RARE CASED & UNIQUE FLORAL ROCOCO ENGRAVED EXPOSITION, COLT LONDON POCKET MODEL PERCUSSION REVOLVER.
inv # 01-17677 

Cal. 31.
Bbl. 5”.
S# 26.

This is a very rare and beautifully engraved Colt Model 1849 most likely made for the Dublin Exposition of 1853. The engraving style is unique w/ floral & rococo designs. The bbl. address is hand engraved in unique sm. lettering not seen on any other revolver. London proofs were added after engraving as the normal proof on right side of bbl. housing is found in unengraved area below wedge slot which is not noted on any other specimens. Deluxe grips are nicely burled w/ fine color. The casing also has unique carved mother of pearl flower shaped compartment knob not seen on any other specimen. Larry Wilson in his Colt Engraving text shows this gun & states there are three types of London engraving & cites this example as being the rarest if not unique. Gun appears original, complete & authentic as manufactured though serial number on cyl. does not match balance of gun though still two digits “95”. There are other Colt exhibition guns known w/ unserialized cyls., this gun possibly was rushed for the exposition & this was the cyl. available. Most likely this is the only Model 1849 w/ this style of engraving as made for the Dublin Exposition in 1853 & this two-digit gun was first year produced in London. This rare early London oak casing has no provision for cleaning rod, and no mortise cut for bullet mold sprue cutter. Case contains near new Dixon bag flask with virtually all of its original varnish, a 2-cavity “COLTS PATENT” brass bullet mold, L-shaped combination gun tool, original pack of caps with Eley Brothers paper label and original 5-cartridge pack of Colt cartridges.

Status: Antique