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Two 1855 London Factory - Deluxe Engraved - Colt Navy Revolvers .

These Colt Navy Revolvers were described as 'LATER ENGRAVED ..MINT"

The Short Story

I will give you the bottom line first then you can check the images and detail.

As well as described as possibly later engraved, there was a hint that they may have been counterfeit copies made around 1960 - 1970.

As an armourer and collector of some 58 years, I doubted this from the first images I saw.

Over the next 8 months I conducted thorough, including forensic research and came to the conclusion that these are indeed genuine Colt London Factory Deluxe Engraved Colt Navy revolvers.

I detail the full investigation below but first I will highlight the discovered points that brought me to this conclusion.

Enjoy.

Hand Engraved ' COLTS PATENT' in Gothic text.

On first seeing the images of these Colt Navy Revolvers I noticed the hand engraved Gothic text showing 'COLTS PATENT'.

Any armourer with any knowledge of Colt would immediately know that Colt always heavily stamped in capital letters 'COLTS PATENT' on the left side of the frame.

Any armourer with any knowledge would immdiatly know that it would be impossible to remove that deep heavy stamping and finally engrave over in hand engraved Gothic text the words 'COLTS PATENT' without leaving some deformity, depression or scar.

Many examples exist of later engraved Colts which scroll around this deep stamping
So my first assessment was the these can not be later engraved.

They must be genuine London Factory Production or modern counterfeit copies.

Modern counterfeit copies are not rare, as there still is a market for high priced antique firearms made with modern technology.

So the next question was... are they genuine, restored or copies.

Original

The next step was to check if there were any clear signs that the revolver was composed of original parts or modern parts.

The nipples seemed unfired and so a microscopic inspection was made as Colt always stamped his original 1800 production nipples with 'COLT'S' on one side of the base and 'PATENT' on the other side of the base of each nipple.

Microscopic examination confirmed the nipples were so stamped and as Colt had not produced stamped nipples sine the 1800s, this was an encouraging find.

Refurbished

Many antique firearms of high brand renown have been refurbished.

This consists of many things including removing rust pits, reblueing, re silver plating, re engraving and especially on worn cylinder scenes.

Sad to say I have seen several refurbished high brand antiques bring high prices at international auctions, while passed off as original.

So a microscopic inspection was made of the engraving and I particular the roll stamped cylinder scene.

The result of this was perfect with no refurbishment and only clear and defiant original roll stamp engraving.... another good find.

Deformed Factory Tooling

A definite way to establish if an antique firearm is genuine is to look for and find some defective factory production tooling and then to be able to tie this into other recognised high profile documented production pieces from the same factory.

A microscopic inspection of every production process began and it was not long after to find a defective Serial Number stamp which had a definite defect.

It was the No. 9.

The next step was to search through thousands of images, documents and records to see if the defective No.9 had been used on any documented Colt Navy revolvers.

After much research one was found and surprisingly it was found on a London Deluxe Engraved presentation Colt for Napoleon III.

... and it was defective and a forensic match.

Next was narrowing this search to see if any other presentation Colts bore a number 9 in their serial number and if it was also defective.

Two Delux Engraved London Presentation Navy revolvers were found to have the same defective No. 9 stamped in their serial number.

One was for the Colt factory engraved Navy for VICTOR EMMANUEL II, ordered by and presented by the King of Italy and the other was for Lord Cardigan,

This was definite confirmation that this Colt was not a copy but was produced in the Colt London factory.

But it did not 100% confirm that it was factory engraved and still could have been engraved at a later date.

100% Confirmation was found in the production process.

Firearm manufacture back in the 1800s was and still is the same today.

The metal is forged / cast, finished and burnished and if it is to be engraved, it is marked Raw and Soft Finish and moved to the engraving department.

Here the engraves do their work on the still soft metal.

This could take days, weeks or even months depending on the complexity of the engraving.

Often factories would have a team of engravers employed just continually engraving for stock and when a completed piece was needed it would be selected and stamped with a serial number that was appropriate to the current production time and run and returned to the factory for processing further.

The serial number selection and stamping was done ... after engraving.....and before hardening.

It could not be done before engraving as the serial number could be way out of sequence and it could not be done after hardening as the metal was now too hard to be indented by the stamping tool.

Also stamping tools were hardened metal and if punched into a hardened steel frame would not only leave any indent but shatter.

With a known and proven timeless production process, the only way to confirm if 17089 was factory engraved at the Colt factory before hardening was to look and hope there was a serial number stamped over the engraving.

