This set is easily one of the most important and historic sets of Colt revolvers in existence and was presented in the fall of 1861 during the uncertain early days of the Civil War when the preservation of the Union was in dire risk and the devastation the war would bring was still unknown. It was presented to General Andrew Porter who at that time was serving as provost marshal of the District of Columbia and thus was responsible for maintaining peace in and around the capital and also for capturing deserters and spies and comes with a letter addressed to Porter on November 1, 1861. The defense of the capital was of paramount importance, and the capital was unprepared to defend itself against a major assault despite the experience of the War of 1812 decades earlier. Many within the Confederacy wished to capture Washington both to win an important symbolic victory and to make it their own capital. The Union had suffered several humiliating defeats dangerously close to the capital including Major General McClellan's defeat at the Battle of Ball's Bluff less than two weeks before these revolvers were presented. This beautiful set consists of a pair of Colt Model 1860 Army/New Model Army revolvers in an English fitted case with red lining and a Model 1861 Navy/New Model Navy revolver and a Model 1862 Police/New Model Police revolver in a blue lined case. Both cases also contain a variety of accessories. All or part of the set is pictured and discussed in multiple books and articles, including: "The Art of the Gun: Magnificent Colts, Selections from the Robert M. Lee Collection" by Robert M. Lee and R.L. Wilson, pages 133 and 145 of "The William M. Locke Collection" by Sellers, page 25 and plate XXVII of "Catalogue of a Loan Exhibition of Percussion Colt Revolvers and Conversion 1836-1873" by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, pages 668-669 of "Part 1 of the William M. Locke Collection of American Firearms" by G. Charter Harrison Jr. in The Gun Collector Issue 39 (January 1952), and the following books by R.L. Wilson: page 145 in "The Colt Heritage," page 339 of "Steel Canvas: The Art of American Arms," pages 180-182 of "Samuel Colt Presents," and pages 156-157 of "The Colt Engraving Book Volume 1, c. 1832-1921." As laid out on page 244 of "Art of the Gun: Magnificent Colts . . ." these sets, mostly comprised of this same group of models, were presented to generals and two officials on or about November 1, 1861. It is believed all roughly fifteen individuals received four gun sets in two cases, and most are believed to have received the same combination of two Model 1860 Armys in one case plus a Model 1861 Navy and Model 1862 Police in a second case. However, some are known to have been single or even triple cased sets. The known recipients and what their positions were in or around November 1861 are as follows: General James Wolfe Ripley (Chief of Ordnance), General Randolph B. Marcy (McClellan's chief of staff and father-in-law), General Joseph K.F. Mansfield (commanded the Department of Washington), General Irvin McDowell (a division commander in the Army of the Potomac), General Ambrose E. Burnside (commander of the North Carolina Expeditionary Force), General Thomas W. Sherman (commander of the Port Royal Expedition), General Andrew Porter (provost marshal of the District of Columbia, more details below), General George B. McClellan (general-in-chief of all the Union armies), General Nathaniel P. Banks (commander of the western district of Maryland), General Benjamin F. Butler (commander at Fort Monroe), General William Anderson Thornton (commander of multiple arsenals and also an inspector during the war), General Lorenzo Thomas (Adjutant General of the U.S. Army), Colonel James Cameron (brother of the Secretary of War, killed prior to the presentation of these revolvers at First Bull Run), Secretary of War Simon Cameron, and Edward S. Sanford of the American Telegraph Company (worked with the U.S. Military Telegraph Service/Corps). Each set was inscribed with the individual's name followed by "with Compliments of Col Colt" on the back strap. Wilson's theory is this was to grease the wheels to ensure lucrative government contracts, and as early as April of 1861, Colt was personally lobbying the government/offering to produce arms for the Union cause and asked the Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles to ask President Lincoln and Secretary of War Simon Cameron how his company could be of assistance and also indicated they could supply 100,000 guns that year. However, it may have also related to Colt's public relations difficulties at the time due to rumors of aid to the Confederacy that fall and winter and accusations of corruption relating to arms sales to and from the government that also ensnared General Ripley, one of the recipients of these sets, as well as to promote his business which was in the process of doubling its manufacturing capabilities with a target date of completion of January 1862. November 1, 1861, is also, perhaps coincidentally, significant as the day General George McClellan was promoted to general-in-chief of the Union Armies after Winfield Scott's resignation at the end of October. His father-in-law and the other generals in the list of recipients that follows would have fallen under his command on that date. A week after Colt's letter was written to Porter, per the "Hartford Courant," Secretary of War Simon Cameron and his party as well as that of Governor William A. Buckingham of Connecticut and his staff arrived at Coltsville under the guidance of Samuel Colt himself for a tour of his factory as well as those of the Sharps Rifle Co. They were then conveyed to Armsmear where they were entertained by the Colt family. It is very likely some of these sets were presented at that time either at the