Presented before you is one of the most important and historic Colt percussion revolvers ever to be offered for public sale. This cased revolver embodies all the characteristics of an investment grade collectable firearm: beauty, intrigue, rarity, desirability, and unparalleled historical significances. This revolver carries with it a certain ”freshness", as it has never before been published. Let it be known that this revolver serial number 30523 has remained unknown to mainstream collectors, authors and historians. Until now, the only fact known about this revolver was that it appears on a hand written work ledger from the Gustave Young shop dated June 3, 1854 which is illustrated on page 93 of The Colt Book of Engraving Volume I. by Wilson. In the hand written ledger this pistol appears independent on the bottom of page and is listed as “Navy Pistol No. 30523 "Fine" 7 days….4hours.” The books author, noted Colt historian and firearms expert R.L. Wilson states "Also recorded (on the work ledger) were die cutting, inscriptions, and Navy number 30523, which was probably gold inlaid". A search for this particular revolver has been carried out by the most advanced and knowledgeable Colt Collectors for decades. Only now has the mystery been solved with its discovery, and Rock Island Auction Company is very proud to offer for sale "Colonel Samuel Colt's Honeymoon Navy" presented "By the Inventor" to his friend Captain J.J. Comstock of the U.S. Mail Steamship Baltic. This revolver tells a fascinating tale of America's first industrial tycoon, Colonel Samuel Colt, and his relationship with one of the 19th centuries most noted navigators and sea captains, Joseph Jesse Comstock. Born February 7, 1811, Joseph Comstock took to the sea at the very young age of 15 and never looked back. By his 30’s Captain Comstock had assumed command of some of the 19th century’s most celebrated sailing vessels including the U.S. Massachusetts as well as the U.S. Steamship Baltic for which this revolver is inscribed. The Baltic was launched on February 5, 1850 and was a 282 foot steamship constructed for $750,000.00 equipped with a single smoke-stack and three fixed square-rigged masts for auxiliary power. At the time of her construction the U.S. Baltic was the most technologically advanced and most luxurious ship of its kind. In fact, the U.S. Baltic was the Blue Riband trophy holder; the fastest passenger vessel crossing the Atlantic from Britain to the United States, from August 16, 1851 until April 29, 1856. The Baltic broke her original speed record set in 1851 on a trip from Liverpool to New York City from June 28 to July 7, 1854 with a total voyage time of 9 days, 16 hours, and 52 minutes both times under the command of "Captain Comstock". As a commander of a large luxurious passenger steamship, the fastest of its era, he made an abundance of acquaints and friends catering to the industrial and social elite, politicians, and royalty such as Horace Greeley, Samuel F. B. Morse and Governor Thomas H. Seymour among others. Another such passenger who frequented Captain Comstock’s vessel on several occasions is he who many consider the father of the American Industrial Tycoons, Colonel Samuel Colt. It was onboard the S.S. Baltic that Colt crossed the Atlantic on his 1856 honeymoon with Elizabeth Hart Jarvis Colt. On this same trip, the couple attended the coronation of Czar Alexander II. Colt had previously visited Russia with Mr. & Mrs. Edward N. Dickerson when it is thought Colt presented the famed Gold Inlayed Pocket, Navy & Dragoon Revolvers of Colt lore. On this 1856 trip, Colt had recently been appointed as “Attaché to the American Legation” in Russia by then Ambassador Thomas H. Seymour, the former Governor of Connecticut and Colts long-time friend. One of his business cards as such remains in the casing. The history of Comstock and his ship “The Baltic” didn’t stop there. At the outbreak of the Civil War, the Baltic and her sister ship the Atlantic were leased by the U.S. Government to be used as transport ships. In early 1861 President Abraham Lincoln gave future Assistant Secretary of the Navy Gustavus Fox a temporary appointment in the Navy and sent him with a small fleet led by the steamer Baltic to the relief of Fort Sumter. Fox could not relieve the fort before the Confederate bombardment forced its surrender, but afterwards he brought away the garrison. Major Robert Anderson historically announced the surrender of Fort Sumter aboard the Baltic; STEAMSHIP BALTIC, OFF SANDY HOOK, April 18, [1861] 10:30 a.m. - via New York. To; Hon. S. Cameron, Secretary of War, Washington “Having defended Fort Sumter for thirty-four hours, until the quarters were entirely burned, the main gates destroyed by fire, the gorge walls seriously injured, the magazine surrounded by flames and its door closed from the effects of heat, four barrels and three cartridges of powder only being available, and no provisions remaining but pork, I accepted terms of evacuation offered by General Beauregard, being the same offered by him on the 11th instant, prior to the commencement of hostilities, and marched out of the fort Sunday afternoon, the 14th instant, with colors flying and drums beating, bringing away company and private property, and saluting my flag with fifty guns”. - ROBERT ANDERSON, Major, First Artillery, Commanding This was basically the official announcement of the start of the American Civil War! During the war Captain Comstock remained commander of the ship making voyages in her to New Orleans, Charleston, and many other southern ports skillfully and safely conveying troops and stores to points where they were needed in the south, as his obituary in the New York Times States. Furthermore the article says "Comstock was always conspicuously loyal during the dark days of the rebellion and after it had been suppressed. With the troops whom he conveyed he was exceedingly popular”. As opined by Wilson’s