This pair of Model 1861 Navy revolvers (serial numbers 17349 and 17478) were manufactured by Colt c.1864. A copy of an old dealer sales letter for these revolvers describes them as the property of Colonel B.F. Akers of Leavenworth, Kansas, and states that Colonel Akers operated freight wagon trains between Levenworth and Salt Lake City. Preliminary research confirms that B.F. Akers was listed as a resident of Levenworth, Kansas, and a livery stable owner in the 1860 Census and confirms that he operated freight wagons between Levenworth and both Denver and Salt Lake City in 1864 at the height of the Cheyenne and Lakota Souix raids on wagon trains and ranches in Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado. A short biography for a Benjamin Franklin Akers (1829-1880) is posted on the Kansas Historical Society webpage. According to the Society, Akers opened a stable in Leavenworth, Kansas, in the early 1860s and supplied horses to the Army and ran mule and oxen freight trains to Denver. After the war, Akers, along with his partner Colonel Amasa Sprague, established the Kansas Stock Farm. Today, Akers' home remains at 1645 Louisiana St. in Lawrence, Kansas. (Note that the Society did not mention Akers holding the rank of Colonel.) The revolvers have the Colt high polish commercial blue finish on the barrels and cylinders with casehardened frames, loading levers and hammers. The brass trigger guards and back straps are silver plated and both revolvers have one-piece factory ivory grips. The revolvers have nickel silver front sight blades, channels in the frame capping cut-outs and borderless knurled hammer spurs. Both cylinders are roll-engraved with the Texas Navy battle scene and "COLTS PATENT No." Both revolver barrels are roll-stamped with the one-line legend "- ADDRESS COL. SAMl COLT NEW-YORK U.S. AMERICA-". "COLT'S/PATENT" is light stamped on the left side of both frames. "36 CAL." is stamped on the left shoulder of both revolver trigger guards. The full serial number "17478" is stamped on the bottom of the barrel lug, frame, trigger guard and back strap of Revolver A and the partial serial number "7478" is stamped on the revolver cylinder. Revolver B has the full serial number "17349" stamped on the bottom of the barrel lug, frame, trigger guard and back strap and the partial serial number "349" stamped on the revolver cylinder. All the visible serial numbers on both revolvers match. The revolvers are accompanied by a rare pistol belt and double holster rig with U.S. Army officer pattern brass saber belt plate. The rig consists of two matching "California" pattern holsters and a leather belt. The semi-contour holsters have the distinctive California recurved throat profile, riveted and sewn-in toe plug with buckskin linings. The holsters are made of medium weight russet leather and decorated with incised floral and cross-hatched decoration. The pistol belt is made of folded russet leather and decorated with the same floral and cross-hatched decorations as the holsters. There are no visible maker's marks on the holsters or the belt but the style and decoration is very similar to holsters made by E.L. Gallatin of Denver, Colorado, c. 1860-1865. The holsters and belt are clearly contemporary with each other and the sales document indicates that the holsters and revolvers were purchased directly from B.F. Akers' daughter in Topeka, Kansas.

As described in "A"