4199

SCARCE 1877 JOHN T. CLEVELAND INSPECTED COLT

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:3,000.00 USD Estimated At:6,000.00 - 8,000.00 USD
SCARCE 1877 JOHN T. CLEVELAND INSPECTED COLT
CAVALRY SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER. Cal. 45. S# 35044. Bbl. 7.5" standard configuration of classic Indian Wars cavalry revolver w/ scarce unique to this series 1 line Hartford address w/out the terminating hyphens seen on rest of series. This is among the scarcest Indian War cavalry revolvers, only 1003 in 9th US contract March 15, 1875 were delivered & inspected 1877, 1000 also in 1876. Kopec only notes 10 examples of this unhyphenated bbl. address & explains possible reasoning on pages 45-49 of his 1994 text. John T. Cleveland’s “JTC” stamped on bottom of frame, bbl., cyl. & bottom of right grip. “JTC” cartouche is found on right grip & “DAL” (Ordnance inspector David A. Lyle) cartouche found on left grip below “1877”. Frame has 3 line patent dates w/ “US” roughly removed, which was common practice for soldiers, deserters or Indians not wishing to be found having liberated government property. 1877 Being at the height of Indian Wars & fine honest survivors such as this are quite scarce. CONDITION: very good-fine overall. Matching serial numbers are found on all parts normally numbered: bbl., frame, cyl., trigger guard, backstrap & inside grips. Metal has matching dark mottled plum patina overall, strong areas of dull blue finish especially in protected areas of bbl., ejector housing, grip frame & cyl. in flutes. Frame has traces of muted case color especially on recoil shields. There are scattered areas of pitting which don’t detract from the overall aesthetic of this revolver. Bbl. address is crisp as are serial numbers & inspection stamps in metal. 3 Line patent marking is mostly discernible though middle line partially obliterated as is the “US” as noted. Grips have moderate edge wear, small chips to inner toes, good discernible Lyle cartouche & date, Cleveland cartouche is light, hand worn patina. Mechanically fine w/ crisp rifled lightly pitted bore. (01-19092/JS). ANTIQUE. $6,000-8,000.