4179 FACTORY SILVER PLATED COLT OPEN TOP POCKET

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[?]Live Online Auction Starts In 2025 May 11 @ 10:00 (UTC-04:00 : AST/EDT)
Category Firearms & Military
Auction Currency USD
Start Price 2,250.00 USD
Estimated at 4,500.00 - 6,500.00 USD
REVOLVER WITH ONE OF A KIND FACTORY ORIGINAL PROTOTYPE CARTRIDGE CATCH. EX. COLT FACTORY MUSEUM COLLECTION. Cal. 22 RF. S# 445. Matching numbers on bbl., grips & butt. Bbl. 2 7/8" with ejector. Following the end of Rollin White's patent for the bored-through cyl in 1870, it became a mad dash for companies to establish themselves in this now open market. With time being the primary enemy, improvements and ideas would have to be made up on the fly. Early first production OT-22s can sometimes be found with unique features not found on later production revolvers such as this one-of-a kind specimen. Found on the right side of the frame, behind the cyl in the loading slot, is a factory prototype spring loaded cartridge catch; it is the only known example with this feature. Frame and sight are silver-plated, quite rare for this model. Blued bbl. and 7 shot cyl. Nitre blue 3-piece second style hammer, trigger & screw heads. First type stylized barrel key which is only found on the first 2600 revolvers. 2 Piece walnut bird's head grips. This gun is featured on the cover of "COLT- SMITH & WESSON. A CLASH OF ARMS. Featuring Colt's Battle Born Open Top 22." by Robert Swartz, as well as on page 62. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: copy of the November 1887 Colt Museum excerpt listing this firearm as part of the collection and letter from Arnold Marcus Chernoff letter. We note that the Museum list and Chernoff mistakenly stated the serial number was 145, but, examining the number on the butt to that on the frame, it is obvious the first digit on the butt was lightly struck, giving it the appearance of 1, which under close observation is clearly 4. (see photos). Also, the list and letter note the gun's silver finish which is almost never encountered on these models. Copy of COLT- SMITH & WESSON. A CLASH OF ARMS. Featuring Colt's Battle Born Open Top .22, by Robert Swartz is included. CONDITION: very fine overall. Frame retains an astonishing 90-95% of its original silver finish with thinning at sharp edges and one ¾"x1/8" area of missing silver. Silver plating has acquired a pleasing darkening tarnish. Bbl. & cyl. retain 85% original blue with areas of thinning and fading. Nitre blued parts retain approx. 75% of their original delicate finish. Very good grips show thinning finish at high edges with few scattered light handling marks. Notable small dent on lower forward area of right panel. Very good bore retains sharp rifling with a few sm. Spots of light oxidation. Mechanically excellent. Overall, a very high condition example with a one of a kind factory feature! (01-26597/BH). ANTIQUE. $4,500-6,500.