“Colt 1862 Pocket Navy engraved. This is one of the
best looking Colt Pocket Navys I have seen. The engraving
covers the frame and approximately half of the barrel. The backstrap and trigger guard also have good coverage. The hammer and the loading lever have a good amount
of engraving as well. I recently had this Pocket Navy
examined by an author of one of the well known Colt
Pocket Pistol books. He told me he was certain the pistol
was engraved in house by one of the Ulrich brothers. The blue is mostly gone on this pistol. I don’t know if it didn’t
have blue or was cleaned. The edges are still sharp and
the lettering is sharp and easy to read. Nearly all of the
silver is still present on the backstrap and trigger guard. The hammer and the frame still retain a very good amount
of case color. What can you say about the color of nicely
aged ivory grips. These grips fit as you would expect factory
fitted grips to fit. This pistol boasts all matching numbers
including the grips. The wedge does not have a number,
but appears to be 100% original. The bore shows use, but
is in good condition. Check out the pictures of the cylinder
scene. The scene is great. It is one of the few pistols I have
seen that you can actually tell what is on the cylinder. This
Colt 1862 Engraved Pocket Navy functions flawlessly. The
lockup is very tight and everything is as you would expect
it to be. This is a very rare and tastefully done Colt 1862
Engraved Pocket Navy. Bid with confidence. A three day
look is fine. Please ask questions prior to bidding. Prefer
guaranteed funds. Shipping is $50 USPS, registered mail. This is an antique so shipping is to your door. Have fun!”
1862 Police Revolver.
Bidding for this antique firearm closed at $7,100 but did not reach the seller’s reserve.
STANDARD PRODUCTION MODEL
NOTE: Longer barrels will bring a premium over the 4.5 inch length.
MODEL 1862 POLICE REVOLVER
This is a slim, attractively designed revolver that some consider the most aesthetically pleasing of all the Colt percussion designs. It has a five-shot, half-fluted cylinder chambered for .36 cal. and is offered with a 3.5-, 4.5, 5.5- or 6.5-inch round barrel. The frame, hammer and loading lever are case colored; the barrel and cylinder, blued. The grip frame is silver plated brass; and the unitary, one piece grips are varnished walnut. The barrel is stamped “ADDRESS COL. SAML. COLT NEW-YORK U.S. AMERICA” and the frame has “COLT’S/PATENT” on the left side. One of the cylinder flutes is marked “PAT. SEPT. 10 1850.” Nearly 28,000 Police Revolvers were manufactured between 1861 and 1873. Many were converted to metallic cartridge use, so they are quite scarce on today’s market. The London Address Model would be worth approximately twice the value of the standard model. Police with 3.5 inch barrels, known as the Trapper’s Model, are extremely rare and possibly only 50 were built.
NOTE: The following advertisement appeared in the Spring of 2007 at AntiqueGunList.com:
“Colt Percussion, 1862 Pocket Police, 4-1/2 inch barrel, fluted cylinder, 36 cal., SN 17XXX manufactured 1863. An excellent example of a Civil War era Colt Pocket Police with all matching numbers including the wedge. This Colt has seen very little use in 144 years. It has NO pitting, a few small nicks on the cylinder and barrel only. There is No pitting on the hammer, recoil shield or nipples. The action is tight as new and the bore is a shiny 9+ with only a couple of very light rough spots. The screws retaining light blue, they are in excellent condition and do not appear to have been removed. The frame has 85% case, the rammer has 80% and the hammer has 95% case. The cylinder and barrel have thin blue on almost all areas darker in the protected locations. The serial numbers, patent stamps and barrel address are sharp and crisp with no wear. The back strap and trigger guard have 20 to 30% thin silver remaining. The fine original grips have 98% of the varnish, no chips or cracks and only minor dings in the varnish. A great example of a Civil War Colt Pocket in overall fine to excellent condition. $3,695.”
STANDARD PRODUCTION MODEL
NOTE: Longer barrels will bring a premium over the 3.5- or 4.5-inch length.
SECTION III
COLT’S REVOLVERS & THE METALLIC CARTRIDGES
METALLIC CARTRIDGE CONVERSIONS
The transitional era from muzzleloading to breechloading was not the Colt’s company’s finest hour. That was still to come. In fact, hemmed in by Smith & Wesson’s exclusive rights to the Rollin White patent for bored-through chambers to accommodate breechloading metallic cartridges, Colt struggled to maintain the lustre of its name and market share. It was not until 1869 that the White patent expired, and even then, Colt was not prepared with new models.
So from the waning of the percussion era until 1872 Colt took in non-firearm manufacturing business (even manufacturing sewing machines) and worked feverishly on new firearm designs. In the four years between the end of the Civil War and 1869, when it became clear that breechloading cartridges were the future and would soon replace all of their designs, Colt struggled with diminishing sales of its muzzleloading guns.
Between 1869 and 1972, Colt produced a number of models that are variously considered “conversions.” These weapons were Colt percussion revolvers that were reworked to accommodate metallic cartridges. None can be considered entirely successful.
Model 1851 Navy Thuer Conversion.
Model 1860 Army Thuer Conversion.
THUER CONVERSION
Although quite simplistic and not commercially successful, the Thuer Conversion (named after gunsmith and patent holder F. Alexander Thuer) was brought out in 1869 and remained in the line until 1872 for a total of about 5,000 guns. It was the strongest attempt by Colt to circumvent former employee Rollin White’s patent (which had been sold to Smith & Wesson) and to convert remaining Colt percussion revolvers to the new metallic cartridge system. This conversion was designed around the proprietary, tapered Thuer cartridge and consisted of a ring that replaced the back part of the cylinder, which had been milled off. The ring is stamped “PAT. SEP. / 15. 1868.” The ejection position is marked with the letter “E.” These conversions have rebounding firing pins and were milled to allow loading from the front of the revolver cylinder. All Thuer Conversions were six-shot revolvers. This conversion was undertaken on the six different models listed; and all other specifications, finishes, markings, etc., not directly affected by the conversion would be the same as previously described. From a collectible and investment standpoint,
