EXTREMELY RARE CASED PANEL SCENE ENGRAVED & GOLD INLAID PRESENTATION METROPOLITAN POLICE PERCUSSION REVOLVER.

EXTREMELY RARE CASED PANEL SCENE ENGRAVED & GOLD INLAID PRESENTATION METROPOLITAN POLICE PERCUSSION REVOLVER. SN 1822. Cal. 36. Blue & color case hardened with 6-1/2″ rnd bbl, brass pin front sight and 1-line “METROPOLITAN ARMS CO. NEW-YORK” address. It has a silver plated large guard trigger guard & back strap containing 2-pc pearl grips with most unusual German silver bottom edges. Cylinder is 5-shot and half-fluted like the Colt 1862Police. This Model Metropolitan is dimensionally identical to the Colt except for the rammer. The Metropolitan uses a jointed rammer instead f the rack & pinion, or creeping style, of the Colt. Back strap is engraved in period script “Commander Geo. B. Balch / U.S.S. Pawnee 1863”. Revolver is wonderfully engraved by master engraver Gustave Young with full coverage intertwined foliate arabesque patterns with fine punch dot background on the frame. The bbl is engraved to match with wonderful panel scenes toward the rear sides of the bbl which depict the motor-sailor sloop Pawnee, with sails furled and smoke coming from the stack on left side and a similar panel on right side with sails in the wind and the smoke stack conveniently omitted. The rear of the ship has an unfurled flag that appears to be the stars & stripes. Both panels show waves, with clouds in the sky. The foliate arabesque patterns surrounding the panels extend forward and terminate in front of the address. Muzzle end of the bbl has a dash & dot border with fine gold wire inlaid band. Rear edge of bbl also has a fine gold wire band. Cyl is engraved to match on the lands between the flutes and has a fine gold wire band at the transition to the rebated area. Top of the back strap has Mr. Young’s deluxe fan pattern with foliate arabesque patterns down back strap, on butt strap & trigger guard. Hammer has also received Mr. Young’s deluxe treatment of foliate arabesque patterns on the shank, fish scale patterns on sides of spur and wolf’s heads on each side of hammer nose. Top edge of hammer also has fish scale patterns with a hand cut checkered panel on the spur. Accompanied by a fine mahogany English style casing with empty brass disc in the lid. Case is blue baize lined with red & gold distributor’s label in the lid, imprinted “ROBERT JONES, / GUN & PISTOL MANUFACTURER, / NO. 3, GREAT HOWARD ST., LIVERPOOL.” with other advertising below. Bottom is compartmented for the revolver, a fine 3-compartment flask with dbl sided oak leaf & ribbon decorations having a cap & ball compartment in the base. It also has a blued steel “COLTS PATENT” mold with sprue cutter marked on right side “36P” and with the English style locator pin the right arm. Additionally accompanied by an ebony handled nipple wrench, a lacquered tin of Eley’s caps with orange label, an empty cap tin missing its lid and filled with tow. Right rear covered compartment contains two spare nipples and is filled with tow. Also found in the case is a Civil War era epaulet pin with brass frame and blue background with brass lieutenant’s/ensign’s bars. According to Flayderman’s Guide to Antique American Firearms only about 1,600 of these revolvers were produced with marked bbls in the period 1864-1866 in two serial ranges of numbers 1800-1950 and numbers 2400-3850. The U.S.S. Pawnee’s keel was laid in 1858 at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, she was launched 8 Oct. 1859 and commissioned in 11 June 1860. She was in service on routine Navy business off the coast of Vera Cruz, Mexico from Oct. to Dec. of 1860 and returned to Philadelphia. She was dispatched in April 1861 to relieve Fort Sumter but due to a severe storm was delayed and arrived after Fort Sumter had been surrendered to the Confederates. She returned to Washington and was immediately dispatched to Norfolk to secure the ships and stores of the Gosport Navy Yard, arriving on 20 April only to find that all the ships except the U.S.S. Cumberland had been scuttled so she attempted to destroy the Naval stores and the dry dock which efforts were largely unsuccessful. Pawnee took the Cumberland in tow and saved the frigate from capture. For the remainder of the Civil War Pawnee participated in blockade duty and patrolling the southern Atlantic coast capturing several blockade runners and two vessels that had previously been captured by the Confederates. Throughout the remainder of the war Pawnee remained in southern waters participating in numerous Naval engagements and land expeditions until June of 1865 when she sailed to Portsmouth, NH and was decommissioned in July. The crew, as of 1 January 1865, includes the name of George B. Balch as Commander. George Beall Balch was born 8 Jan. 1821 in Shelbyville, TN, and was appointed Acting Midshipman 30 Dec. 1837 and passed the Midshipman’s exam and was promoted in June 1843. He served during the war with Mexico and helped land Gen. Winfield Scott’s army at Vera Cruz. He remained in Naval service at various postings and was promoted to lieutenant Aug. 1850. In 1851 he was the executive officer on the sloop of war “Plymouth” and joined Commodore Perry’s expedition to Japan and remained in the Orient into 1854 when the Plymouth was assigned to Shanghai to help protect American property. When Chinese troops began attacking foreigners, looting warehouses and exacting tolls from ships transiting the nearby river, the commanders of two British ships and the commander of the Plymouth decided to drive off the Chinese troops. Lt. Balch led 60 sailors & Marines and 30 American