Colt Belt Model No. 2 Paterson revolver (also known as the 5th Model Ehler's Belt revolver) assembled and cased by John Ehlers after his acquisition of Samuel Colt's Patent Arms Manufacturing Co. circa 1843. John Ehlers was one of the earliest investors in the Patent Arms Manufacturing Co. He purchased the company at auction and acquired an estimated 536 incomplete Colt Paterson No. 1 and No. 2 revolvers. He completed an unknown number of Paterson No. 2 revolvers including several cased examples furnished with accessories and a distinctive flat top case. This revolver has a full blue finish and displays the distinctive Ehler's features which include a 1 1/16 inch long round back five-shot cylinder with hand-engaged ratcheted teeth at the back, a recoil shield capping cut-out on the right side of the frame, a hammer with knurled spur, and barrel markings that lack the "M'g Co" found on Colt manufactured Paterson revolvers. The revolver has a loading lever on the underside of the barrel secured by a leaf spring. The cylinder is roll-engraved with "COLT" and the centaur and horsemen fight scene. The straight grip is nicely figured walnut with a high polish "piano" finish and beveled bottoms. The frame has the distinctive Paterson folding trigger. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped "Patent Arms Paterson N.J. Colts Pt" with double arrows at either end of the legend. The serial number "217" is visible on the rear face of the cylinder between the chambers, on the inside of the frame, on the inside of the barrel lug and on the bottom of the barrel wedge. All of the visible serial numbers match. The flat top mahogany case is not fitted with a brass escutcheon plate and is lined with dark brown velvet. The case contains a brass barrel-shaped flask with plunger charger furnished with cased Ehler's revolvers (Rapley #F46), an iron single cavity round ball bullet mold with three tapered wooden handles (Rapley #M57A) and a niter blue question mark shaped combination nipple wrench/screwdriver (Rapley #T6). The revolver, case and accessories are nearly identical to the Fifth Model Ehler's revolver with 4 1/2 inch barrel illustrated on page 174 of "THE PATERSON COLT BOOK" by R. L. Wilson.