Original Item: One of a Kind. This is an extraordinary opportunity to acquire one of the most historically important American firearms ever produced: a Colt Ehlers Improved No. 1 Pocket Model Paterson Revolver, the legendary “Baby Paterson.”

This is where the Colt revolver story began.

Before the famous Colt Walker, before the Dragoon, before the Navy, and decades before the iconic Single Action Army “Peacemaker,” Samuel Colt’s dream of a practical repeating handgun began at his first factory in Paterson, New Jersey.

Manufactured from early Colt Paterson components and completed circa 1842–1845 by John Ehlers, this remarkable revolver represents the foundation upon which one of the greatest names in firearms history was built.

The Colt No. 1 Pocket Model, known today by collectors as the “Baby Paterson,” was the first handgun design produced by Samuel Colt’s Patent Arms Manufacturing Company. These small .28 caliber five-shot revolvers demonstrated Colt’s revolutionary concept: a reliable repeating handgun that could provide multiple shots before reloading.

The Patent Arms Manufacturing Company operated in Paterson, New Jersey, powered by the Passaic River near the famous Great Falls. Production of the original Baby Paterson revolvers began in 1837, with approximately 500 manufactured before Colt shifted attention toward larger revolvers and revolving long arms.

Although mechanically brilliant and far ahead of its time, the marketplace was not yet ready. After producing approximately 1,450 revolving rifles and carbines, 462 revolving shotguns, and 2,350 revolving pistols, Colt’s first company failed in 1842. The original Colt Gun Mill survived for many years before sadly being destroyed by fire in 1983, but the groundbreaking firearms produced there remain some of the most desirable Colt collectibles in existence.

Following the closure of Patent Arms Manufacturing Company, creditor and business associate John Ehlers acquired the remaining assets. According to “Colt Single Action: From Patersons to Peacemakers” by Dennis Adler, Ehlers obtained approximately 536 incomplete Colt Paterson No. 1 and No. 2 revolvers in December 1842.

Rather than allowing these revolutionary arms to disappear, Ehlers completed and improved them, advertising:

“Colt’s Patent Repeating Fire-Arms With the Latest Improvement of 1843 and 1844” in New York newspapers during 1844 and 1845.

This revolver is one of those exceptionally scarce Ehlers-completed examples, often referred to by collectors as the Fourth Model Ehlers Pocket Revolver.

The most recognizable Ehlers improvement was the addition of an attached loading lever with retaining spring, greatly improving practicality compared to earlier Paterson revolvers that required separate loading tools. This example also features the later style round-back five-shot cylinder with pressed-in ratchet teeth rather than the earlier cylinder turning ring system.

The revolver retains portions of its original high polish blued finish, a remarkable feature on a firearm of this age and rarity. The remaining finish has naturally aged into an attractive plum-gray patina, with no evidence of heavy powder damage or serious corrosion.

The revolver is serial number:

93

This serial number is correctly visible on multiple components, including:

- Rear face of the barrel lug
- Barrel wedge
- Rear of the cylinder
- Lower frame beneath the grip
- Grip frame

While complete production records for Paterson revolvers do not survive, this example displays the correct configuration and features expected for an Ehlers Improved No. 1 Pocket Model.

Adding to its provenance, this exact revolver was sold as Lot 190 in the C.B. Richards Galleries auction catalog of the Andy Palmer gun collection in 1972. A printed copy of the information relating to that sale will accompany the revolver.

The top of the barrel retains the original Colt Paterson address, partially visible:

— Patent Arms [M'g. Co.] Paterson, N.J. - Colt's Pt. —

The missing “M’g Co.” portion was most likely caused by wear or damage to the original roll marking die, a known issue encountered on some Paterson examples.

One of the most outstanding features of this revolver is the cylinder scene. Unlike many surviving Paterson revolvers where the delicate roll engraving is heavily worn or completely lost, this example retains a clear and attractive “Centaur Fighting Four Horsemen” cylinder scene.

The famous early Colt trademark panel is also visible, reading:

COLT

within the distinctive Four Horsehead trademark.

