FINE CASED PRESENTATION COLT MODEL 1862 POLICE PERCUSSION REVOLVER.

FINE CASED PRESENTATION COLT MODEL 1862 POLICE PERCUSSION REVOLVER. SN 19111/E. Cal. 36. Nickel finish with 5-1/2″ rnd bbl, pin front sight and 1-line New-York U.S. America address. Left side of frame is marked “COLTS PATENT” with the caliber on the left shoulder of the trigger guard. Mounted with 1-pc ivory grip, engraved on left side “J.H. WHEELER / 1864. N.C.”. Buttstrap is engraved in period script “C. Sully Wheeler / A 5864”, possibly the date May 8, 1864. The “A” may refer to “Anno Domini” (AD). Serial numbers on the frame, trigger guard & buttstrap are accompanied by a small “E” which, under ordinary circumstances would mean “engraved”. Most likely this is an assembler’s error and should have read “I” for “ivory” instead. Last four digits of SN were observed on the rear face of cyl on two lands between nipple recesses. Backstrap channel of grip is numbered “5982”, most likely the order number for this revolver. Wedge has the number “5240”. Bbl & cyl have British proofs. Accompanied by an English oak casing with brass disc in center of lid. It is lined with green baize and has the Colt label inside lid. This label is overwritten in old red ink “NO. 19111”. Bottom of case is compartmented for revolver, a 2-cavity mold with “COLTS PATENT” sprue cutter and “36P” on right side. Also contains a nickel-plated Dixon bag flask marked on top “COLTS POCKET FLASK”, a Dixon pewter oiler, a nickel-plated L-shaped nipple wrench, a wood handled cleaning rod and a bare metal tin of Eley’s caps with green & black label marked “W. & C. ELEY”. A compartment in the right rear is missing its cover. Additionally accompanied by a letter from the State of North Carolina, Dept. of Cultural Resources wherein apparently the addressee (whose name is removed), had inquired regarding J.H. Wheeler of North Carolina. The writer of the letter responded that “The gun might have been given to Charles Sully Wheeler by his father John Hill Wheeler of North Carolina.” J.H. Wheeler (1806-1882) was a lawyer, a diplomat and author who was also the Minister to Nicaragua (1854-1856). He returned to the U.S. at the expiration of that appointment and lived in Washington, D.C. until the outbreak of the Civil War. He then returned to North Carolina to offer his services to his state but apparently was too old to serve. In Sept. 1863 he left North Carolina aboard a Confederate blockade runner and traveled to Bermuda where he then booked passage through Nova Scotia to England. For several weeks in early 1864 Mr. Wheeler spent copying records at the public records office and in April 1864 returned to Bermuda. By that time the Union victory was apparent so he returned to Washington where he remained until his death. It almost certainly was during his time in England that he purchased this revolver and had it inscribed to his son. Very likely there is another. similarly inscribed to his other son. The purpose of his records search was to gather historical information for a second history of North Carolina residents which he was preparing to publish to follow his earlier History of North Carolina which was published in 1851. In his earlier life Mr. Wheeler had graduated from the Columbian University (now George Washington University) in 1826 and studied law under Chief Justice Taylor, was licensed in 1827 and that same year was elected to the State Legislature. He served 1827-1830 with some notable successes. He was nominated for Congress but was defeated. In 1831 Mr. Wheeler was appointed by the President for a treaty commission with France which lasted three years. In 1837 he was appointed Superintendent of the Branch Mint at Charlotte, which position he held until 1841. In 1842 he was elected Treasurer of the State of North Carolina, a position he held until 1844. From then until 1853 Mr. Wheeler was involved in writing his first History of North Carolina and in local politics. In 1854 he was commissioned Minister to Nicaragua and arrived in December 1854. At that time Nicaragua was in political turmoil, as was most of Spanish Central America, and in May 1855, at the invitation of one of the warring factions, recruited a small band of armed mercenaries which he led to capture Grenada and secured the election of his sponsor as provisional President. He was subsequently arrested and imprisoned under order of execution but his friends attacked the city and freed him. He was apparently disciplined by the Secretary of State but was able to convince the President to leave him at his post. He returned to the U.S. in 1857 and resigned. It was his last public service. Mr. Wheeler married twice and with his second wife, Ellen Sully, daughter of Thomas Sully, one of the most distinguished artists of Philadelphia, produced two sons, one of whom was Charles Sully Wheeler who served in the Federal Navy during the Civil War and the other Woodbury Wheeler was a Captain in the Confederate Army. Charles Sully Wheeler was born Nov. 1839 and died May 1916 and is listed as having served in the Federal Navy during the Civil War. Apparently after the war he returned to Washington and became a successful lawyer. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching except wedge & grip as noted above. Overall retains about all of its fine orig nickel plating with only slight signs of use. Left side of frame has a few minor “screwdriver” scratches and rear face of cyl shows evidence of having been “played with” as all of its safety pins are battered. Grip is sound showing moderate wear on engraving with a few minor age lines and retains a wonderful golden ivory color. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore with some very minor light pitting. Case has a couple of grain checks and a crack in bottom and is missing a small sliver from right rear bottom edge, otherwise is sound with normal handling & storage marks and retains about 90% orig varnish. Interior is heavily faded & soiled with soiled & yellowed label that has light damage. Mold is fine and retains about 75-80% orig blue. Flask & nipple wrench retain most of their orig nickel finish. Other accessories are fine, missing compartment cover as noted. 4-38461 JR219 (17,500-27,500)

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
