The Collier revolving cylinder firearms are very rare and historically significant firearms. Less than 250 total are estimated to have been manufactured across four variations, and they are rarely available. The design was actually first patented in the U.S. by Artemus Wheeler of Concord, Massachusetts, on June 10, 1818. Elisha Haydon Collier patented on an improvement of the design in the United Kingdom on November 24 of the same year, and Cornelius Coolidge patented Collier's improved design in France on August 5, 1819. "Collier & Co., Gunmakers" of London in 1818-1827 sold variations of the design in the form of pistols, rifles, carbines and shotguns. The 3rd Model Collier percussion revolvers and also an important predecessor to Samuel Colt's Paterson revolvers. Colt is believed to have seen Collier revolvers on his 1830-31 voyage as a sailor on the Corvo and to have been influenced by the design. The Collier patents and testimony from Collier were part of the 1851 court case brought by Colt against the Massachusetts Arms Co. because Colt's patent was considered an improvement on the Collier and Wheeler patents. This revolver is featured in "The Enigma of Clay Bedford's Collier Firearms Collection" by Ben Nicholson in the American Society of Arms Collectors bulletin. This revolver is also discussed in the earlier American Society of Arms Collectors article "Collier and His Revolvers" by Clay Bedford where he writes, "The earliest Third Model Colliers I have seen are the pair of original percussion pistols, Nos. 106 and 107, in my collection which a resigned Collier & Co., 54 Strand, London, on the barrel and Collier & Co. Patent, (without a number) on the lock plate." No. 107 is shown in figure 12 within the article and is pictured in "Early Firearms of Great Britain & Ireland". The revolver's octagonal Damascus barrel measures approximately 44 bore at the muzzle (around .47 caliber) and is smoothbore and has a solid, concave rib with a post front sight, "COLLIER & Co 54 STRAND LONDON" signed on top along a flourish of engraving and a notch rear sight on the top strap section of the rib, a groove cut into the bottom of the top strap to allow the percussion nipples to rotate past, a lower rib under the barrel with a notch at the front and a single ferrule to secure the ramrod which has a worm on one end and a metal rammer on the other, and a checkered section on the rear section of the lower rib. The frame has martial and scroll engraving. The casehardened back action lock is signed "COLLIER & Co/PATENT" and has bordered, martial, and scroll engraving. The blued, squareback trigger guard has martial and border engraving and "106" on the tang. The five-shot cylinder has grooved borders and concave ribs. The mouth of each chamber has the recess that allows the chamber to lock in place over the breech end of the barrel, and the cylinder is held forward under spring pressure. The grip has a silver eight pointed star inlay on the left with a floral bloom engraved at the center, a blank silver wrist escutcheon, a nicely checkered wrist, and a flared pommel. Provenance: The Clay Bedford Collection; Property of a Gentleman

Very good overall with 95% plus of the period refinished brown and distinct twist pattern along the barrel and ribs, aged patina on the silver, 70% blue on the trigger guard, gray and brown patina on the balance, a few faint repairs in the grip, distinct checkering, general mild overall wear, and crisp markings and engraving. Mechanically fine. This is your opportunity to acquire one of the earliest examples of the Collier percussion revolver, an important predecessor of the Colt Paterson.