Original Item: One Only. This was a British Army purchased Colt .36 caliber London Navy Colt Revolver. It would have been issued to an elite Cavalry Regiment, most likely and very likely saw service in the CRIMEAN WAR of 1854 and 1855. Generally speaking, Officer's supplied their own weapons by private purchase, so an expensive sidearm as this would probably have been given to a Senior N.C.O. Its serial number on the front where the War Department W.D. markings are located is 20633 indicating its manufacture year to be 1853.

The frame of the revolver is serial numbered 80864 indicating it was made in 1857 and interestingly the trigger guard is numbered 34354 for the year of 1854. The cylinder shows British Proof marks to each chamber, Crown over V for "viewed". The W.D. marking beneath a Broad Arrow is the left side of the barrel assembly directly in front of the cylinder together with the British Army Inspector's mark of TP with addition proof markings. The cylinder bears no engraving scene or serial number ,perhaps indicating it is an at the time replacement perhaps in 1857. The top of the barrel is marked COLT LONDON, with the usual "ADRESS COL:" missing, apparently due wear. The COLTS PATENT on the side of the frame is similarly worn.

Normally mixed number revolvers are instantly condemned as not being original, however MARTIAL arms are a different matter. Long service often necessitated replacement of parts, and the only source at times were other damaged revolvers.

Company director Christian Cranmer would suggest the revolver was expressly purchased for a valued NCO in an elite Regiment that shipped out to the Crimea for the Anglo/Russian war. It may very well have seen service in one or some of the great Cavalry actions of this conflict. It rather sounds like it was seriously damaged and at war's end was shipped back to England and rebuilt in 1857. Thereafter it might well have seen service in INDIA during the 1857/58 Sepoy Rebellion, known as the Indian Mutiny, and possibly accompanied a British "advisor" to the Confederacy during the early years of the U.S. Civil War.That is one way to account for it's discovery here in the U.S.

Lovely glowing patina with crisp original wood grips this British War Department marked London Navy I think has been seriously under rated and speaks a great tale to British Victorian History.

In wonderful condition and ready to display

History of the 1851 Navy Colt Pistol:

The Colt Revolving Belt Pistol of Naval Caliber (i.e., .36 cal), later known as the Colt 1851 Navy or Navy Revolver, is a cap and ball revolver that was designed by Samuel Colt between 1847 and 1850. Colt first called this Revolver Ranger model; but the designation Navy quickly took over. It remained in production until 1873, when revolvers using fixed metallic cartridges came into widespread use. Total production numbers were exceeded only by the Colt Pocket models in concurrent development, and numbered some 250,000 domestic units and about 22,000 produced in the Colt London Armory.

The cylinder of this revolver is engraved with a scene of the victory of the Second Texas Navy at the Battle of Campeche on May 16, 1843. The Texas Navy had purchased the earlier Colt Paterson Revolver, but this was Colt's first major success in the gun trade; the naval theme of the engraved cylinder of the Colt 1851 Navy revolver was Colt's gesture of appreciation. The engraving was provided by Waterman Ormsby. Despite the "Navy" designation, the revolver was chiefly purchased by civilians and military land forces.

Rare and seldom encountered, the London Colt revolver was made in very limited production. Quantities total some 42,000 London pieces of all variations. Serial numbers are recorded in the following ranges: 17,000, 24,000 34,000, 37,000, and 39,000. Samuel Colt designated the term "Navy" to imply the caliber (.36) of the weapon, as he did with its later and heavier companion, the Colt Model 1860 Army (.44 caliber).

Specifications: 

Year of Manufacture: 1853
Caliber: .36cal
Ammunition Type: Cap and Ball
Barrel Length: 7 1/2 inches
Overall Length: 13 inches
Action: Single Action
Feed System: 6 Shot Revolver

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