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From the Legendary Mac McCroskie Collection
The pistol was featured in an article on Gustave Young and his family in an “American Rifleman” in the 1960s as well. Wilson also notes the pistol is also referenced on page xxix of “L.D. Nimschke Firearms Engraver” as part of the discussion of how the wolf hammer design was not exclusive to an engraver named Wolf. The famous “Young lists” have been published in other publications on Colt engraving as well, including “’51 Navies” by Swayze on page 213 and Wilson’s “The Book of Colt Engraving” on pages 55 and 56 and “The Colt Engraving Book Volume One” on pages 93 and 96. The revolver has the factory apostrophe marking by the lower serial numbers. This marking was used to designate arms selected for engraving and/or special finishing. All of the serial numbers match. The revolver features highly detailed “German-American” scroll engraving with punched backgrounds
on the flat sides of the loading lever arm, the rear 2 1/2 inches of the barrel, all of the frame, the trigger guard bow, and the top and bottom of the
back strap. The scrolls have some floral accents, and some sections have intertwining designs. The designs on the sides of the barrel have particularly complex designs. Fan patterns are found on the lower corners of the barrel lug and on the sides and top of the back strap. The five-shot cylinder has the classic stagecoach hold-up scene. The revolver is finished in the standard style for percussion Colts with a high polish blue on the barrel and cylinder, case colors on the frame as well as the loading lever and hammer, niter blue screws and trigger, and silver plating on the brass trigger guard and back strap. It is fitted with a very attractive one-piece grip that contrasts nicely with the darker finishes. The rosewood case has brass corner pieces, a blank brass lid escutcheon, dark purple lining, closely fitted interior, early brass “COLTS/PATENT” double cavity bullet mold without a sprue cutter, L-shaped combination screwdriver and nipple wrench, and two lidded compartments, one holding a cartridge pack and the other holding an Eley Bros. cap tin. Both of the latter two are marked for Colt’s Pocket Pistol.
CONDITION: Excellent overall. The engraving and markings remain exceptionally crisp. The barrel retains 95% plus of the bright high polish original blue finish and has a few small spots of flaking where the exposed steel shows a smooth brown patina. The cylinder retains 85% plus of the original blue finish and also has primarily a smooth brown patina on the balance. It also has a crisp roll-scene, light drag lines, and solid safety pins. The hammer and frame retain 97% plus of the vivid original case colors.
The loading lever has 80% original case colors and mostly a smooth gray coloration on the balance. Essentially all of the original silver plating remains on the grip frame, and the silver has taken on an attractive age darkened patina fitting for a revolver that has been scarcely even handled over the last nearly 170 years. The metal overall shows very minimal light handling and storage marks, very slight edge wear, and minimal spotting on the muzzle and face of the cylinder. The grip is also excellent and exhibits highly attractive natural tones and grain, an aged patina, and minor handling and storage wear. Mechanically excellent. The case and accessories are very fine and have only minor storage wear such as some fading of the lining and light scratches on the exterior of the case. This is a truly magnificent and well-documented early factory engraved Colt. It is one of just a very small number known today that are listed by serial number on the “Young lists.” As R.L. Wilson wrote in the 1968 dated Colt factory letter, “The outstanding condition, the fine. . . grips, engraving, and finish, and the rich casing would make this cased pocket pistol a very desirable collector’s item even without the extensive accompanying documentation. It is a set worthy of the most discriminating collector or museum.” A truly extraordinary Colt!
Provenance: The Mac McCroskie Collection.
Estimate: 100,000 - 180,000
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