This is one of around 10,000 revolvers of this type built using a mix of converted on-hand parts from the Model 1849 Pocket, 1862 Police, and Pocket Navy revolvers along with newly manufactured components starting around 1873. These handy revolvers were still being shipped by the factory in the 1880s. The wedge is numbered "16547." Otherwise, there are matching full or partial serial numbers on the various metal components and it has very attractive special order grip and the inscription "D.B. Gardner" on the butt. Information on Texas cattle rancher D.B. Gardner is included. He worked as a cowboy in the 1870s and helped form the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association to combat cattle rustlers. He founded the Pitchfork Ranch aka "The Forks" in the 1880s on thousands of acres in West Texas between Lubbock and Guthrie and managed the ranch until 1928. The ranch is still a major cattle operation today under the management of the descendant of Gardner's partners, the Williams family of St. Louis. A copy of "The Pitchfork Land and Cattle Company: The First Century" by David J. Murrah is included. Provenance: The Gary Burghoff Collection

Fine with mottled gray patina on the barrel, 80% plus original nickel plating on the balance of the metal, generally mild overall wear, and crisp inscription. The grip is also fine and has attractive natural aged tones and grain, minor age cracks, and moderate handling wear. Mechanically excellent. This is a neat piece of Texas history.