Colt 1851 help

B

Brickharbor

Inactive
Hello, I was wondering if anyone on here could help me out on a gun I have recently found.

I've had a specialist view it and he said it was in fairly good condition, all original parts and a legit peice.

It's a colt revolver in the origional wooden box.

Its an 1851 model with the London address on the top, it also has 'JFB' engraved onto the handle. I've researched my family tree but there's no one with those initials.

Serial numbers 1622 so I believe it was made in 1855?

Unfortunately as I'm posting on my phone I cannot upload photos.

A dealer thinks its a special order gun, it's got the 7 and a half inch barrell and English proofs on the chamber. There's a kind of floral engraving over parts of the gun but no scene on the barrell.

A dealer also believes it was used in the Crimean war

It also has colts patent engraved on the left hand side of the gun.

I've spoken to a few dealers and there valuations are from £500 - £4000

Could anyone help me out please?
 
As above, your best source of verifiable information is to buy an Archive letter from Colt.

This framable letter will state in what form it left the factory as in caliber, finish, barrel length, etc, any non-standard or custom features, when it was shipped, how many were in that shipment, and WHO it was shipped to.

http://www.coltsmfg.com/CustomerServices/ArchiveServices.aspx

Note that Colt may not have any records on some guns due to the big Colt fire during the Civil War.
 
If every thing is as it's supposed to be, 10 to 12 thousand here in the states. :D { stole that info from Jack404}:D
 
Does Colt have any of the London records? I understood they did not, but have had no need to inquire.

Jim
 
Very nice - You have a First Model Colt London Navy.

The component parts for the early Colt Hartford-London Navies were manufactured in Hartford with the parts being shipped to London where they were assembled and finished at Colt's London factory.
The First Model London Navies are found in the serial range of 1 through to 2000 with brass back-strap and small rounded trigger-guard. A few will also be found with a brass square-back trigger-guard and are considered a rarity.
Many of the First Model revolvers have the barrel address of ‘ADDRESS SAM'L COLT NEW-YORK CITY’ with a dash at either end. They are interspersed with ‘ADDRESS. COL COLT. LONDON’

I like the checkered grips.

I'd also like to see the "wooden box" ;) - since it could double the value of the gun. :eek:

As-VqI5CMAAgfxI.jpg


The large hole in the LH side of the cylinder frame looks like the upper mounting stud(s ?) for a detachable buttstock have been removed (there should have been a 2nd stud on the RH side & a notch in the bottom of the gripframe) - is there a buttstock extant somewhere ? :D

1860army44colt84599h.jpg


YTC81.jpg


You're gonna want to look over this link to London Colt's thoroughly: http://www.coltcollectors.com/models/04-5b-063.shtml

.
 
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Your gun does not appear to have the relief cuts to the lower recoil shield that would be required for a butt stock. I don't believe it had one. The large hole seems to be for the Hammer pivot pin. Is it missing?
 
The "large hole" is the result of the head being broken off the hammer screw. It is easily fixed using a repro screw, but getting the old one out may get tricky. The point is moot, though, since Brickharbor reports on another site that he has sold the gun.

Jim
 
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