A very close inspection found a '0' in the 17089 which was indisputably stamped over the engraving.

Proff was finally found.

Further investigation also found a deformed '9' was found over the engraving on 17089.

This was excellent and so this triggered to search if other documented Presentation Colts also had serial numbers stamped over the engraving and the result was stunning.

The presentation Colt factory engraved Navy for VICTOR EMMANUEL II, presented by the King of Italy had not one but at lease three Serial No.s stamped over the engraving... and the three numbers were also the deformed No. 9.

In addition there is possibly a '0' also over stamped on the engraving of Victor Emmanuel's revolver.

Investigation of the serial numbers on the Colt Navy Serial No. 21900 of Napoleon III not only has the deformed '9' stamped in it but the '0' is clearly stamped over the engraving.

During the 8 months of research there were many clues that indicated that 17089 was a genuine London Factory Engraved Colt Navy Revolver.

However it was the guys that stamped the Serial Numbers that have confirmed 'in house production and engraving', fortunately they were as not as skilled as the Master Engravers and their stamping was sloppy, but their errors have given the confirmation needed, combined with the use of a deformed No. 9 tool, stamped over engraving that 17089 is indisputably a London Factory Deluxe Engraved Colt Navy Revolver.

Below you will find a complete detailed report with confirming images of the above.

Enjoy.

COLT'S PATENT on the frame.

COLTS PATENT - Hand engraved in Gothic Script

The fine "COLTS PATENT" hand engraved in Gothic is the hallmark of factory engraved London Colt Navy Revolvers.

Also you can see by the clean fine singular sharp engraved lines that this is not refinished engraving.

Stamped Standard Model

Colt Navy Revolvers , not tagged for factory engraving, always had 'COLTS PATENT' deeply stamped on the left side of the frame in capital letters.

A 'Later Engraved' Colt.

If they were 'Later Engraved', and many were, then the engraving on the frame would be around the the heavy stamp as seen here.
It is not possible to erase the heavy stamped 'COLTS PATENT' and engrave by hand the fine London Gothic scripted 'Colt's Patent.' and result in a perfect finish.

Colt Navy No. 17089 appears never to have been fired.

Never fired

The nipples in Colt Navy show no signs of ever having been struck, or fired.

If this is the case and if they are Colt original factory nipples, they they would have COLT'S stamped on one side and PATENT stamped on the other side of the nipple base.

COLT'S

Not wanting to remove the nipples, I made a microscopic inspection.Each Nipple has 'COLT"S' stamped on one side of the flat.

PATENT

Each Nipple has 'Patent' stamped on the other side. Colt has not produced nipples, stamped with COLT'S PATENT since the late 1800s.

Having ruled out Later Engraving, we are looking at refinish

This is original .

All collectors of Colt Navy Pistols place great value on the condition of the cylinder scenes.

The scenes were 'Roll Stamped' and this is often worn so thin, to be impossible to see today.

There have been many cases where this scene has been refinished .

The first thing that needed to be checked was the cylinder scene.

Is it original roll stamping ?.........Has it been enhanced ?

Checking for Enhanced or Refinished

The 'ENGADED 16th MAY 1843' is crystal clear.

Microscopic analysis confirms the engraving is original Roll Stamped.

A microscopic inspection showing the letter ' E ' in ENGAGED, confirms clean, untouched original Roll Stamping as does the rest of the scene.

Checking for deformed Numbers

Microscopically checking, found the No. 9 on 17089 was deformed...

The No. 9 was very deformed and this fault was repeated in every stamping.... not just on 17089 but as you will see on several documented Colt Navy revolvers around this production time.

I then searched for documented London Colts with a No. 9 in their serial number around this serial number range.

It did not take long to find one... then another... then another, that also had a No. 9 in their Serial Number and I found they all were also stamped with this same defective No. 9 Tool.

Amazingly, these were not just "Some Other " Navy Colts, but very high profile Presentation COLTS for the:

King of Italy for General Sandfront

Napoleon III

Lord Cardigan

......all have a '9' in their Serial No. ...and all ....are stamped with this same damaged No. 9 Tool.

Examining the numbers.

I found an '0' in 17089 that was stamped over the engraving.

This did not prove the engraving was London Factory Engraving.... unless I could prove the stamping tool, over the engraving, was a London tool used in stamping serial numbers in 1855 or thereabouts....... but it was important because it did reconfirm that this revolver was " NOT LATER ENGRAVED "

Reason being that, Colt revolvers destined for factory engraving were tagged.... 'Soft Finish' ....and passed to the engravers.

