Manufactured circa 1863. The carbine has a 21 inch round .58 caliber barrel, five shot fluted cylinder, and brass trigger guard. The barrel has a brass front sight and rear sight with one fixed and two folding leafs graduated for 100, 300 and 600 yards. A staple mounted sling ring is mounted on the left side of the frame. The varnished straight grain black walnut stock has a crescent steel buttplate. The barrel, cylinder, and buttplate have a military blue finish. The loading lever and hammer are color casehardened. The top strap is deeply roll-stamped "COL. COLT HARTFORD CT. U.S.A.". "PATENTED SEPT. 10th 1850" is roll-stamped in one cylinder flute. "COLTS PATENT" is stamped in a curve on the left side of the frame above the side plate. London "Crown/V" and "Crown/CP" proof and inspection marks are stamped on the left barrel flat and on the cylinder above each chamber. The initials "J.R.H. JR" are stamped in an oval cartouche on the bottom of the stock behind the trigger guard. This marking was the collection cartouche of J.R. Hegeman, an early collector who was a member of the Colt's Board of Directors at the turn of the century. The serial number is stamped on the bottom of the frame, trigger guard finial, bottom of the barrel, and heel of the buttplate. Colt manufactured an estimated 2,000 British Carbines, and the majority of these had brass buttplates. Examples in excellent condition are rare.

Excellent. The carbine retains 90% plus of the original blue finish. The frame shows minimal wear. Nearly 97% blue finish is present on the cylinder, and the percussion nipples and surrounding portions of the cylinder are free from flash pitting. The only significant wear on the cylinder is a small spot of pitting near the front edge of one chamber. The barrel retains most of the blue finish. The right side has several minor scratches, and the top of the barrel has some scattered age discoloration and spotting. The buttplate has some handling wear and retains 75% of the blue finish. The loading lever and hammer have 95% of the casehardened finish with vivid case colors. The trigger guard has a mellow patina. The stock is excellent with most of the varnish remaining. The top strap legend, serial numbers, and proofmarks are crisp. The patent markings on the cylinder and the frame are light. This is an exceptional example of a rare Colt British Model 1855 Revolving Carbine that was formerly part of the J.R. Hegeman collection which contained some of the finest known Colt percussion firearms.