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VERY GOOD, NEAR FINE IVORY GRIP GUSTAVE YOUNG STYLE ENGRAVED COLT M1851 NAVY MADE IN 1859

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This very pretty Colt Navy is serial number 92278, giving it a manufacture date of 1859, and is an early 4^th Model, with no capping groove and larger triggerguard. The serial numbers match throughout and bear a punch dot indicating it was set aside for extra finish or engraving. The engraving is the Gustave Young style, named after one of Colt’s master engravers and his principle engraving contractor at the time. Modern arms students tend avoid personal attributions, except at the very highest end, given the number and skill of engravers working for Colt, but this “third style,” dominant in Colt engraving from 1852 to 1865, is accepted as due to his influence. If not done by Young personally, this one was done by one of his more talented compatriots and shows the characteristics of Young’s style: bold leaf motifs, floral scrolls within scrolls, animals mixed in, including a realistic hound’s head on either side of the hammer and a third on the left side of barrel assembly, integrated with circling floral scrolls around the loading lever screw. The left frame shows an engraved Colt’s Patent marking on the left frame in a kidney shaped cartouche, and the engraver frequently used of a punch dot stippled ground to highlight his engraved motifs.

The pistol rates at least Very Good for condition and perhaps Fine. There is little original finish: some thin silver remaining on the underside of the triggerguard plate and on the edges of the apron at the top of the buttstrap, and some thin blue shading to the recoil shield. The engraving, however, is sharp and distinct, with very little wear. We see just a bit of rubbing to the forward-most element on the top flat beyond the barrel address, which is the typical stamped marking: “ADDRESS SAML COLT HARTFORD CT,” and that wear is very slight. The floral scrolls on the upper side flats are very good and show the pebbled, punch-dot ground. The engraving on the rammer lug is very good, and very good as well on either side of breach with the forward scroll on the right showing just a tad light and with some yellowish grease or oil staining around the wedge that might clean. On the left the floral elements and the dog head are very good. The cylinder was not engraved and shows only traces of the scene, but the serial number and Colt patent stamp is sharp. The nipples are very good, not battered, though we see some fine pitting on the forcing cone indicating the gun was used and the serial number on the bottom of the barrel assembly is rubbed in the middle, probably, like the wear near the wedge, from holding the pistol there while taking it apart for cleaning, or from holstering. Engraving to the frame, recoil shield, triggerguard, backstrap and buttstrap is excellent. The hammer engraving is sharp, showing the typical fish-scale strip on the top and the realistically rendered dog’s heads on the sides that everyone looks for in Young style engraving. The backstrap shows an untouched, aged brass patina, with sharp engraving at top and bottom, the center left open for and inscription, and on the buttstrap, which is fully engraved, rather than just near the back, shows some faint silver. The grips fit very well, have nice color and show just some yellowish stains and some hairlines on the bottom of the butt.

This was an expensive pistol at the time. Engraving was an extra $5 on a Colt Navy and the ivory grips would have run another $6 on top of that. We would say the purchaser got his money’s worth. Until recently this pistol was in the Texas Civil War Museum collection. It merits a prominent place in another.  [sr][ph:L]

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