factory or in Colt's home. Who was all in the Cameron's party is not listed, but it could have included some of the other recipients of these sets. Perhaps his brother's set was given to the family as a sign of respect. The letter to Porter is addressed to him one week earlier in Washington which suggests his set was sent to him there. The presentation of these sets was most likely a calculated stunt by Colt as part of a wider campaign to improve his public image in the face of scandal and also promote his wares to secure both commercial sales and lucrative government contracts as he aggressively expanded his business. Also in November 1861, several papers noted that Colt had invested in a Treasury loan for $150,000 coincidentally by some accounts the same amount as he was accused of defrauding the government of in league with Ripley in the affair relating to his purchasing of Enfield rifles from the government. Colt died a little over two months following the presentation of these revolvers on January 10, 1862, making this his last block of presentation revolvers and therefore particularly significant in the history of Colt firearms even besides their connections to various important figures in the government and military. Wilson's research indicated that the Porter revolvers are documented as listed under "Presents for Officers" by serial number on October 23, 1861, just two days after the Union failure at the Battle of Ball's Bluff (Leesburg) about a days ride from Washington. The letter from Colt to Porter states "Col Colt presents his compliments to General Andrew Porter and requests him to accept in token of Col C. high regards and esteem the accompanying specimens of his most recently improved Revolving Breech Holster Belt & Pocket Pistols which have been got up with special reference to our Military & Naval service. Hartford Nov. 1 1861." The letter is addressed to Porter in D.C. as noted above. The revolvers in this set (with the exception of the Police revolver) fall immediately before another four gun set presented to General Irvin McDowell (see pages 180-183 of "Samuel Colt Presents"). The red and blue linings of this certainly make an excellent patriotic statement when the cases are open side by side which is appropriate given they were presented to U.S. General Andrew Porter (1820-1872), grandson of a Revolutionary War colonel of the same name. He attended West Point in 1836 and 1837, in 1843 acted as a private secretary to Secretary of War James Madison Porter (his uncle), served as a 1st lieutenant in the 1st U.S. Mounted Rifles in the Mexican-American War, received a brevet captain rank for bravery at the Battle of Contreras, further promoted to brevet colonel for bravery in action during the storming of Chepultepec, and served in the West following the war. At the onset of the Civil War, he was appointed as a colonel in the 16th U.S. Infantry and then given the temporary rank of brigadier general and appointed the commander of the 1st Brigade of Major General David Hunter's 2nd Division at the First Battle of Bull Run (First Battle of Manassas). General Ambrose Burnside, one of the recipients of another of these sets, commanded the 2nd Brigade and took command of the division after Hunter was wounded in the neck and face during the battle. At the time these revolvers were presented, Porter was serving as provost marshal of the District of Columbia and a year later served as provost marshal general of the Army of the Potomac and commanded in the State of Pennsylvania until ill health forced him to resign in April of 1864. He died in Paris while attempting to recover from his illness 8 years later. His disease may have been tuberculosis or a similar chronic illness. Porter was distantly related to the Lincoln family as second cousin of Mary Todd Lincoln. He is also known to have fought a duel in Texas prior to the war with James J. Archer (later a Confederate general). Archer’s second also happened to be Thomas J. Jackson, later famous as Confederate General "Stonewall" Jackson. The three original revolvers in the set remain in exceptional condition. Each has a high polish, deep blue finish on the barrels and cylinders (also back straps on the Army revolvers), fiery case colors on the frames, loading levers, and hammers; and silver plated grip straps. The grips are highly figured high grade walnut and are finished with a piano style varnish. The back straps are inscribed "Genl Andrew Porter/with Compliments of Col Colt" in script. However, the original Model 1862 Police revolver (serial number 6497) was replaced by William M. Locke with a similar example (minus the inscription) reportedly because the original was in significantly lower condition than the other revolvers in the set. Perhaps General Porter used that revolver given it was the easiest of the set to carry. The Model 1860 Army revolvers have the "four-screw" (actually five) frames and are cut for shoulder stocks, but the factory fitted more closely fitting screws in place of the screws that would serve as the studs when using a shoulder stock to create a more aesthetically pleasing set. The markings and other features are otherwise standard. The case for the two Model 1860 Army revolvers contains two Eley Bros. cap tins, two packages of cartridges for "COL. COLT'S PATENT/NEW MODEL/REVOLVING HOLSTER PISTOL," a Colt's patent marked powder flask with angled spout, L-shaped combination screwdriver and nipple wrench, and "44H" and "COLTS/PATENT" marked bullet mold. The other case contains a large number of lead balls, a powder flask with angled spout and no Colt markings, a smaller Colt's patent powder flask with straight spout, "36 B." (Belt) marked and "36 P." (Police) marked "COLTS/PATENT" bullet molds (two total), two L-shaped combination tools, and a larger W. & C. Eley cap tin.

