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Historic Documented Civil War W.A. Thornton/D.D. Tompkins Asst. Quartermaster General Shipped Factory Engraved Colt Model 1851 Navy Percussion Revolver with Factory Letter - Serial no. 93243, 36 percussion cal.,
7 1/2 inch octagon bbl., blue/casehardened/silver finish, antique ivory grips. The accompanying factory letter lists this revolver with a 7 1/2 inch barrel in .36 caliber, blue finish, “wood” stocks, and factory engraving when shipped to W.A. Thornton, U.S.A., c/o Col. D.D. Tompkins, Asst. Quartermaster General, New York, on April 26, 1861. This shipment was for 10 units. This revolver is engraved in the classic style often associated with Gustave Young, but he was in Germany at the time. Instead, this revolver was more than likely executed by Herman Bodenstein who served as Colt’s main engraving contractor from Young’s departure in 1858 until Bodenstein’s death in August 1865. The factory engraving dot marking appears near the full serial numbers on the barrel, frame, trigger guard and back strap. The hammer has five dots indicating around 50 hours were required for the engraving. The Germanic scroll engraving is inhabited by one of the
distinctive animal head designs above the loading lever screw on the left and has the wolf head motif on the hammer. The barrel has a dovetailed blade front sight and “-ADDRESS SAML COLT NEW-YORK CITY-” on top. “COLT’S/PATENT” is
engraved on the left side of the frame. The cylinder has the naval battle scene. Matching partial or full serial numbers are on the frame, trigger guard, back strap, cylinder, loading lever, wedge, and arbor pin. The grip features a relief carving of a cuirassier on the left side. Colonel Daniel D. Tompkins (1798-1863)
entered West Point in 1814 at the age of 15 and graduated in 1820, was the nephew of Daniel D. Tompkins (Governor of New York and Vice President of the United States), was cited for “gallant
and meritorious conduct” during the Second Seminole War, served in the Quartermaster’s Department during the Mexican War, and served as Colonel of the Quartermaster’s
Department in New York from 1861 until his death in 1863. Colonel William A. Thornton (1803-1866) ranked 12th in his West Point class of 1825, served in the Blackhawk and
Florida wars, commanded Watertown and the Ordnance Department at Fort Columbus, and during the Civil War commanded the Watervliet Arsenal, New York from May 15,
1861 to December 25, 1863. At the time Watervliet employed about 2,000 people and specialized in leather goods, shells, and gun and artillery carriages but by the late 1880s the arsenal transitioned into the Army’s premier large caliber cannon manufacturer. Production eventually included the 16 inch guns for the Army Coast Artillery Corps. The manufacturing of state of the art weaponry continues at the historic Building 110 known as “The Big Guns Shop”. In operation since the War of 1812, Watervliet Arsenal is the oldest, continuously active arsenal in the United States. Of note, there is another known
cased set of Colt Model 1851 revolvers that were presented to William A. Thornton himself that had his name inscribed on both their back straps. Reportedly, 60 special revolvers,
typically cased sets, were given by Samuel Colt to select military dignitaries as “Presents to Officers” in 1861, with this engraved example likely included as part of one of the said sets.
CONDITION: Very good, having a mottled gray patina overall. The cylinder has some minor pitting and retains 50% of the naval scene. The grip straps retain 90% original silver plating.
The factory engraving is clear. The grip is good with a stabilized crack (right side), some hairline age cracking on the bottom, and provisions for an overlay on the right side. Mechanically fine. A
factory documented factory engraved Model 1851 shipped to any Civil War commander would be a grand statement to any Colt percussion or Civil War collection!
Provenance: The John Fox Collection.
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William A. Thornton
Daniel D. Tompkins Estimate: 9,500 - 15,000