Early revolving firearms are scarce and historically significant. Though the revolver is widely associated with American gunmakers, beautiful revolving firearms were being manufactured by talented gunmakers in Europe long before Samuel Colt was born, and the Russian tsars appear to have taken a particular interest in revolving arms. Samuel Colt and his attorney Edward Dickerson were aware of these early Russian revolving arms, and traveled to Russia multiple times, establishing connections with Tsar Nicholas I in 1840 or 1841 and again in 1854, and Colt and his wife were also guests at the coronation of Alexander II in 1856 during their honeymoon furthering is connections to the Russian court. It is easy to imagine his fascination with these early revolving arms. This incredibly rare example dates to the later 18th century and is similar to examples in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. In particular, see "Antique European and American Firearms at the Hermitage Museum" by Leonid Tarassuk and guns 451 and 469 (copy included). Tarassuk dates the "six-barreled revolving sporting gun" to "about 1780-1785" and the second a "seven-shot sporting gun-revolver" to “about 1790”. Both have markings from the Tula Arms Factory. They are also featured in the included copy of "Fine Arms from Tula" by Mavrodin in plates 100-102 and 109. Another revolving long gun with a folding bayonet (Inventory Number: 3.?.-599) in the Hermitage collection is also believed to come from Tula c. 1780-1785. A comparison should also be made with the pair of revolvers from the Tula Arms Factory c. 1790 displayed as part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's "Emperors, Artists & Inventors: Transformative Gifts of Fine Arms and Armor" exhibition in 2020-2022. They note that the royal factory at Tula "produced both plain military arms and deluxe hunting weapons for personal use by the imperial family and members of the court, as well as for diplomatic gifts...These pistols belong to an unusual garniture comprising of at least three revolving firearms made for a member of the imperial family during the reign of Empress Catherine II (Catherine the Great, rule 1762-1796), for which a matching six-shot fowling piece is still in the former imperial armory in the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg (inv. no. Z.O.513350). Fine firearms from Tula are exceptionally rare outside Russia." Many details on the various guns point to a shared genesis. The current gun's cock, for example, is sculpted and decorated nearly identically to examples in the Hermitage Museum and the Tula revolvers exhibited by the Met. While likely made in Russia, this revolving sporting gun is believed to have been owned by the dukes (later kings) of Wurttemberg up through Duke Carl Alexander (d. 1964). Norman R. Blank acquired the gun from a private collection in Europe via W. Keith Neal in June 1960 as shown by the included Western Union Telegram. The back of an old photo of this gun from Blank’s archives (not included) is stamped with the arms of the Altshausen branch of the Wurttemberg family who inherited the dukedom after the death of King Wilhelm II in 1921. King Frederick I of Wurttemberg became the Duke of Wurttemberg on December 23, 1797, and became Elector of Wurttemberg on February 25, 1803, and King of Wurttemberg on January 1, 1806. The lavish gun may have been a gift from his brother-in-law Tsar Paul I and his sister Tsarina Maria Feodorovna. Maria became Paul's second wife in 1776 during the reign of Catherine the Great. The gun is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity for Norman Blank from F. Theodore Dexter. This incredibly rare revolving carbine features a beautifully patterned Damascus octagon to round barrel with a smooth bore, brass muzzle band, blade front sight, turned girdles at the transition point and a sculpted sighting flat with a screw affixed notch rear sight. The cylinder is loaded via a small hinged door at the front of the front plate and has scroll and border engraving. Unlike the Wheeler and Collier revolvers, the gun is fired via a lock that provides ignition into a breech chamber to the rear of the cylinder. The faceted lock has ornate scroll and floral engraving, a nicely engraved and sculpted cock with dolphin shaped reinforcement to the neck, and a faceted rainproof priming pan with small drain slit. The mounts are gilt brass and feature scroll and floral patterns. The forend and stock have attractive raised relief foliate carving and extensive wire inlays. The forend has a dark horn cap, and the butt has a large rounded cheekpiece on the left. Provenance: The Norman R. Blank Collection

Fine as partially restored with silver-gray patina on the lock and barrel, distinct Damascus patterns on the latter as well as some minor pitting, bright cylinder and gilt mounts, some blued small parts, small repairs such as to the trigger guard finial, and general mild overall wear. The re-oiled wood is also fine and has crisp carving, attractive figure, and beautiful wire inlays with some small pieces of inlay loose and minor chips. Mechanically fine. Overall, an incredibly rare and significant early revolving firearm. Guns like this one paved the way for the advancements of Samuel Colt and the widespread adoption of revolvers in the 19th century, including later copies of Colt's designs made at Tula.