Samuel Colt's "Baby Dragoon" was the beginning of his new and most popular line of revolvers in the 19th century: the Hartford factory's small frame "pocket" revolvers. Only 15,000 Baby Dragoons were produced between 1847 and 1850 compared to around 350,000 Model 1849 Pocket revolvers produced from 1850 to 1873. The company also produced the Model 1862 Police and the Pocket Navy. These revolvers were much easier to carry than Colt's larger revolvers, especially when you consider that the alternative to the Baby Dragoon was the Walker and the Dragoon revolvers which were massive. This example was manufactured in 1848, the second year of production. The 6 inch barrel has a fixed nickel silver front sight and the two-line "{ADDRESS SAML COLT/NEW-YORK CITY}" address on top. The frame has the tiny "COLTS/PATENT" marking on the left. The cylinder has the distinctive round cylinder stops, the Texas Rangers and Comanche fight scene, "COLTS/PATENT/5323," and single safety pin. The matching last three digits of the serial number are marked on the wedge and arbor pin, and the full matching serial number is also found on the barrel, frame, trigger guard, and back strap. A "K" is marked next to the front trigger guard screw, and an "O" is marked below the serial number at the front of the distinctive squareback trigger guard bow. The early "Paterson style" case has brown lining with indents holding the revolver, an Eley Bros. cap tin, double sided eagle pattern Colt pocket flask, and early brass ball and bullet mold without sprue cutter held with a brass staple. There is also a small divot in the lower left corner for a currently absent combination tool. Provenance: The Bobby Smith Collection; The Steve Ardia Collection; The Norm Vegely Collection