The ribbed background remains evident, and the overall preservation of the scene is exceptional for such an early Colt revolver.

The American black walnut grip remains in excellent condition, displaying a beautiful aged reddish-brown color. Even more impressively, the grip retains its original factory varnish, now showing expected age checking and minor flaking after nearly two centuries.

Mechanically, the revolver still cycles, though the action shows expected wear from age and use. The mechanism is somewhat delicate and should be operated carefully. The folding trigger, designed to extend automatically when the hammer reaches full cock, no longer deploys as originally intended. The cylinder stop is present but no longer fully engages, allowing some cylinder movement at full cock.

Some internal components were replaced with custom-fabricated parts at some point during the revolver’s long history. As with all surviving Paterson revolvers, especially examples approaching 200 years old, careful handling is recommended.

The bore is a particularly impressive feature. The original 11-groove rifling remains in excellent condition, showing a mostly bright finish with crisp lands and grooves. It appears this revolver saw relatively little actual firing use during its lifetime.

Overall, this is an exceptional example of one of the most important firearms in American history. The Colt Paterson was the beginning of Samuel Colt’s vision, the design that introduced the practical revolver concept that would eventually change firearms forever.

With its extremely limited production, Ehlers improvements, matching serial number 93 components, strong original cylinder scene, excellent bore, remaining finish, and documented collector provenance, this Baby Paterson represents a truly rare opportunity.

A cornerstone piece for any advanced Colt, early American arms, or firearms history collection.

Specifications:
Years of Manufacture: Components circa 1837, Completed 1842–1845
Caliber: .28 Caliber
Ammunition Type: Cap and Ball Percussion
Barrel Length: 3 Inches
Overall Length: 6 Inches
Action Type: Single Action Revolver
Feed System: 5-Shot Cylinder

The Colt Paterson revolver was the first commercial repeating firearm employing a revolving cylinder with multiple chambers aligned with a single, stationary barrel. Its design was patented by Samuel Colt on February 25, 1836, in the United States, England and France, and it derived its name from being produced in Paterson, New Jersey by the Patent Arms Manufacturing Company. Initially this 5 shot revolver was produced in .28 caliber, with a .36 caliber model following a year later. As originally designed and produced, no loading lever was included with the revolver; a user had to partially disassemble the revolver to re-load it. Starting in 1839, however, a reloading lever and a capping window were incorporated into the design, allowing reloading without disassembly. This loading lever and capping window design change was also incorporated after the fact into most Colt Paterson revolvers that had been produced from 1836 until 1839. Unlike later revolvers, a folding trigger was incorporated into the Colt Paterson. The trigger became visible only upon cocking the hammer.

A subsequent patent renewal in 1849, and aggressive litigation against infringements, gave Colt a domestic monopoly on revolver development until the mid 1850s.

Early Colt literature and later publications insist that Colt was inspired to design the revolver in 1830 by viewing the windlass mechanisms aboard the brig Corvo while bound from Boston to Calcutta. However, some believe he saw examples of the Collier Flintlock Revolver while touring the Tower of London after the Corvo docked on the River Thames. In any event, sometime while aboard the Corvo he produced a wooden model (the model is exhibited at the Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, Connecticut) and further developed the concept during the early 1830s.

Samuel Colt's first factory, the Patent Arms Company (Plant ruins site at 40°55′01.04″N 74°10′44.48″W) of Paterson, New Jersey, manufactured 1,450 revolving rifles and carbines, 462 revolving shotguns and 2,350 revolving pistols between 1836 and 1842, when the business failed. A creditor and business associate, John Ehlers, continued manufacture and sale of (approximately 500 of the total 2,850) pistols through 1847. Revolving pistols held five shots and varied from "pocket" to "belt" and "holster" designations based upon size and intended mode of carry. Calibers ranged from .28 through .36 inches. The model most identified with the "Paterson Colt" designation is the Number 5 Holster or Texas Paterson (1,000 units), which was manufactured in .36 caliber.

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