This was necessary as, it would be ridiculous to harden metal and then engrave it.

The same with stamping serial numbers.

Both the revolver parts and the stamping tools were made of steel.

The relatively fine stamping tool would have shattered after a few stamps, if attempted to stamp hardened metal.

So, after engraving, the revolver parts were then stamped with serial numbers, then sent back to production for hardening, case hardening, blueing and or silver plating etc.

After seeing the number stamped over engraving I searched for other " Documented London Navy Revolvers " and found the same stamping over the engraving in the Colt presented by KING VICTOR EMMANUEL II, and General Sanfront.

In conclusion.....

London Colt Navy Revolver No. 17089

Everybody has an opinion...

Collectors form their opinion on their experience..and sometimes on wishful desire.

Dealers form their opinion on their experience ....or monetary gain.. or keeping their reputation...

I form my opinion on facts...

Over the last decades I have researched many antique firearms for many parties.

It is not always possible to prove a firearm is a copy, but it is usually possible to prove it is genuine because of the knowledge of collectors and experts, the number of genuine firearms the factory produced.... and the small mistakes made by damaged tools.

Like my Grandfather told me some 70 years ago...

" Believe nothing you read or hear and only half of what you see... Think for yourself... and you will grow up to be a very wise man."

In a world of trickery, nobody can be sure of something that may, or may not, have happened 170 years ago.

I can only give you the facts as I have discovered them... and from the facts above there is no doubt that Colt Navy Revolver Serial No. 17089 is a genuine London Factory ngraved Colt Revolver

Not "Later Engraved"

The Gothic hand engraved 'COLTS PATENT' on a frame with an 1853 defective No. 9 stamp seems to prove this to be impossible.

Also the serial numbers stamped over engraving on the General Sanfront and Napoleon III Colts as well as 17089 backs this up.

Not a Counterfeit Copy

The deformed No. 9 stamping tool, perfectly matched on other renowned documented Navy Colts forensically proves this is a Genuine London Factory Production.

17089 is a very early Colt Navy as the production numbers started at 17000.

Provenance ?

The object is to seek the truth.

If you have any knowledge of the history of 17089, even if it disagrees with the above, then please pass it on by way of admin@antiquepistols.com.au

CLICK on COLT Serial No. 36691 in the menu bar above to see the result on investigating the other revolver in this cased set.

Two 1855 London Factory - Deluxe Engraved - Colt Navy Revolvers .

The Short Story

I will give you the bottom line first then you can check the images and detail.

Hand Engraved ' COLTS PATENT' in Gothic text.

Original

Refurbished

Deformed Factory Tooling

100% Confirmation was found in the production process.

Both are in mint condition ... both advertised together..

COLT'S PATENT on the frame.

COLTS PATENT - Hand engraved in Gothic Script

Stamped Standard Model

A 'Later Engraved' Colt.

Colt Navy No. 17089 appears never to have been fired.

Never fired

COLT'S

PATENT

Having ruled out Later Engraving, we are looking at refinish

This is original .

Checking for Enhanced or Refinished

Microscopic analysis confirms the engraving is original Roll Stamped.

Serial no. 17089 - Perfect in every detail

Serial no. 17089 - Perfect in every detail

Serial no. 17089 - Perfect in every detail

Original Roll Stamped - Not refinished.

Serial no. 17089 - Perfect in every detail

Serial no. 17089 - Perfect in every detail

Checking for deformed Numbers

Microscopically checking, found the No. 9 on 17089 was deformed...

The Defective Number '9' Stamping Tool .

17089

The King of Italy's for General Sandfront

Napoleon III's Colt

Lord Cardigan's Colt

The damage No. '9'

17089

The King of Italy's Colt

Napolean III Colt

Lord Cardigan Colt

Confirmation of London Production.

The Lord Cardigan Presentation Colt has many No. 9 s and all are from the same deformed stamp as 17089.

Examining the numbers.

I found an '0' in 17089 that was stamped over the engraving.

The Serial No.s Stamped over some engraving.

Stamped after Engraving

I also found......

In conclusion.....

London Colt Navy Revolver No. 17089

Not "Later Engraved"

Not a Counterfeit Copy

17089 is a very early Colt Navy as the production numbers started at 17000.

Provenance ?

Factory Original Engraved Colt Confirmed.

The fitting in the case is perfection.....

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