This revolver was manufactured for use with metallic cartridges from the factory and built for the civilian market based on the rimfire configuration. Included with the revolver is a letter from famed 20th century gunsmith Lenard Brownell. Brownell was a highly regarded gunsmith famous for his work on stocks, and is likened to the European master gunmakers of the 18th century. In his letter Brownell explains that he received this revolver, along with many other arms, from W. S. Murphy of Livingston, Montana. Murphy was born in 1878 and spent his early days as a cowboy until the range land became too closed off by fences, he then turned to wolf hunting for the government. During this period wolves were blamed for loss of cattle and general economic problems on the frontier, in response to this the wolves were hunted to near extinction. He later became a police officer and then a Justice of the Peace before his death in 1953. Brownell states in his letter that this revolver came to Murphy from on James Kirkandal, a stagecoach driver for Gilman & Salsbury out of Virginia City, MT. The revolver is marked with the one-line Colt address on the barrel, the "COLTS/PATENT" on the left of the frame, and "36 CAL" on the trigger guard. Matching serial numbers on the barrel, frame, cylinder, and butt with a "1" marked under the frame and trigger guard. The right grip panel is carved with a Mexican eagle grasping a snake in its beak.

Fine, showing traces of blue in the protected areas on the barrel as well as some traces of silver on the trigger guard and grip straps. The balance of the surfaces show a mix of grey and brown patina with some oxidation scattered throughout. There is some nitre blue remaining on the wedge screw. The grips are also fine with some shrinkage and age cracking associated with a gun of this age. Mechanically excellent.