Manufactured in 1853, the first year of the London Navies. The revolver features an attractive minimalist factory scroll engraving covering half of the surface along with engraved “COLTS PATENT” inside a banner on the left side of the frame and a sea monster motif on top of the hammer. The revolver has an apostrophe marked by the matching serial numbers on the barrel, frame, trigger guard, and back strap indicating factory engraving. The number “2” is also stamped under the trigger guard. The cylinder, loading lever, and arbor pin are also numbered to the gun. The wedge which has a vine and leaf type engraved motif is unnumbered. The top barrel flat is marked “ADDRESS. COL: COLT. LONDON.” There are London proofs on the left side of the barrel ahead of the wedge and on the cylinder between the stops. The cylinder has the naval scene. Fitted with a nicely figured deluxe walnut grip with varnish finish. The iron grip straps are silver plated. The back strap is inscribed “Richard Green Esq./from the Inventor.” The extremely rare bird’s eye maple partitioned case contains a James Dixon & Sons bag shaped powder flask, James Dixon & Sons silver oiler, blued “COLTS/PATENT” marked dual cavity bullet mold, “L” shaped combination tool, case key, few lead balls and W.&C. Eley cap tin. The exterior of the lid features a presentation plaque that reads, “Richard Green Esq./from/the Inventor.” Around 40,000 England made London Navies were built with iron grip straps, and very few are encountered with a factory engraving and even fewer are factory presentation pieces. Colt cases in general were built from mahogany, rosewood and oak. The use of maple or other exotic woods was extraordinarily rare. In fact, this is the first maple case this writer has cataloged. Samuel Colt was a master salesman above all his other attributes, and he found that the best kind of advertising that he could employ to promote his products were the products themselves. He handed out finely engraved and inscribed presentation guns to anyone he thought to be a worthy recipient. One of his guns placed in the hands of an influential person, believed Colt, would go a long way in winning support and acceptance of his products. But who was Richard Green? Period sources point to an English ship builder and philanthropist. Richard Green (1803-1863) got into the ship building business through his father, a prominent ship builder in Blackwell. When Richard joined the business the firm was renamed Green, Wigram & Green and eventually renamed Richard & Henry Green & Co. when Richard’s brother joined the firm after the death of their father. The company was well known for building East Indiamen, a type of sailing ship operated under a charter or license to any of the East India trading companies. These ships were also called tea clippers due to their participation in the tea trade. The company also built a number of sailing vessels used in the voyages to Australia during the Australian gold rush that began in 1851. Green was a champion philanthropist, especially to the mercantile marine. His earliest efforts established non-profit lodging for merchant seamen known as the Sailor’s Home that were popular in the 1850s. He supported the schools in Poplar (a district in East London), the Merchant Seamen’s Orphan Asylum, the Dreadnought Seamen’s Hospital, and the Poplar Hospital. Many of the charities he supported continue on to this day in one form or another. He was the chief proponent and chairman of the committee to a pre-sailing training ship for officers at Thames Marine Officer Training School, now called Thames Nautical Training College. His philanthropy made him a beloved member of East London society. The mid-18th century English seaman had no better friend than Richard Green. A statue of Green by Edward William stands outside the Poplar Baths, originally opened in 1852 to provide the poor of East London with wash facilities. The statue commemorated Green’s shipbuilding accomplishments. On one side of the statue is a relief of the armored frigate Arapiles which was under construction at the time of his death. On the other side of the statue is a relief of the clipper Challenger. Built by Richard & Henry Green in 1852, the Challenger lived up to its name as the clipper that successfully challenged American rivals in the tea trade. It seems very probable that Colt crossed paths with Richard Green, the iconic British ship builder.

Fine. The barrel retains 50% original high polished blue finish and the cylinder retains faded traces of original blue finish with the balance a smooth gray patina. Nearly all of the cylinder scene remains. The engraving and inscription are crisp. 40% of the original case colors remain, mostly in the protected areas. 30% original silver plating remains on the grip straps. The grip is also fine with a number of minor dings and scratches and most of the original varnish remaining. Mechanically excellent. The case is fine with minor handling/storage marks and typical high spot wear on the lining. The powder flask retains 90% plus of the original lacquer and 97% gilt finishes with a tiny ding on the body. 50% original blue finish remains on the bullet mold. Most certainly a rare, Samuel Colt presentation, London Model 1851 Navy revolver with extremely rare maple case that is missing from even the most advanced Colt collections.