This rare Colt '49 Pocket was manufactured in 1856. The factory "dot" marking is by the lower serial numbers indicating designation by the factory for special finishing, and the revolver features a high degree of factory embellishment including engraving in the style of Master Engraver Gustave Young and his shop in the 1850s, a silver plated finish, and a raised relief carved grip. The engraving on this revolver was likely completed by a member of his shop rather than Young himself. The engraving includes a border at the muzzle, a dog head by the floral bloom on the left side of the barrel, "Saml Colt" in script on the top of the barrel, "COLTS/PATENT" in a panel on the left side of the frame, rayed accents, some small checkered panels, the wolf head motif on the hammer used by multiple Colt engravers, and classic Germanic scroll engraving with punched backgrounds on the barrel, loading lever, frame, trigger guard, back strap, and even the edge of the wedge The right side of the grip is carved in raised relief with a design of a dragoon officer with an eagle crested helmet. The same grip carving can be seen on '49 Pocket 140372 on page 72 of "Colt Engraving" by R.L. Wilson, and a few others are known with similar designs. All of the serial numbers on the metal components match. The cylinder has the classic stagecoach scene. The trigger guard has a "K" on the left. "F.F.R." is hand scratched on the back strap. A "46" marked label is on the butt.

Fine with 60% original silver plating remaining and exhibiting a dark aged patina, gray and brown patina where the finish has flaked, some minor oxidation, abrasions on the right at the breech, crisp engraving, and moderate age and storage related wear. The label on the butt is peeling and has residue on the metal underneath. The carved grip is also fine and has distinct carving, a repaired vertical sliver along the right side, some chipping above the toe on the right, three "kill notches" on the edge on the right, age cracks on the bottom at the heel, and natural aged patina. Some of the internals such as the pawl are absent, but the hammer and trigger function. This revolver would have been an exceptional presentation piece for a veteran of the Mexican-American War or an officer in the U.S. Army during the contentious antebellum era that preceded the Civil War. Many of those men went on to be generals in the North and South.