This is an outstanding example of one of the approximately 5,800 percussion revolvers manufactured circa 1863-65 by Rogers & Spencer of Willowdale, New York, (which is near Utica). The U.S. Ordnance contract was for 5,000 revolvers, 1,500 to be delivered by the end of April 1865 and the balance by September of 1865. There is no record of issuance of any of the revolvers due to the Civil War ending, but some of the early production examples made for the civilian market may have been carried by soldiers during the war. The 5,000 contract revolvers were later sold to Bannerman's as surplus. The top strap is marked "ROGERS & SPENCER/UTICA NY". The matching serial number is marked on the butt, frame, cylinder, loading lever, and barrel. There are small single letter inspection marks on most of the parts, including the bottom of each grip panel. The revolver is finished blue with a casehardened hammer, trigger, and loading lever assembly. It has a German silver cone front sight, frame notch rear sight, and smooth walnut grips with a sharp "RPB" cartouche on the lower left panel. Provenance: The David Aroh Collection; The Ron Bucholtz Collection

Excellent plus with 98% plus bright original blue finish, only some small patches of flaking on top of the frame and back strap, some minor handling and storage marks, very faint drag lines, and some very tiny flakes at the lower edges of the grip. This is certainly one of the finest Rogers & Spencer revolvers RIAC has had in some time and would be near impossible to improve upon.