Merchant seamen along with a force of 150 British sailors & Marines and attacked the Chinese and drove them out of the city. Lt. Balch was wounded during the action. He returned to Norfolk in 1855 and remained in Naval service at various postings until the outbreak of the Civil War. In April 1861 he was assigned to Portsmouth, NH and helped commission the frigate “Sabine”. In Nov. 1861 Balch assumed command of the steamer “Pocahontas” and participated in troop landings on Tybee Island and was promoted to Commander in July 1862. He was given command of the screw-sloop Pawnee at Philadelphia later that year. He remained in command of the Pawnee until she was decommissioned at Portsmouth in July 1865. During the occupation of Georgetown he helped land sailors & Marines clearing the way for Union supply ships for Gen. Sherman’s Army for which he was commended by Rear Admiral Dahlgren for his services during this operation. After the Pawnee was decommissioned Balch was assigned shore duty and was promoted to captain in July 1866. He commanded the flagship Albany in the North Atlantic squadron between 1868 and early 1870, then was assigned duty with the Bureau of Navigation and promoted to Commodore in Aug. 1872. He held various other postings and was promoted to Rear Admiral in June 1878 and became Superintendent of the Naval Academy 1879-1881. In June 1881 he took Command of the Pacific Squadron which posting he held until he retired in Jan. 1883. He died in Raleigh, NC 16 April 1908. PROVENANCE: David Crocker Estate Collection. CONDITION: Extremely fine plus, all matching including wedge & cyl, grips are unnumbered. Overall retains virtually all of its orig factory finish with strong dark blue on the bbl & cyl with one spot of pitting on left side of bbl and a couple of small spots of pin prick pitting on right side. Rammer & handle retain virtually all of their orig case colors, turned slightly dark. Frame & hammer retain about all of their orig factory case colors. Trigger guard & back strap retain silver plating in sheltered areas with the exposed metal a medium mustard patina. Grips are sound with great fire & color. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore, probably unfired. Case is completely sound with light handling & storage nicks & scratches and retains most of its orig factory varnish. Interior is lightly faded & lightly soiled with the label inside the lid faded to a rose pink but still completely legible. Flask appears to be nearly new retaining about all of its orig factory finish. Mold is also probably unused but has minor nicks & dings and a few spots of pitting on the arms. Other accessories are fine. Altogether an extremely rare and wonderful presentation set to a Naval hero. 4-36870 JR198 (15,000-25,000)

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
	2367	$32,775.00	EXTREMELY RARE CASED PANEL SCENE ENGRAVED & GOLD INLAID PRESENTATION METROPOLITAN POLICE PERCUSSION REVOLVER. SN 1822. Cal. 36. Blue & color case hardened with 6-1/2″ rnd bbl, brass pin front sight and 1-line “METROPOLITAN ARMS CO. NEW-YORK” address. It has a silver plated large guard trigger guard & back strap containing 2-pc pearl grips with most unusual German silver bottom edges. Cylinder is 5-shot and half-fluted like the Colt 1862Police. This Model Metropolitan is dimensionally identical to the Colt except for the rammer. The Metropolitan uses a jointed rammer instead f the rack & pinion, or creeping style, of the Colt. Back strap is engraved in period script “Commander Geo. B. Balch / U.S.S. Pawnee 1863”. Revolver is wonderfully engraved by master engraver Gustave Young with full coverage intertwined foliate arabesque patterns with fine punch dot background on the frame. The bbl is engraved to match with wonderful panel scenes toward the rear sides of the bbl which depict the motor-sailor sloop Pawnee, with sails furled and smoke coming from the stack on left side and a similar panel on right side with sails in the wind and the smoke stack conveniently omitted. The rear of the ship has an unfurled flag that appears to be the stars & stripes. Both panels show waves, with clouds in the sky. The foliate arabesque patterns surrounding the panels extend forward and terminate in front of the address. Muzzle end of the bbl has a dash & dot border with fine gold wire inlaid band. Rear edge of bbl also has a fine gold wire band. Cyl is engraved to match on the lands between the flutes and has a fine gold wire band at the transition to the rebated area. Top of the back strap has Mr. Young’s deluxe fan pattern with foliate arabesque patterns down back strap, on butt strap & trigger guard. Hammer has also received Mr. Young’s deluxe treatment of foliate arabesque patterns on the shank, fish scale patterns on sides of spur and wolf’s heads on each side of hammer nose. Top edge of hammer also has fish scale patterns with a hand cut checkered panel on the spur. Accompanied by a fine mahogany English style casing with empty brass disc in the lid. Case is blue baize lined with red & gold distributor’s label in the lid, imprinted “ROBERT JONES, / GUN & PISTOL MANUFACTURER, / NO. 3, GREAT HOWARD ST., LIVERPOOL.” with other advertising below. Bottom is compartmented for the revolver, a fine 3-compartment flask with dbl sided oak leaf & ribbon decorations having a cap & ball compartment in the base. It also has a blued steel “COLTS PATENT” mold with sprue cutter marked on right side “36P” and with the English style locator pin the right arm. Additionally accompanied by an ebony handled nipple wrench, a lacquered tin of Eley’s caps with orange