Museum at Faneuil Hall still holds Whelden’s uniform and flag of the Mass 31st, had risen through the ranks from engineer in 1854 to Commander in Chief in 1858. He was commissioned Brig. General in the Massachusetts Militia in April 1861 as the Quartermaster General for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts where he served throughout the war. After the war he was reappointed Brig. General in 1866 and served until 1869. The large lot of research materials accumulated by consignor contains muster rolls and extensive military history on Col. Whelden along with a photograph of him in later years in uniform with a GAR reunion medal on his uniform. The binders also contain numerous correspondence between consignor and various individuals involved in the acquisition and reuniting of these two revolvers. CONDITION: 1) Good to very good, all matching except rammer handle which is numbered “14”. Traces of blue remain on the bbl in the most sheltered areas with traces of case colors on rammer pivot. Bbl & rammer overall are a smooth medium gray patina. Frame & hammer are also a smooth gray patina with fine pin prick pitting over most of frame & hammer. Cyl is also lightly pitted and retains 50-60% stagecoach holdup scene and overall is a light gray patina. Trigger guard & back strap retain strong silver in sheltered areas with the front strap, body of the back strap & butt strap a medium mustard patina. Grip has chips along right edge and shows moderate to heavy wear with a gouge on left side and a bruise on right side and retains 75-80% strong orig varnish. Lock bolt is not functioning, otherwise mechanics are fine, strong bore with scattered pitting. 2) Good to very good, all matching including rammer, cyl & grip. Bbl & rammer handle show heavy wear with a smooth medium gray patina. Frame retains about 50% faded case colors, strong on right side. Trigger guard & back strap retain most of their orig silver plating with the exposed area on the shoulder of the back strap a blackish brass patina. Grip is sound with oil staining around frame and with light nicks & scratches and retains most of its orig varnish. Mechanics are fine, strong dark bore. Case has a crack across the lid and a grain check with several grain checks in the bottom with normal handling & storage nicks & scratches along with a couple of gouges in the lid and retains most of its fine restored finish. Interior is crisp & clean with solid partitions. Molds are fine. Navy flask has several small dents but appears sound with a medium dark brass patina. Pocket flask has a couple of small dents with traces of orig finish in the repoussed areas and retains a dark brass patina. Altogether a fine and rare combination cased, presentation set that belonged to a Civil War officer. 4-40989 (20,000-30,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2010

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
	2276	$0.00	Revised: 9/22/2010 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Consignor states he had previously seen a picture of this casing (without guns) before it was relined and all the partitions were loose in the bottom and since then it obviously has been restored. The consignor initiated the case restoration after having discovered the mate to the M1849. This pair of revolvers is accompanied by two 3-ring binders of information regarding the life & service of Lt. Col. Charles Moses Whelden of Pittsfield, MA and an article entitled “Reunited After 125 years- An Unusual Pair of Presentation Colt Revolvers”, illuminating the research and reunion of the Colt pair. Gen. Reed, who presented the revolvers to Col. Whelden, was also a member of the Ancient & Honorable Artillery Company of Boston, whose Museum at Faneuil Hall still holds Whelden’s uniform and flag of the Mass 31st. DOUBLE CASED SET OF PRESENTATION COLT MODEL 1849 POCKET & COLT MODEL 1851 NAVY PERCUSSION REVOLVERS TO COMMANDER 31ST MASS VOLS & 1ST U.S.COLORED CAV. SN 1) 182485; 2) 22082. 1) Model 1849 Pocket. Cal. 31. Usual configuration with 6″ oct bbl, brass pin front sight and 2-line Hartford address with dashes. Left side of frame is marked “COLTS PATENT” and the large guard silver plated brass trigger guard & back strap contain a 1-pc walnut grip with last three digits of SN visible in back strap channel. Any other numbers are obscured. It has 5-shot cyl with stagecoach holdup scene roll-marking. This revolver is one of the pieces assembled from English parts returned from the London Armory and has the domed English style screws in the frame. Other screws are American style. Back strap is engraved in period script “Qtr. M Genl J Reed to Adgt C M Whelden” and the butt strap is engraved “April 25th 1861”. 2) Model 1851 Navy. Cal. 36. Third Model Navy with 7-1/2″ oct bbl, brass pin front sight and 1-line New York City address with dashes. Left side of frame has a small “COLTS PATENT” and the left shoulder and left front web of trigger guard have tiny inspector initials. Cyl is usual 6-shots with Ormsby Naval battle scene and three of safety pins serviceable. Small guard silver plated brass trigger guard & back strap contain a 1-pc walnut grip with three digits “208” visible in back strap channel with the fourth number obscured. Back strap is engraved in period script identically to the Model 1849 Pocket revolver above, “Qtr. M Genl J Reed to Adgt C M Whelden” and the butt strap is engraved “April 25th 1861”. Accompanied by a fine brass bound rosewood casing with brass reinforcing corners and an empty rectangular plate in the lid. Front has sliding brass latches and a mortised replacement lock with oval escutcheon. Interior is newly burgundy velvet lined with newly attached partitions. Bottom is partitioned for both revolvers, a Colt’s dbl sided eagle & trophy of arms angle spout Navy sized flask, dbl sided eagle & shield pocket sized flask, a 2-cavity blued steel “COLTS PATENT” 36 caliber mold with sprue cutter and a blued steel 2-cavity “COLTS PATENT” mold with sprue cutter marked “31 PKT” on right side. This casing did not originate with this pair of revolvers however consignor states that he purchased it in 1990 from old time dealer, Kenneth Schindler of