This is a nice example of an English Kerr Double Action Revolver manufactured by the London Armoury Company, serial numbered "1". The revolver has a casehardened frame, hammer, trigger guard and loading lever, with a highly polished blue barrel and five-shot cylinder. The one piece grip is European walnut with fine checkering with a steel butt cap. A sliding safety is located on the right side of the frame which slides into a slot on the bottom of the hammer preventing firing from the double action mode. Dove tailed front blade sight and "V notch frame rear sight. The lower right side of the frame is engraved "KERRS'/PATENT/L.A.C." in an oval followed by "No. 1". "No. 1" is engraved on the cylinder. "LONDON ARMORY" is engraved on the top strap. "L.A.C." is stamped on the left flat of the barrel and the lock plate and "KERR'S/PATENT" is stamped in an oval on the right side of the loading lever. An illegible name has been lightly scratched on the upper left side of the grip. The London Armoury Company was founded in 1856 manufacturing the Adams Revolver under the patent rights held by a company stockholder and inventor, Robert Adams. When the firm decided to concentrate production towards British infantry rifles at the expense of revolvers, Adams left the company in 1859 and sold his stock to fellow stockholder and inventor James Kerr. After Adams departure, the company did maintain some interest in revolvers, and in 1859 began to manufacture a new revolver, the Kerr's Patent Revolver. The Kerr revolver achieved modest sales with British volunteer units and commercial retailers. The U.S. government purchased 16 revolvers at a cost of $18.00 each. Larger sales were made to the Confederacy during the American Civil War. From 1861 to 1864, London Armoury Company sent the Confederacy an estimated 70,000 Enfield rifles and 7,000 Kerr revolvers. The number of the rifles and revolvers that made it through the naval blockade and reached the South is unknown. The London Armoury Company is considered to have provided the Confederacy the best quality of arms of any supplier. Several well known Confederates carried the Kerr revolver including General E. Porter and General Josiah Gorgas. The London Armoury Company had essentially become a Confederate States Armoury and a year after the Confederacy fell so did the London Armoury Company.

Very fine overall. The revolver retains 70% of the original high polish blue. The casehardened finish has faded to gray. The cylinder has edge wear at the front and rear with minimal flash pitting. The percussion nipples are in excellent condition. Markings are crisp. The one-piece grips are in fine condition with sharp checkering. The revolver has an outstanding double action trigger pull and the action is tight and crisp. A truly rare and outstanding example of a high quality serial number 1 Kerr English double action percussion revolver of Civil War vintage. This is quite possibly a once in a lifetime opportunity to own the "king" of the Kerr revolvers.