	2335	$0.00	FINE CASED PRESENTATION COLT MODEL 1862 POLICE PERCUSSION REVOLVER. SN 19111/E. Cal. 36. Nickel finish with 5-1/2″ rnd bbl, pin front sight and 1-line New-York U.S. America address. Left side of frame is marked “COLTS PATENT” with the caliber on the left shoulder of the trigger guard. Mounted with 1-pc ivory grip, engraved on left side “J.H. WHEELER / 1864. N.C.”. Buttstrap is engraved in period script “C. Sully Wheeler / A 5864”, possibly the date May 8, 1864. The “A” may refer to “Anno Domini” (AD). Serial numbers on the frame, trigger guard & buttstrap are accompanied by a small “E” which, under ordinary circumstances would mean “engraved”. Most likely this is an assembler’s error and should have read “I” for “ivory” instead. Last four digits of SN were observed on the rear face of cyl on two lands between nipple recesses. Backstrap channel of grip is numbered “5982”, most likely the order number for this revolver. Wedge has the number “5240”. Bbl & cyl have British proofs. Accompanied by an English oak casing with brass disc in center of lid. It is lined with green baize and has the Colt label inside lid. This label is overwritten in old red ink “NO. 19111”. Bottom of case is compartmented for revolver, a 2-cavity mold with “COLTS PATENT” sprue cutter and “36P” on right side. Also contains a nickel-plated Dixon bag flask marked on top “COLTS POCKET FLASK”, a Dixon pewter oiler, a nickel-plated L-shaped nipple wrench, a wood handled cleaning rod and a bare metal tin of Eley’s caps with green & black label marked “W. & C. ELEY”. A compartment in the right rear is missing its cover. Additionally accompanied by a letter from the State of North Carolina, Dept. of Cultural Resources wherein apparently the addressee (whose name is removed), had inquired regarding J.H. Wheeler of North Carolina. The writer of the letter responded that “The gun might have been given to Charles Sully Wheeler by his father John Hill Wheeler of North Carolina.” J.H. Wheeler (1806-1882) was a lawyer, a diplomat and author who was also the Minister to Nicaragua (1854-1856). He returned to the U.S. at the expiration of that appointment and lived in Washington, D.C. until the outbreak of the Civil War. He then returned to North Carolina to offer his services to his state but apparently was too old to serve. In Sept. 1863 he left North Carolina aboard a Confederate blockade runner and traveled to Bermuda where he then booked passage through Nova Scotia to England. For several weeks in early 1864 Mr. Wheeler spent copying records at the public records office and in April 1864 returned to Bermuda. By that time the Union victory was apparent so he returned to Washington where he remained until his death. It almost certainly was during his time in England that he purchased this revolver and had it inscribed to his son. Very likely there is another. similarly inscribed to his other son. The purpose of his records search was to gather historical information for a second history of North Carolina residents which he was preparing to publish to follow his earlier History of North Carolina which was published in 1851. In his earlier life Mr. Wheeler had graduated from the Columbian University (now George Washington University) in 1826 and studied law under Chief Justice Taylor, was licensed in 1827 and that same year was elected to the State Legislature. He served 1827-1830 with some notable successes. He was nominated for Congress but was defeated. In 1831 Mr. Wheeler was appointed by the President for a treaty commission with France which lasted three years. In 1837 he was appointed Superintendent of the Branch Mint at Charlotte, which position he held until 1841. In 1842 he was elected Treasurer of the State of North Carolina, a position he held until 1844. From then until 1853 Mr. Wheeler was involved in writing his first History of North Carolina and in local politics. In 1854 he was commissioned Minister to Nicaragua and arrived in December 1854. At that time Nicaragua was in political turmoil, as was most of Spanish Central America, and in May 1855, at the invitation of one of the warring factions, recruited a small band of armed mercenaries which he led to capture Grenada and secured the election of his sponsor as provisional President. He was subsequently arrested and imprisoned under order of execution but his friends attacked the city and freed him. He was apparently disciplined by the Secretary of State but was able to convince the President to leave him at his post. He returned to the U.S. in 1857 and resigned. It was his last public service. Mr. Wheeler married twice and with his second wife, Ellen Sully, daughter of Thomas Sully, one of the most distinguished artists of Philadelphia, produced two sons, one of whom was Charles Sully Wheeler who served in the Federal Navy during the Civil War and the other Woodbury Wheeler was a Captain in the Confederate Army. Charles Sully Wheeler was born Nov. 1839 and died May 1916 and is listed as having served in the Federal Navy during the Civil War. Apparently after the war he returned to Washington and became a successful lawyer. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching except wedge & grip as noted above. Overall retains about all of its fine orig nickel plating with only slight signs of use. Left side of frame has a few minor “screwdriver” scratches and rear face of cyl shows evidence of having been “played with” as all of its safety pins are battered. Grip is sound showing moderate wear on engraving with a few minor age lines and retains a wonderful golden ivory color. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore with some very minor light pitting. Case has a couple of grain checks and a crack in bottom and is missing a small sliver from right rear bottom edge, otherwise is sound with normal handling & storage marks and retains about 90% orig varnish. Interior is heavily faded & soiled with soiled & yellowed label that has light damage. Mold is fine and retains about 75-80% orig blue. Flask & nipple wrench retain most of their orig nickel finish. Other accessories are fine, missing compartment cover as noted. 4-38461 JR219 (17,500-27,500) 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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