Manufactured in 1857, this Colt Model 1851 percussion revolver has a presentation inscription on the back strap, which reads "Presented To Dr. P.N. Luckett Committee of Public Safety/From the Grateful citizens of Bexar County 1861." The revolver was featured in the cover article to "The Gun Report," Vol. 53, No. 3 August 2007 (cover and pages 22-26), and this issue is included along with research complied by the consignor. Dr. Philip Noland Luckett was born in Virginia 1823 and moved to Texas in 1847. In the late 1840s. Luckett was a surgeon attached to Captain John "RIP" Ford's company of Texas Rangers. Bexar County is a county located in Texas and includes the city of San Antonio. Luckett was one of three men who founded the Committee of Public Safety for the purpose of protecting Texas interests at the dawn of the Civil War. Prior to the first shots of the Civil War fired at Fort Sumter, the committee negotiated the removal of U.S. Major General D. Twiggs' army from Texas by way of the Gulf of Mexico and the surrender of federal property in San Antonio. During the Civil War, Luckett was appointed to the rank of colonel and commanded the Third Texas Infantry. He was later promoted to Brigadier General and commanded forces in Southwestern Texas. For the remainder of the war, illness kept Luckett from fulfilling his military duties. After the defeat of the South, Luckett was one of forty men who followed Major General John G. Walker to Mexico. He returned to Texas in 1865 to only be arrested by federal authorities. Serving several months in jail, he was released with his health severely weakened. He relocated to Cincinnati to be near family and died there in 1869. The top of the barrel is marked with the one-line New York address. The left side of the frame is marked "COLTS/PATENT". The left trigger guard shoulder is marked "M" and "L," and the cylinder is roll engraved with the Texas naval battle scene. Matching numbers are found on the barrel, trigger guard, back strap, cylinder, loading lever, wedge and arbor pin. The one piece grip has a high relief carving of the Texas flag.

Very good. The revolver has a smooth artificial gray patina. Most of the scene remains on the renumbered to match cylinder. The grip straps retain heavy amounts of original silver plating in the protected areas with the exposed brass having an untouched aged patina. The later replacement grip is very fine with typical age cracking on the bottom and some minor handling marks. Even with the restoration that we have noted, the inscription is of the period. Mechanically excellent.