Colt 1860 Model Army Revolver

C

cek

New member
Gun #4 in the series (last one for a while...I got real work to do).

The beauty is a Colt 1860 Army Round Cylinder Model revolver.

























  • SN 74397
  • Mfg late 1862
  • US Inspector stamps on both grips; Sigle intials on several parts; good cylinder engraving (the Navy scene is totally rad).
  • Previous assessment (1962): Very fine; Traces of orginal blue; No pits; Very sound and tight mechanically; One replacement screw in frame. (it's been carefully displayed/stored since).
  • Sometimes called "Army Holster Pistol"

Fjestad #30 (pg 516) says that a 95% specimen would be $15,000. Trying to use the guide at the start of that book to compare (e.g. on page 48 the Colt SAA Cavalry model) my poorly trained perspective would say "NRA Very Good" or "0%-30% condition, so $3,500?

Fun stuff!
 
I would rate it in much higher condition - after all, it's 147 +/- years old !

It would add immensely, if you could find Civil War provenance for it - Good Luck in your work.

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I agree, Bill. Condition is not a relative measure, but absolute. I don't know much about gun appraisal, but I assume this is true.

Petah, how would one go about trying to find "Civil War provenance" for a gun like this?
 
Yes, "condition is condition", but I've come to learn that in certain circumstances, especially with advanced age, those condition/value rules need to be relaxed - since what you are seeing is all that remains outside the unobtainium in museums.

As far as tracing it's history - If you can't go backwards, through previous owners - then I would suggest trying to go forward, starting with Colt records/letter (admittedly a few $$$), and to where/who they shipped the revolver when new.

Then, depending upon those results, I would search CW militia and State and Army units that originated in that area, for any possible record of official provisioning lists, w/serial numbers.

For example - I once found a listing of serial numbers for some firearms issued to Army troopers prior to the battle of the Little Big Horn in 1875, that one could use for comparison to an example of what is claimed to be a Custer piece.

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