Elisha Haydon Collier (1788-1856) of Boston, Massachusetts, is a pivotal figure in the development of revolving firearms. He patented an improvement of Captain Artemus Wheeler's design in England in 1818 and received patent no. 4315. The "Collier" revolvers became some of the first commercially produced revolving firearm designs and helped pave the way for Samuel Colt's famous percussion revolvers. This incredibly rare "Third Model" Collier patent revolving shotgun features Matthew Wyatt's 1818 patented grip safety which is also found on some of the Purdey and sometimes Westley Richards sporting guns in the late flintlock and early percussion period. Aside from the grip safety and the silver hunter's star, the shotgun is very similar to no. 197 featured in Clay P. Bedford's American Society of Arms Collectors article "Collier and His Revolvers." Similar examples are also seen in Ben Nicholson's ASAC article "The Enigma of Clay Bedford's Collier Firearm Collection" and his new book "Clockwork Basilisk: The Early Revolvers of Artemas Wheeler & Elisha Collier." The hunter's star design was found on many of the flintlock Collier revolving arms. The smoothbore barrel has a bead front sight on the concave rib and London proofs and a "16" bore mark on the left. The five-shot cylinder pulls rearward for manual rotation. "181" is marked on the rear of the cylinder and on the recoil shield. The lock has scroll and border engraving and is marked "E.H. COLLIER/PATENT." The frame and furniture have coordinating engraving. The silver hunter's star noted above is on the left stock flat and has a floral bloom at the center. There is also a blank silver wrist escutcheon. The stock is highly figured walnut and has a checkered wrist and 14 3/8 inch length of pull.

Good with gray and brown patina, mild pitting, mostly distinct markings and engraving, absent ramrod, and general mild overall wear. The loose stock is also good and has some cracks and repairs at the front of the wrist, some checks and fills in the figure, and general moderate wear. Mechanically fine.