This is a late production Model 1849 Percussion Revolver in .31 caliber with 4" barrel and the desirable 6-shot cylinder.  Barrel has the 1-line New York address.   Mfd in 1869.   Serial no. is in the 318,000 range.   100% all matching numbers.   The loading lever is not numbered which is correct.  Note: Late production 49's do not have numbers on the loading lever and a few of the very late ones will not have numbered barrel wedges.   This is the third one we've had like this in the past few years and it appears the loading lever numbers were dropped somewhere in the mid-200,000 range.   Here is a similar item we sold last year in the 267,000 range that was also built without a number on the loading lever.

http://www.antiquearmsinc.com/colt-1849-pocket-revolver-6.htm

Overall condition is NRA Antique Fine+ with 75-80% barrel blue that is mixing with some brown freckles.   Strong flashes of original case colors on the fulcrum of the loading lever.   The original case colors have 10% light colors while the balance has mostly silvered out with some patina beginning to mix through.  Cylinder scene is nearly perfect and at least 95%+ with some minor dings and scratches.   Back of cylinder retains all or at least some portion of its original safety pins.   Trigger guard and back strap show just traces of original plating which is completely normal for late percussion Colts.   For some reason, the silver plating on Colt revolvers was not very durable starting around the mid-1860's up through the early 1870's.   Over the years, we've had guns that were in nearly mint condition with almost all their original blue and case colors...with hardly a trace of original silver plating on the straps.   Here is a textbook example of later-type Colt plating on a near mint condition model 1862 Police that was built within one year of this Model 1849:

http://www.antiquearmsinc.com/colt-1862-police-revolver.htm

As you can see from the photos, that gun was almost perfect with hardly a speck of original silver left.   The grips on this 1849 are in Excellent shape with 95% original varnish with perfect wood-to-metal fit around the straps and frame.   Colt used a couple of different types of high quality varnish on their grips.   Like the early, more durable silver plating, it's possible to find a gun with virtually no finish and worn cylinder scene that still has considerable amounts of original varnish intact.  One type was a special type of Violin varnish called "turpene" that was derived from ground up amber.   140 years later, it's still in great shape!   No chips, cracks, or repairs.   Very Good mechanics.   Barrel-to-frame lockup is nice and tight.   Bore is in very good condition.   All in all, a very nice example of a Colt Percussion Pocket Revolver that's 100% original down to the smallest screw.

Item# 1206

SOLD