Colt Paterson No.1 Ring Lever rifle manufactured by the Patent Arms Mfg. Co. in Paterson, New Jersey, in 1837. The No. 1 Ring Lever rifle was the first firearm produced by Samuel Colt. Only 200 No. 1 Ring Lever rifles were manufactured. Surviving examples are extremely rare. This rifle, serial no. 73, is illustrated and described in detail on pages 92-95 of "Magnificent Colts, Volume 1" by R.L. Wilson and Robert Lee. This standard model No.1 Ring Lever rifle has a 32 1/2-inch, .40 caliber, octagon barrel and eight-shot cylinder. The rifle has the frame top strap which identifies it as a No. 1 rifle. The barrel has a dovetail mounted, German silver front sight and a dovetail mounted, blued steel rear sight. The barrel wedge is not fitted with a spring, and the barrel lug has a bolster surrounding the wedge. The cylinder has the early square back configuration. The bottom of the frame has the distinctive ring cocking lever mounted ahead of the trigger guard. The rifle does not have the factory loading lever on the barrel, capping groove on the recoil shield or round back cylinder found on later Improved Model No. 1. Ring Lever rifles. The varnished walnut stock has a cheekpiece inlaid with the Colt four-horse-head trademark in German silver. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped with the legend: "- Colt's Patent - Patent Arms Man'g. Co., Paterson , New Jersey.- " between the rear sight and the top strap. The legend has arrow terminals at either end and a border between "Colt's Patent" and "Patent Arms". The square back cylinder is roll-engraved with the horsemen and centaur deer hunting scene and "COLT" marking. The serial number, "73", is visible on the rear of the barrel, rear of the cylinder, revolving collar on the arbor, and wedge. "72" is neatly cut into the right side of the stock near the buttplate. The barrel and crescent buttplate are browned and the frame, cylinder, rear sight and wedge have a high polish blue finish. Made in very limited numbers, the No. 1 Ring Lever rifle is one of the rarest of all Colt firearms.

Very fine. This rare rifle is all original and retains more than 60% of the blue and brown finish. The brown finish on the barrel and crescent buttplate is thin and has a gray brown patina with scattered spots of age discoloration. The edges of the barrel are sharp. The Patent Arms legend on the top flat is clear. The rear sight retains most of the nitre blue finish. The ring lever, trigger guard and finger stop have an even, silver-gray patina. The top strap, sides and bottom of the frame and upper and lower tang have close to 80% of the high polish blue finish. Wear is limited to some high point wear and a few minor scratches. The eight shot cylinder remains in exceptional condition and has 90% or more of the original blue finish. The roll-engraved horsemen and centaur scene is nearly perfect. The stock is also in very fine condition and has close to 80% of the varnish finish. Wear is limited to a few minor handling marks and chips in the finish; most of these marks are located on the upper wrist near the junction with the frame. This is an exceptional example of one of the most important and most difficult to obtain of all Colt firearms. Provenance: Robert M. Lee Collection.