label, an empty cap tin missing its lid and filled with tow. Right rear covered compartment contains two spare nipples and is filled with tow. Also found in the case is a Civil War era epaulet pin with brass frame and blue background with brass lieutenant’s/ensign’s bars. According to Flayderman’s Guide to Antique American Firearms only about 1,600 of these revolvers were produced with marked bbls in the period 1864-1866 in two serial ranges of numbers 1800-1950 and numbers 2400-3850. The U.S.S. Pawnee’s keel was laid in 1858 at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, she was launched 8 Oct. 1859 and commissioned in 11 June 1860. She was in service on routine Navy business off the coast of Vera Cruz, Mexico from Oct. to Dec. of 1860 and returned to Philadelphia. She was dispatched in April 1861 to relieve Fort Sumter but due to a severe storm was delayed and arrived after Fort Sumter had been surrendered to the Confederates. She returned to Washington and was immediately dispatched to Norfolk to secure the ships and stores of the Gosport Navy Yard, arriving on 20 April only to find that all the ships except the U.S.S. Cumberland had been scuttled so she attempted to destroy the Naval stores and the dry dock which efforts were largely unsuccessful. Pawnee took the Cumberland in tow and saved the frigate from capture. For the remainder of the Civil War Pawnee participated in blockade duty and patrolling the southern Atlantic coast capturing several blockade runners and two vessels that had previously been captured by the Confederates. Throughout the remainder of the war Pawnee remained in southern waters participating in numerous Naval engagements and land expeditions until June of 1865 when she sailed to Portsmouth, NH and was decommissioned in July. The crew, as of 1 January 1865, includes the name of George B. Balch as Commander. George Beall Balch was born 8 Jan. 1821 in Shelbyville, TN, and was appointed Acting Midshipman 30 Dec. 1837 and passed the Midshipman’s exam and was promoted in June 1843. He served during the war with Mexico and helped land Gen. Winfield Scott’s army at Vera Cruz. He remained in Naval service at various postings and was promoted to lieutenant Aug. 1850. In 1851 he was the executive officer on the sloop of war “Plymouth” and joined Commodore Perry’s expedition to Japan and remained in the Orient into 1854 when the Plymouth was assigned to Shanghai to help protect American property. When Chinese troops began attacking foreigners, looting warehouses and exacting tolls from ships transiting the nearby river, the commanders of two British ships and the commander of the Plymouth decided to drive off the Chinese troops. Lt. Balch led 60 sailors & Marines and 30 American Merchant seamen along with a force of 150 British sailors & Marines and attacked the Chinese and drove them out of the city. Lt. Balch was wounded during the action. He returned to Norfolk in 1855 and remained in Naval service at various postings until the outbreak of the Civil War. In April 1861 he was assigned to Portsmouth, NH and helped commission the frigate “Sabine”. In Nov. 1861 Balch assumed command of the steamer “Pocahontas” and participated in troop landings on Tybee Island and was promoted to Commander in July 1862. He was given command of the screw-sloop Pawnee at Philadelphia later that year. He remained in command of the Pawnee until she was decommissioned at Portsmouth in July 1865. During the occupation of Georgetown he helped land sailors & Marines clearing the way for Union supply ships for Gen. Sherman’s Army for which he was commended by Rear Admiral Dahlgren for his services during this operation. After the Pawnee was decommissioned Balch was assigned shore duty and was promoted to captain in July 1866. He commanded the flagship Albany in the North Atlantic squadron between 1868 and early 1870, then was assigned duty with the Bureau of Navigation and promoted to Commodore in Aug. 1872. He held various other postings and was promoted to Rear Admiral in June 1878 and became Superintendent of the Naval Academy 1879-1881. In June 1881 he took Command of the Pacific Squadron which posting he held until he retired in Jan. 1883. He died in Raleigh, NC 16 April 1908. PROVENANCE: David Crocker Estate Collection. CONDITION: Extremely fine plus, all matching including wedge & cyl, grips are unnumbered. Overall retains virtually all of its orig factory finish with strong dark blue on the bbl & cyl with one spot of pitting on left side of bbl and a couple of small spots of pin prick pitting on right side. Rammer & handle retain virtually all of their orig case colors, turned slightly dark. Frame & hammer retain about all of their orig factory case colors. Trigger guard & back strap retain silver plating in sheltered areas with the exposed metal a medium mustard patina. Grips are sound with great fire & color. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore, probably unfired. Case is completely sound with light handling & storage nicks & scratches and retains most of its orig factory varnish. Interior is lightly faded & lightly soiled with the label inside the lid faded to a rose pink but still completely legible. Flask appears to be nearly new retaining about all of its orig factory finish. Mold is also probably unused but has minor nicks & dings and a few spots of pitting on the arms. Other accessories are fine. Altogether an extremely rare and wonderful presentation set to a Naval hero. 4-36870 JR198 (15,000-25,000) 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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