letter Colonel Samuel Colts experience onboard the Baltic inspired him to have Young produce a pair of exhibition quality revolvers reflecting the image of the Baltic and presented one to his friends, Captain Comstock. The miraculous discovery of this revolver and it’s unveiling answers the question of its level of embellishment as it is engraved with the finest treatments by the master Gustave Young himself, with a wonderfully detailed hand engraved cylinder scene, extra scroll treatments on the back portion of the cylinder and forcing cone and a spectacular paddle-wheeled steamer panel scene engraved on the right barrel lug. In additional terms of historical significance, noted Colt collectors and historians have long speculated on the meaning of dots found on the hammer of guns thought to be engraved by the hand of the master himself Gustave Young, as this said revolver has 7 dots (see photo). With the discovery of this gun, we can now definitively prove the significance of those dots by reverting back to the hand written work ledger which this revolver is listed on. The term "fine” which described Mr. Young's engraving classification is the only time that term is used to describe any of the 76 revolvers written on the ledger which is probably why Wilson speculated the revolver was gold inlaid. Next to the term "fine" is “7" and "4" which we can now determine means 7 days and 4 hours of work which corresponds to the number of dots found on the hammer. Remember this wasn’t an eight to five job, a full day was considered 10 hours of work and this masterpiece involved the highest number noted! Among other notable features of the engraving are the several dog and dogs head motifs scattered about the frame, barrel and hammer of this revolver, another of Young’s signature features. The left side of the barrel lug displays a serpent like figure with a dogs head biting a larger dog with wings like a dragon. This scene is, as far as we know, unique to this pistol and as Wilson writes "is an unknown scene from the Gustave Young period-or by any of the other Colt engravers who preceded or followed him in the percussion era." All other surfaces are engraved in the tightest fashion of c-scrolls with punch-dot background and scalloped borders. The back-strap is inscribed: "Capt. J. J. Comstock. /U.S. Mail Steamship BALTIC. /From the Inventor". “From the inventor” inscriptions are rare in and of themselves, and yet this inscription exhibits several features unique to this revolver including: the italic legend “U.S. Mail Steam Steamship Baltic” and the unusual banner scroll execution of the “from the inventor”. "COLT'S PATENT" is hand-engraved on the left side of the frame. The New York address on the top of the barrel is roll-stamped in a panel with delicately engraved borders. The barrel and cylinder have the Colt high polish blue finish, the loading lever, frame and hammer have a color case-hardened finish and the trigger guard and back-strap are silver-plated. The near mint condition one-piece grip is highly figured, fancy grain, walnut with a high polish finish. The full serial number, "30523", is stamped on the loading lever, barrel lug, frame, trigger guard, back-strap and cylinder. The revolver is complete with a presentation mahogany, American style case, with five compartments lined with crimson or purple velvet. The case contains: (1) a black japanned 250 cap tin of Eley Bros. percussion caps for Colt's Belt and Pocket Pistols, (2) a blued, iron, double cavity bullet mold with "COLT'S/PATENT" roll-stamped on the spruce cutter and "36 B" on the right block ( page 131, M#24, "COLT ACCOUTREMENTS" by Robin Rapley), (3) Beautiful deluxe silver plated Navy powder flask with browned lacquer body and silver-plated top and fixed charger; both sides of the flask are embossed with crossed rifles and pistols, "COLTS/PATENT" markings, crossed U.S. flags, a U.S. shield above a cannon and piled military trophies, (4) blued combination nipple wrench/screw-driver and several .36 caliber cast bullets. (5) Colt business card as Attaché to the American Legation in Russia

Extremely fine. The revolver retains 75% of the original blue, color casehardened and silver plated finish with extremely crisp engraving. The delicately engraved steamship on the right side of the barrel lug and the distinctive Gustave Young animal heads on the frame are very sharp. The barrel has 60% plus of the original high polish blue finish and traces of blue are present in protected areas on the cylinder. The case colors on the loading lever, frame and hammer have aged to a dark patina. The trigger guard and back strap have at least 90% of the silver-plated finish intact. The percussion nipples show light flash pitting. All of the cylinder pins are intact and in fine condition. The screw heads are in perfect condition. The deluxe grip is excellent with nearly all of the high polish finish and only scattered and very minor handling wear. The case exterior is in excellent condition; wear is limited to a few minor storage marks. The case lining and interior are fine; wear is limited to compression marks from contact with the cylinder and some minor fabric damage from the front sight and hammer spur. The cap tin is in very good condition with about 80% of the green paper label and japanned finish intact. The bullet mold is in excellent condition with 95% of the original blue finish; wear is limited to some minor dents on the right block. The screw-driver is in excellent condition. The powder flask is excellent; the body retains more than 90% of the brown lacquer finish, the top and charger have some flaking and tarnish; about 80% of the silver-plated finish remains intact. The rare Samuel Colt business card is in excellent condition. This is a stunning example of a highly desirable, Samuel Colt presentation, cased Model 1851 Navy Revolver with Deluxe Gustave Young factory engraving and unique steamship motif on the barrel lug.