RARE VERY EARLY LONDON MANUFACTURED COLT 1851 NAVY s/n 397
£4,000
This is an exceptionally rare, very early London made Colt Navy, Serial Number 397 manufactured in 1853.
Samuel Colt had been eyeing the London market for his revolvers for quite a while, Britain and its Empire were a potentially enormous market for Colt, however Great Britain was the Global Industrial Superpower of the day and had every intention of retaining this position.
Britain had a stringent domestic market protectionist policy (not unlike the US position today). Import duties and tariff restrictions made it extremely difficult for a foreign gun maker to break into the UK market in any significant way.
The only solution open to Samuel Colt was to build a factory in the UK and manufacture his range of firearms in country.
After hiring Charles Manby as his London agent, Manby set about locating a suitable building for the new Colt factory.
Hoping to locate a suitably sized and well located building, with the space for the beam engine, Colt machinery and secure storage.
Manby eventually found the ideal premises for Colts London venture after some searching, located on the Thames Bank near Vauxhall Bridge, the factory site ticked all the boxes, with excellent transport links for distribution, an image of the impressive Factory frontage is attached below for interest.
The early London made Colts (first 2000) had a high percentage of Hartford made component parts, as production progressed the revolvers gradually increased the London made content, until they were 100% London made and finished.
London Colts can be identified by their Address Col. Colt London barrel address, flanked by two divergent arrows and slightly different parts and finish. To take into account local machinery and workforce differences. One odd London Navy particularity is the loading lever pivot screw is positioned on the left of the revolver instead of the right.
Colt occupied the site from 1853 until 1857, choosing not to continue the lease, as the Crimean war had concluded and War department orders had dried up.
Coupled to this, domestic private market competitors, were making inroads into Colts UK domestic market.
Colt made 38,000 plus London manufactured and marked Navy models (the so called "London London") and after closing down production, began manufacturing the "Hartford London", (about 4000 manufactured).
The Hartford London this was basically a standard US 1851 model (occasionally utilising some London made parts), but with the barrel marked with the Address Col. Colt London (differing in that it has two flanking parallel lines instead of arrows) and shipped to the UK for proofing and sale by Colts London agent.
The Hartford serial numbers carry on from the London manufactured Colts, with some apparent overlap, probably as a slight of hand to get round the import tariffs.
This example, s/n 397, is an extremely rare, very early surviving London 1851 Navy, manufactured within the first couple of weeks of London production and fitted with the early Hartford made "Slim Jim" Walnut grips. Only the earliest (first 500 made) are known to be fitted with these.
Condition report
Overall: I would classify s/n 397 in (NRA standard) Very Good Condition, full matching numbers, 85% original London bluing to barrel. The frame,cylinder, hammer and rammer, display an even patina, with the odd very small area of historic corrosion.
The action screws are in good order, with no burring, the revolver operates correctly on half and full cock and indexes and locks up with 'very' slight play, commensurate with age and use.
Barrel assembly:
The Barrel has 85% original finish, with clear and sharp markings and edges. The bore has clear and sharp lands and grooves, with even frosting throughout and the odd pitted swirl caused by corrosive fulminate of mercury charges contained in early percussion caps, very commonly encountered on antique revolvers and caused when percussion revolvers were fired with caps on empty chambers. The faint trace of surviving red paint on the barrel assembly serial number, suggests some form of official use or issue.
The attached ramrod displaying some areas of patina and discolouration.
Frame and hammer:
The frame and hammer have a smooth aged patina finish with very small areas of historic corrosion, all markings and edges are clear and sharp.
The cylinder:
The cylinder has some wear, with the Naval engagement scene and s/n still clearly evident on over half of the cylinder exterior surface. The cylinder has been struck down 'lightly' on one side with two very small areas of solder added, the reasons for this historic repair aren't immediately apparent, but I would think that at some point the revolver was left to rest in a drawer (or similar) and this caused some surface corrosion.
Firing erosion is present on the rear face, with two remaining safety pins and what appear to be the original nipples. The erosion to the rear face would suggest some very considerable use, most likely as an officers Private purchase piece during the Crimean war.
Trigger Guard, grips and back strap:
As a very early example of a London produced model 1851, this example is fitted with the early US Hartford made "Slim Jim" walnut grips, complete with silvered brass back-strap and small trigger guard, most unusually, virtually all the original silvering has survived and the original Slim Jim walnut grips are also in excellent condition.
