Rock Island Auction Company is proud to present this extraordinary factory gold plated matched pair of piano varnished rosewood canteen shoulder stocked Colt Model 1860 Army percussion revolvers that bear the original owner's name and crest, Eustace Barron, and several special order features. Born in 1822, Eustace William Barron was the son of a prominent Spanish family drawing a vast amount wealth from business ventures in Mexico. To diversify the family fortune, Eustace was sent to California where he and partner James Bolton purchased controlling interest in mercury mines at New Almaden. Mercury was an essential ingredient to the refinement of gold which had been discovered in California in 1849. No wonder Eustace chose to have his pair of Model 1860s plated in gold. His involvement in the mines ended in 1863 but his firm Barron & Co. continued to reap the benefits by securing the sole rights to market the mercury produced in New Almaden. Barron was also one of the founders to the Bank of California and an investor in the Western Pacific Railroad Co. Eustace died unexpectedly on 25 October 1871 while on visit in England. The crest on the grip is that of the Barron family and was awarded to Eustace and his older brother by Sir John Bernard Burke, Ulster King of Arms and principal Herald of Ireland on 27 June 1862. This one-of-a-kind set was once part of the famed Robert Sutherland collection, and over the past several decades the revolvers have been well-documented to include being pictured and described in R.L. Wilson's "The Colt Legend" on page 100 and "Colt: An American Legend" on pages 100-101, Wilson and Sutherland's "The Book of Colt Firearms" (2nd edition) on pages 164-165 and Wilson and Robert Lee's "The Art of the Gun" on pages 234 and 250-257. Note that the revolvers were once attributed to an "Irish peer," but as told by the aforementioned story, the claim has since been dismissed. Manufactured in 1864 and special ordered by Eustace Barron, the revolvers have gold plated barrels, barrel wedges, cylinders, frames, hammers and grip straps while the screw heads and should stock tenon pins are blue. The 4-screw frames are cut for a shoulder stock. Note that the unusual high serial number for a 4-screw frame. The top of the barrel has the one-line New York address. There is hand checkering on the hammer spurs, rammer catches and rammer forends. The naval cylinder scenes and "COLTS/PATENT" frame marking are hand engraved. The cylinders are also engraved "COLT PATENT No" followed by the respective full serial number above "PATENTED SEPT 10th 1850." The back straps are script inscribed "Eustace Barron." The engraving was done by Gustave Young. The respective matching numbers are found on the barrel lug, frame, grips straps, cylinder and barrel wedge. The one-piece ebony grips are inlaid with gold plaques engraved with the Barron family crest on the left side. The rosewood canteen shoulder stock is numbered to both guns on the lower tang, has the "A" gun serial number ("150156") on the buttplate tang and has gold plated hardware. The rosewood casing was by W. Milton. The deluxe partitioned case features 17 silver plated brass mounts, engraved key plaque, burgundy velvet lining, hinged circular carrying handle and elaborate lid escutcheon inscribed "Eustace Barron." Besides the two revolvers and shoulder stock, the case holds a single faced military/patriotic Colt's patent powder flask, "COLTS/PATENT" marked double cavity bullet mold, Eley Brothers percussion cap tin, package of 6 combustible envelope cartridges, lead rounds and two case keys. According to Wilson, "The full gold plating, the [ebony] stocks, the gigantic rosewood casing and the unusual combination of rare extra features have not been observed on any other Colt firearms." It is one of two known cased canteen stock Model 1860 revolvers. The second set is a single revolver serial number 156656.

Very fine. The revolver retains 85% original gold plating with the balance a smooth dark patina overall. The cylinder scene is crisp. The grip is excellent showing a few minor handling marks and retaining most of the finish. Mechanically excellent. The canteen shoulder stock is excellent with some minor handling marks and retaining most of the varnish and 97% original gold plating. The case is very good with a number of minor-moderate handling/storage marks, aged silver and high spot wear on the lining. There is a hinge screw missing. Truly an extraordinary stocked set of revolvers that would be the centerpiece to even the most advanced Colt percussion collections.

As described in "A" but with the barrel wedge unmarked.

Very fine. The revolver retains 70% original gold plating with the balance a smooth dark gray patina. The cylinder scene is crisp. The grip is excellent showing a few minor handling marks and retaining most of the finish. Mechanically excellent. Provenance: Robert Q. Sutherland Collection, The Robert M. Lee Collection