The factory letter indicates that this revolver was one of 100 shipped to Governor William Dennison in Columbus, Ohio, on June 14, 1861, and confirms the configuration including the "plated" grip frame. This early Colt Model 1860 Army has the highly desirable early full fluted cylinder. While over 200,000 Colt Model 1860 Army Model revolvers were manufactured, only around 4,000 were manufactured with fluted cylinders, making this variation especially desirable. Some of these distinctive Colts were even shipped to the South before and at the very beginning of the Civil War. Of the small amount of these fluted cylinder revolvers made, most of them were no doubt heavily used during the war, making surviving examples particularly scarce. Given that another 300 gun shipment of fluted 1860 Army revolvers was also shipped to Governor Dennison the same day as the shipment of this revolver, a large fraction of these fluted 1860 Army variants appear to have gone to Ohio. William Dennison Jr. was the 24th Governor of Ohio from January 1860 to January 1862. As governor, he was famously enthusiastic about the call to arms at the onset of the Civil War. He mobilized over 100,000 troops and used them to secure Ohio's railroads and telegraph lines and also sent troops under George McClellan into western Virginia without federal permission to protect the First Wheeling Convention. The convention ultimately led to the formation of the new free state of West Virginia. Lincoln appointed him Post Master General in 1864. He also served as the head of the Republican National Convention that year. Ohio was a crucial state for the Union War effort thanks to its central location, large population, waterways, and railways. These revolvers were very likely issued to the Ohio cavalry. This example features the one-line Hartford barrel address, "COLTS/PATENT" frame marking, frame cut for a shoulder stock, fluted cylinder with the 1850 patent date marking, and matching serial number "4346" marked on the frame, barrel, trigger guard, butt, cylinder, wedge, cylinder arbor pin and handwritten in black ink inside the grip mortise.

Very good, exhibiting smooth chemically enhanced brown patina on the barrel and cylinder with traces of original blue finish on the barrel. Patterns of case colors visible on the frame, loading lever and hammer with smooth gray and brown patinas on the balance. The front strap/trigger guard retains 40% of the silver plating on and around the bow with golden bright patina on the balance of the brass. The grip is very good with numerous dents and scratches, moderate edge wear and a chipped area on the left edge. Mechanically excellent. This is a great example of a scarce fluted cylinder Colt 1860 Army revolver with Civil War history.