Length 13 in (330 mm)
Calibre .36
Samuel Colt had been eyeing the London market for his revolvers for quite a while, Britain and its Empire were a potentially enormous market for Colt, however Great Britain was the Global Industrial Superpower of the day and had every intention of retaining this position.
Britain had a stringent domestic market protectionist policy (not unlike the US position today). Import duties and tariff restrictions made it extremely difficult for a foreign gun maker to break into the UK market in any significant way.
The only solution open to Samuel Colt was to build a factory in the UK and manufacture his range of firearms in country.
After hiring Charles Manby as his London agent, Manby set about locating a suitable building for the new Colt factory.
Hoping to locate a suitably sized and well located building, with the space for the beam engine, Colt machinery and secure storage.
Manby eventually found the ideal premises for Colts London venture after some searching, located on the Thames Bank near Vauxhall Bridge, the factory site ticked all the boxes, with excellent transport links for distribution, an image of the impressive Factory frontage is attached below for interest.
The early London made Colts (first 2000) had a high percentage of Hartford made component parts, as production progressed the revolvers gradually increased the London made content, until they were 100% London made and finished.
London Colts can be identified by their Address Col. Colt London barrel address, flanked by two divergent arrows and slightly different parts and finish. To take into account local machinery and workforce differences. One odd London Navy particularity is the loading lever pivot screw is positioned on the left of the revolver instead of the right.
Colt occupied the site from 1853 until 1857, choosing not to continue the lease, as the Crimean war had concluded and War department orders had dried up.
Coupled to this, domestic private market competitors, were making inroads into Colts UK domestic market.
Colt made 38,000 plus London manufactured and marked Navy models (the so called "London London") and after closing down production, began manufacturing the "Hartford London", (about 4000 manufactured).
The Hartford London this was basically a standard US 1851 model (occasionally utilising some London made parts), but with the barrel marked with the Address Col. Colt London (differing in that it has two flanking parallel lines instead of arrows) and shipped to the UK for proofing and sale by Colts London agent.
The Hartford serial numbers carry on from the London manufactured Colts, with some apparent overlap, probably as a slight of hand to get round the import tariffs.
This example, s/n 397, is an extremely rare, very early surviving London 1851 Navy, manufactured within the first couple of weeks of London production and fitted with the early Hartford made "Slim Jim" Walnut grips. Only the earliest (first 500 made) are known to be fitted with these.
Condition report
Overall: I would classify s/n 397 in (NRA standard) Very Good Condition, full matching numbers, 85% original London bluing to barrel. The frame,cylinder, hammer and rammer, display an even patina, with the odd very small area of historic corrosion.
The action screws are in good order, with no burring, the revolver operates correctly on half and full cock and indexes and locks up with 'very' slight play, commensurate with age and use.
Barrel assembly:
The Barrel has 85% original finish, with clear and sharp markings and edges. The bore has clear and sharp lands and grooves, with even frosting throughout and the odd pitted swirl caused by corrosive fulminate of mercury charges contained in early percussion caps, very commonly encountered on antique revolvers and caused when percussion revolvers were fired with caps on empty chambers. The faint trace of surviving red paint on the barrel assembly serial number, suggests some form of official use or issue.
The attached ramrod displaying some areas of patina and discolouration.
Frame and hammer:
The frame and hammer have a smooth aged patina finish with very small areas of historic corrosion, all markings and edges are clear and sharp.
The cylinder:
The cylinder has some wear, with the Naval engagement scene and s/n still clearly evident on over half of the cylinder exterior surface. The cylinder has been struck down 'lightly' on one side with two very small areas of solder added, the reasons for this historic repair aren't immediately apparent, but I would think that at some point the revolver was left to rest in a drawer (or similar) and this caused some surface corrosion.
Firing erosion is present on the rear face, with two remaining safety pins and what appear to be the original nipples. The erosion to the rear face would suggest some very considerable use, most likely as an officers Private purchase piece during the Crimean war.
Trigger Guard, grips and back strap:
As a very early example of a London produced model 1851, this example is fitted with the early US Hartford made "Slim Jim" walnut grips, complete with silvered brass back-strap and small trigger guard, most unusually, virtually all the original silvering has survived and the original Slim Jim walnut grips are also in excellent condition.
Length 13 in (330 mm)
Calibre .36
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