Jordan and Geri say, “A cylinder having a complete scene and a legible Ormsby inscription is rather scarce.” This one has cylinder scene rating 95% or better, not only showing a sharp Texas and Mexican Navy battle scene, but also a sharp stamping of the date of the battle along the front edge of the cylinder: “ENGAGED 16 MAY 1843.” It also bears not only a strong “COLTS PATENT No. 29909” in the serial number cartouche, and an inspector’s (or routing) number “4,” but a strong “Engraved by W.L. Ormsby. New York” underneath with just the last three letters light. The nipples of the cylinder are not battered. To top it off, the cylinder also has very good, original blue-turned-plum finish.

By pattern, the pistol is a Middle Third Model Colt 1851 Navy in the J&G terminology, but lowers the first appearance of that pattern by a few hundred pistols in having matching serial #29909. It follows the standard configuration of the Third Model with six-shot cylinder, 7 ½ inch barrel, small brass triggerguard, pin front sight, correct large recoil shield cap cutout, etc., and uses the thick barrel lug that differentiates the Middle from the Early Third Models, and which J&G think came in about #30250, overlapping with the Early Third Models until about #30500. (The summary table on page 41 seems to have transposed to numbers. See their p.46.) This pistol also has the loading lever pivot screw entering from the right side, which was standard on the Early Third Models, but inconsistent on the Middle Third Models until about #34600, when it  settled on a left side entry, either from simplifying assembly or from esthetics.

Metal on the gun is smooth. The barrel has a crisp address, -ADDRESS SAML COLT NEW-YORK CITY.- and preserves about 80% thin blue with some dull silver to the edges and a bit of rubbing on the last three words of the address, though it may have been touched up lightly. It shows some small light dings on the right where the wedge may have been tapped out, and two scratches near it on the left, but also an inspector’s number “4” at that point, matching the number on the cylinder near serial number cartouche. The hammer shows some faded case color. The frame, likewise, is smooth metal and COLTS / PATENT stamp on the left frame is crisp, though the frame and loading assembly have been blued, and the frame screws show a very strong blue indicating a separate coloring or possible replacement. It must have been impossible for an early collector to resist improving the look of a pistol with a lot going for it already, but in coloring the frame he seems to have left some oil or grease on the right side below the cylinder (Andy’s perceptive suggestion on the cause,) which has left an elongated swirl to the blue finish below the cylinder that drops down toward the trigger and then rises upward again in a shallow curve below the cylinder to end at the forward edge of the frame.

The brass preserves about 10% of its silver wash, showing thin on the underside of the triggerguard and a bit stronger on the upper end of the backstap, its apron, shoulder lugs (or “ears.”) The bottom of the butt has a number of small dings in the metal and the wood, pretty typical of any antique revolver. The wood shows some chipping and darkening around the lower edge, but a good fit to the back strap and just a slight hairline age gap at the right frame. The right grip bears eight original narrow notches. We hesitate to speculate on their significance. The surface of the grips is good and may reflect an old refinish about the time it was colored. The action is good.

This is a nice Middle Third Model Colt M1851 Navy with a production run estimated at about 7500. The 1853 date of manufacture gives it plenty of time for use in the early west and even up through the Civil War and early postwar west. Needless to say, the Colt Model 51 Navy is one of Colt’s most attractive products, packs a lot of history, and is collecting field unto itself. This is a nice example of that popular sidearm.  [sr] [ph:L]

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