Newly Discovered U.S. Colt Model 1847 Walker Revolver
Posted on 11/19/2016 12:02:25 AM PST by Swordmaker
Auction No. 112 – Session 1
by Amoskeag Auction Co
November 19, 2016, 9:00 AM EST | Manchester, NH, US
Live Auction
Lot 60: Newly Discovered U.S. Colt Model 1847 Walker Revolver (262 views)
Estimate: $75,000 - $125,000
Description: serial #B Company No. 45, .44 caliber, 8 ⅞" barrel with good bore that shows rifling its entire length with scattered and patchy light pitting present, moderate in a couple areas.
This revolver was recently discovered in Massachusetts and was sent to Herb Glass, Jr. for a complete evaluation. Mr. Glass studied the revolver for several days and provided a two page letter which states among other things that the revolver is a "Genuine Colt Walker, the existence of which was, apparently, previously unreported".
The revolver shows period alterations and repairs by a frontier gunsmith. These include the conversion to a Navy style rammer latch with the dovetail for the original spring neatly filled and polished so it is nearly invisible. The cylinder pin shows a neatly done brazed repair and the barrel-to-frame fit was tightened by removing the frame pins and relieving the front of the frame which removed the two-digit serial number normally found between the pins. The muzzle of the barrel was neatly trimmed by 1/8" likely due to damage. The cylinder pins were then reversed and mounted within the barrel and fit within corresponding holes in the face of the frame. Glass calls this a most competent repair.
It is interesting to note that the number "51" appears stamped on most parts including the cylinder pin, barrel breech between pins, side of the triggerguard near factory "45", on the side of the buttstrap, on the side of the hammer and on the face of the cylinder. Because this work was done by a frontier gunsmith there would be no need to apply assembly numbers as he would likely only be working on one gun at a time, Mr. Glass feels that these numbers represent the year of the work being completed. The wedge is a Dragoon wedge which is numbered 7499 which interestingly dates to about the 1850-51 period lending more credence to the "51" representing the date of repair work.
Once the repairs and alterations were completed the gun was refinished which has removed the pressure ridge normally found on the cylinder and also has caused some of the original markings to become light or no longer visible. The barrel address is evenly light and only partially legible, under magnification with proper light, most letters are visible. The "1847" above the wedge screw remains legible, the "B" and "45" are visible on the left side of the barrel with the balance of the "B COMPANY NO. 45" being no longer visble. The "B COMPANY No 45" on left side of frame is fully legible. The serial number is also completely legible on the triggerguard and is completely removed from the buttstrap. The "B" and "45" are both visible on the cylinder and "45" is stamped on the front inlet of the grips.
The metal surfaces of the revolver show a deep brown patina with scattered old oxidation present along with some traces of the blue finish which was applied in 1851.
Interestingly the triggerguard shows a good deal of original silverplated finish which is heavily tarnished and is an unusual treatment but according to Glass is not unique as he has other martial Walkers that has their triggerguards originally silveplated.
The grips were varnished at time of refinish and they still retain a good deal of that finish remaining and with significant chips at each toe. Walker revolvers all saw hard service and this example is no exception. Glass notes that the revolver saw hard use resulting in damage and was refurbished on the frontier in 1851 and then returned to service where it acquired considerable wear to the new finish.
This revolver could have very well seen Civil War service and if it did, it would have been most likely used by a Confederate soldier and perhaps was returned to Massachusetts as a war trophy only to be stored away and forgotten about.
Mr. Glass makes it very clear how untouched this revolver is stating "I can state with absolute certainty that this gun had not been fully disassembled since its period of use."
Any Walker revolver is a treasure for the advanced U.S. martial or Colt collector. They have been coveted with serial numbers of known examples recorded by scholars since the forties and fifties. The fact that this revolver was previously unknown and remains in such an honest and untouched state of preservation make this a truly special Walker revolver and an exciting discovery for the Colt collecting fraternity.
(17905-1) {ANTIQUE}
Starting bid: $45,000 (0 bids)
That is a fun looking collection, good for you.
#19 Hi Dad, it’s me. Your long lost Son.
Great thread.
Please keep the posts coming.
I own a Colt Walker replica, supposedly an exact copy that is made in Italy. Very heavy. Supposedly the most powerful black powder handgun ever made.
Long bores in the cylinder allows extra powder, and she really kicks when overloaded. Very noisy, lotsa smoke. Very fun to shoot.
Beautiful collection.
The surprising things are the report and the recoil. The report is more of a “WHUMP!!” than the instantaneous, hard, high-pitched “CRACK!” you get from a .357 mag. and the recoil is more of a hard push than a sudden, instantaneous wallop.
Awesome collection, Dusty. I love the quotes on the wall mount. Awesome!
What a magnificent collection! It must be a source of great joy to you. Nicely displayed too!
Kill the burglar but burn your house down. Quandary!
And yet my rare English .22 conversion of a Victory model S&W is looked down on as a “shooter” as it has been buffed and reblued.
One firearm rusted is a treasure while another is considered one step above junk.
There are a whole bunch of excellent replicas out there. I have several and shoot them often. Have fun!
;^)
Wow! $15,000 for a plain Jane 1911 dated 1912. I am out of touch with these prices.
Obviously condition and rarity are everything and I suppose this must be one of the most minty of the 1912s and being brand new, I have no clue how many were made let alone exist today. Just strikes me as not a particularly rare animal.
Then again, $15,000 isn’t exhorbitant. I just can’t get my head around a 1911 that expensive that wasn’t owned by some historic figure with provenance that gives that gun such a rarity, such as if it was carried by Dwight Eisenhower or some such thing. Then it would be far above $15,000 of course.
Good thing I am not shopping these days.
“Awesome, i love these old Colts. I have a wonderful 1st gen SAA calvary model that is 100 years old.”
Me too. I have one inspected by Henry Nettleson made in 1876.
Make that 1878.
The finish changed very early on Colt M1911s, from a mirror-polished blue to the more familiar “Colt brushed blue”, and of those few pistols, not many survived with the original finish. And, as with the scarce Springfield Armory-made M1911s, many would have been used up in World War I.
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