This beautiful, extremely high condition Colt Model 1849 revolver was manufactured in 1858. The top barrel flat has the two-line New York City address inside brackets. The cylinder has the stagecoach scene and is marked "COLTS PATENT" above the full serial number. "COLT/PATENT" is marked on the left side of the frame. The left side of the trigger guard is stamped with the letters "L" and "G". Matching full or partial serial numbers are on the frame, barrel, trigger guard, back strap, cylinder, wedge, and arbor pin. The revolver has Colt's standard finishes: high polished blue on the barrel and cylinder, color case colors on the loading lever, hammer and frame, silver plated brass trigger guard and back strap, and varnished walnut grip. Comes with an extremely scarce period leather covered pipe case containing a cap container and small compartment with a lid. Colt historian R.L. Wilson remarks on the scarcity of the Colt pipe case in his book "The Colt Heritage": "Until adding derringers to the line in the 1870s, the so-called pipe casings were hardly ever made for any model Colt" (page 42). The Model 1849 Pocket was the most popular of all of Colt's percussion revolvers. They would certainly have been more convenient for those needing some personal protection in the gold fields and saloons of the West as well as the crowded and crime riddled streets of the large cities in the East compared to the larger Colt Dragoon revolvers or mid-sized Model 1851 Navy and definitely packed more firepower than many of the single and double shot pocket pistols of the day. During the Civil War, many were carried as personal sidearms.

Excellent. 97% original high polished blue finish remains on the barrel and 85% original high polished blue finish remains on the cylinder with light high edge wear and thinning on the balance. All of the cylinder scene remains, and the safety pins show minimal wear. 80% original niter blue remains on the screws. 70% of original case colors remain on the loading lever. 97% vivid original case colors remain on the hammer and frame. 95% of the attractive aged darkened original silver plating remains on the trigger guard and back strap. The grip is also excellent with minimal handling marks and nearly all of the original varnish remaining. Mechanically excellent. The case is exceptionally fine showing minor wear on the exterior and some typical high spot wear on the overall clean lining. Simply one of the most uniquely cased Colt Model 1849s we have ever had the pleasure of cataloging. The accompanying rarely encountered pipe cased Colt Model 1849 is certainly in a league of its own! A must have for the serious Colt collector whose looking for high quality antiques!