Deluxe Colt Model 1878 DA Revolver with rare "PALL MALL LONDON" barrel address. Manufactured in 1891, the revolver has a nickel plated finish and ivory bird's head grips. The revolver is complete with a leather covered, luggage-type, English style wooden, velvet lined, case. The case lid is inlaid with a circular brass plate inscribed: "W.J.RADFORD". The case interior is lined with red velvet and contains seven compartments and a block for 44 cartridges. The case contains a silver plated oil bottle, brass cleaning rod with wooden handle, brass cleaning rod tip and 38 empty .476 Eley cartridge cases. The case lid has a large label entitled: "C.G. BONEHILL, Contractor to Her Majesty's War Department". The revolver has a factory nickel plated finish with niter blue trigger, screws and hammer top. There is a casehardened lanyard loop in the butt. The top of the 5-inch barrel is marked: "COLTS PT. FA. MFG. Co HARTFORD CT.U.S.A. DEPOT 14. PALL MALL LONDON" in one line. The left side of the barrel is marked: "476-CAL.". The encircled Rampant Colt trademark is located on the lower left corner of the frame just ahead of the grips. The full serial number: "28/931" is marked in two lines on the bottom of the grip ahead of the lanyard loop. The rear of the cylinder face is numbered "931". Accompanying this revolver are original copies of correspondence between an individual and the British Ministry of Defense attempting to gain information on W.J. Radford. The Ministry was able to locate two W.J. Radford's, one a Major who was a reserve officer who may have served in the South African wars and during the war, 1914 to 1918 he was employed at the Ministry of National Service of the civil government of Great Britain and the second a Lt., a much younger person that was with the Alberta Regiment of Canada in the 1914-1918 war.

Excellent. The revolver retains nearly 97% of the original nickel-plated finish. There is minor flaking on the plating at the edges of the grip straps, the rear of the cylinder flutes and the ejector shroud. The balance of the revolver shows virtually no wear. The niter blue finish on the hammer, trigger and screw heads is nearly all intact. The ivory grips have several tiny age cracks at the screw escutcheons but are in excellent plus condition. The leather case exterior and carrying straps show light handling wear but remain in excellent condition. The case interior is in excellent plus condition: wear is limited to a small stain on the label and some very minor compression marks. An exceptional "PALL MALL LONDON" marked Colt Model 1878 Revolver in the desirable .476 caliber with original case.