Excellent. This revolver and its mate are easily among the finest Model 1860 Army revolvers extant even if you set aside the high quality of finish and materials and the historic inscription from Samuel Colt. With those combined with the condition, these revolvers should be virtually priceless and would be important centerpieces in any extensive private or public Colt, American, or Civil War collection. It retains 97% plus of the bright, high polish, original blue finish with minor loss on the right side of the muzzle, slight edge wear, and minor spots of faint surface oxidation; essentially all of the original vibrant original case colors on the loading lever, frame, and hammer, strong original bright blue finish on the screws and trigger; 95% plus original silver plating on the front strap which has taken on an attractive natural patina, light flaking to the right and rear of the serial number; crisp cylinder scene and markings, and very fine hand engraved inscription. The grip is also excellent and has effectively all of the original glossy varnish, attractive figure, and minor handling and storage wear. The revolver is mechanically excellent and shows no signs of having ever been fire. Provenance: Albert Foster Jr.; William M. Locke Collection; Carl Press Collection; The Robert M. Lee Collection.

Excellent. 97% plus of the bright, high polish, original blue finish remains with some very slight loss at the muzzle, very minor fading in small spots on the cylinder, and some minor marks. 98% plus of the original vivid case colors on the loading lever, hammer, and frame remains with somewhat more subdued colors on the rear sections of the frame, especially on the right side below the recoil shield. The small parts retain virtually all of their bright, original blue finish. The front strap retains 97% plus original silver plating which has taken on a dark natural aged patina and has some very slight flaking on the edges towards the right from resting in the case. All of the markings, including the hand engraved presentation inscription, are distinct. The deluxe walnut grip is also excellent and retains the glossy original varnish and exhibits attractive figure and minimal light handling and storage wear. It is mechanically excellent and appears to have never been shot. The case is fine and has some minor cracks in the attractive figure on the lid, a crack in the bottom, some splits in the dividers, and general mild wear. The accessories are very fine.

Excellent. 97% plus original, vibrant case colors on the loading lever, frame, and hammer remain with some slight loss on the loading lever arm. 90% plus of the bright, high polish, original blue finish remains with some fading and loss on the front section of the barrel and cylinder and some minor edge wear. The screws and trigger also retain considerable original finish. The grip frame retains 98% plus original silver plating which displays attractive aged patina and has some very faint loss at the edges probably just from moving around in the case over the years. The grip is also excellent and retains the glossy original varnish and sitplats attractive figure and minor handling and storage type marks. It is mechanically excellent. The inscription and other markings remain crisp. The case is fine and has some cracks, an absent lid escutcheon, and mild overall wear. The accessories are all very fine.

Excellent with 90% plus original blue finish, 97% of the vibrant case colors and original silver plating, dark aged patina on the latter, patches of brown patina on the right side of the muzzle as well as the cylinder and recoil shield, and minor overall wear. The grip is also excellent and has a glossy varnish finish and some attractive figure that nicely coordinates with the original revolvers in the set as this revolver was added subsequently. Most of the markings aside from the "C" and "P" in the frame marking are crisp. It is mechanically excellent. Provenance: Part of the esteemed collections of Albert Foster Jr., Robert M. Lee, William M. Locke, and Carl Press. This set is easily among the finest and most desirable sets of Colt percussion revolvers and is part of a historic series of revolvers that only a select few important individuals received during the first year of the Civil War just around two months before Samuel Colt's early death at the age of 47. This set has it all: condition, rarity, historical presentation from Samuel Colt to a Union leader, original factory letter addressed to the recipient, extensive documentation in influential publications, and provenance. Bringing it to public sale at auction is a special privilege. A set like this is something you will never forget and very few collectors will ever have the privilege to own.