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Difficult to Improve Upon 2nd Year Production Colt 1851 Navy from the Collection of Mac McCroskie
LOT 181
Incredible Cased Early Production Factory Engraved Colt Model 1851 Navy Percussion Revolver from 1852 - Serial no. 19483, 36
cal., 7 1/2 inch octagon bbl., blue/casehardened/silver finish, varnished walnut grips. This exquisite early production Colt Model 1851 Navy was manufactured in late 1852 (20000 is listed as the first number used in 1853) and has the factory “dot” marking by the main serial numbers indicating it was specially selected for engraving. The engraving is in the classic German-American style popularized by several talented engravers who immigrated from Germany in the early 1850s after training under Ernst Moritz and Gustav Ernst in Zella, Thuringia. These engravers as a group (Gustave Young, L.D. Nimschke, Herman Bodenstein, Georg Sterzing, and John Marr among them) dominated American fine arms engraving and established traditions that continued into the 20th century and
even today. The specific engraver of this very fine revolver is not known, but, regardless of the specific engraver, the work is phenomenal and
an excellent example of both the general style popularized in the early 1850s and the variety of the German-American engravers’ work when you examine the finer details.
The engraving covers the rear third of the barrel, flat sides of the loading lever arm, essentially all of the visible surfaces of the frame and the hammer, and extends onto the bow and edges of the trigger guard and the top and bottom of the back strap. An empty panel is on the middle of the back strap where inscriptions were often placed. The engraving consists of a mix of scrolls terminating in tight curls and more leafy
elements as well as some checkered “buds” at the terminus
of some of the scrolls, some “C” scroll elements, punched
backgrounds, floral accents, wavy line borders, rayed
designs, small checkerboard and dot panels, a gadroon
element along the edge of the recoil shield on the right
and related design on the left side of the barrel lug at the bottom, sea monster style hammer motif, and “COLTS/PATENT” neatly hand inscribed on the left side of the frame in an open panel with a wavy line and dot lower border. The barrel has a brass cone front sight and the “-ADDRESS SAML COLT NEW YORK CITY-” marking with engraved borders. The cylinder has the classic Naval Battle of Campeche roll-scene engraved by W.L. Ormsby. The trigger guard has a small “C” marking on the left side of the bow at the front and a “G” on the rear shoulder on the left. All of the visible serial numbers match. As we have no doubt the concealed numbers also match, the revolver has not been disassembled out of respect and caution. The grip has the high gloss “piano” varnish finish. The case has navy
blue lining and contains a “COLT’S PISTOL CAPS” Eley Bros. cap tin, blued L-shaped combination screwdriver and wrench, an outstanding original navy pattern “COLTS/PATENT” powder flask with sloped spout, and dual cavity brass bullet mold with iron sprue cutter marked “COLTS/PATENT” in addition to the revolver itself.
CONDITION: Exceptionally fine. The remarkable engraving, the roll-scene, and the markings remain as crisp as the day they were applied. The revolver shows only minimal wear overall associated with light handling and storage and has likely never been fired. 75% of the bright original high polish blue finish remains on the barrel and cylinder with some
spots of flaking on the barrel and a larger section flaked on the cylinder and turned a smooth light brown patina. The cylinder has some light drag-lines and some flattened safety pins. 70% of the original case colors remain, and they are especially prominent on and around the recoil shield and hammer. The grip frame retains 98% plus of the original silver plating which has taken on a very attractive darkened aged patina on most of the surfaces as well as some brighter spots. The grip is excellent and retains nearly all of the glossy original varnish and has some small dings and scratches on the sides and slight lower edge wear. Mechanically excellent. The case is very fine, and the accessories are all excellent and have minor storage wear. This is an incredibly fine and early Colt Model 1851 Navy with distinctive factory engraving from the transitional period from the early Hartford style to the iconic German-American style popularized by Gustave Young, Herman Bodenstein, L.D. Nimschke, and other immensely talented engravers. This revolver will add interest and value to any collection and is an especially fitting addition for collections of engraved Colts. Provenance: The Mac McCroskie Collection.
Estimate: 80,000 - 130,000
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