Vero Beach, FL. Consignor had previously seen a picture of this casing (without guns) before it was relined and all the partitions were loose in the bottom and since then it obviously has been restored. The consignor initiated the case restoration after having discovered the mate to the M1849. This pair of revolvers is accompanied by two 3-ring binders of information regarding the life & service of Lt. Col. Charles Moses Whelden of Pittsfield, MA and an article entitled “Reunited After 125 years-An Unusual Pair of Presentation Colt Revolvers”, illuminating the research and reunion of the Colt pair. In 1841 Mr. Whelden was a volunteer in the Washington Light Infantry, was also a Captain of the Pittsfield Fire Department, a pioneer in California in 1849 and an engineer. He was a druggist by trade, however devoted much of his time to the militia and became a member of the exclusive Ancient & Honorable Artillery Company of Boston, the first organized military company in Massachusetts and the third oldest charter organization in the world. By the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 Mr. Whelden was a Captain in the Massachusetts Militia and was one of the first to respond to the call to arms. In April 1861 he volunteered as an unpaid officer on the Staff of Gen. Benjamin F. Butler and a week later was given authority to raise a regiment for service. Apparently to commemorate this event, Brig. Gen. John H. Reed, newly appointed Quartermaster General for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, a friend of Whelden’s and also a member of the Ancient & Honorable Artillery Company of Boston, presented Whelden with this pair of Colts. Whelden raised a regiment of troops which became the Massachusetts 31st Volunteer Infantry and Whelden was appointed Lt. Colonel commanding this regiment. Col Whelden served on the staff of Gen. Butler with his regiment in Louisiana 1861-62 and his regiment was the first to enter the City of New Orleans after its capture on May 1, 1862. In July 1862 he was on detached duty as the Commander of Fort Pike in Louisiana until December when he resigned his commission and again served as an unpaid volunteer officer under Gen. Butler until Dec. 7, 1863. At that time he was commissioned Lt. Colonel commanding the 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry and from that date until Aug. 15, 1864 he was the Provost Marshall for the States of Virginia & North Carolina. During this time the first U.S. Colored Cavalry participated in operations around Richmond and captured Bermuda Hundred & City Point on May 5, 1864. The unit next saw action on June 16-19, 1864 during the siege & assault on Petersburg. On July 27-28, 1864 they again saw action at Bottom Run. Shortly after that the unit was assigned to Fortress Monroe for detached service in Texas. At this time Col. Whelden resigned and became the Superintendent of the Government Gas Works at Norfolk, VA in which position he remained the rest of the war. After the war Col. Whelden returned to Pittsfield and died there Jan. 24, 1910 at age 88 years 29 days. Gen. Reed, who presented the revolvers to Col. Whelden, was also a member of the Ancient & Honorable Artillery Company of Boston, whose Museum at Faneuil Hall still holds Whelden’s uniform and flag of the Mass 31st, had risen through the ranks from engineer in 1854 to Commander in Chief in 1858. He was commissioned Brig. General in the Massachusetts Militia in April 1861 as the Quartermaster General for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts where he served throughout the war. After the war he was reappointed Brig. General in 1866 and served until 1869. The large lot of research materials accumulated by consignor contains muster rolls and extensive military history on Col. Whelden along with a photograph of him in later years in uniform with a GAR reunion medal on his uniform. The binders also contain numerous correspondence between consignor and various individuals involved in the acquisition and reuniting of these two revolvers. CONDITION: 1) Good to very good, all matching except rammer handle which is numbered “14”. Traces of blue remain on the bbl in the most sheltered areas with traces of case colors on rammer pivot. Bbl & rammer overall are a smooth medium gray patina. Frame & hammer are also a smooth gray patina with fine pin prick pitting over most of frame & hammer. Cyl is also lightly pitted and retains 50-60% stagecoach holdup scene and overall is a light gray patina. Trigger guard & back strap retain strong silver in sheltered areas with the front strap, body of the back strap & butt strap a medium mustard patina. Grip has chips along right edge and shows moderate to heavy wear with a gouge on left side and a bruise on right side and retains 75-80% strong orig varnish. Lock bolt is not functioning, otherwise mechanics are fine, strong bore with scattered pitting. 2) Good to very good, all matching including rammer, cyl & grip. Bbl & rammer handle show heavy wear with a smooth medium gray patina. Frame retains about 50% faded case colors, strong on right side. Trigger guard & back strap retain most of their orig silver plating with the exposed area on the shoulder of the back strap a blackish brass patina. Grip is sound with oil staining around frame and with light nicks & scratches and retains most of its orig varnish. Mechanics are fine, strong dark bore. Case has a crack across the lid and a grain check with several grain checks in the bottom with normal handling & storage nicks & scratches along with a couple of gouges in the lid and retains most of its fine restored finish. Interior is crisp & clean with solid partitions. Molds are fine. Navy flask has several small dents but appears sound with a medium dark brass patina. Pocket flask has a couple of small dents with traces of orig finish in the repoussed areas and retains a dark brass patina. Altogether a fine and rare combination cased, presentation set that belonged to a Civil War officer. 4-40989 (20,000-30,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2010 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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