The Mystery Colt's Case
A case can tell you a lot about the originality of it's contents...
However, this case brings as much mystery as does... Who was R C Parry M. A. ?
The case is a genuine 1850s Walnut Case.
The wood grain is of a higher quality in the walnut of standard cases.
But the shape and the lay out of the revolvers is uncharacteristic of Colt's normal Navy Revolver casing in that every Colt case documented has always included accessories ......and has the revolver's left side facing up.
Any researcher of Col. Colt knows he was somewhat of an egotist and always cased his revolvers with the left side showing up, which displayed the 'COLTS PATENT' stamping or Gothic engraving.
After 8 months of considering why...while researching, I think there could be a reason for showing the right side 'up' of these two revolvers and without any accessories.
Perfect fitting
One very noticeable point was the perfection in which the revolvers fitted the case.
The case was the work of a master craftsman.
Re- Lined
However the glue and backing material to the lid lining indicated the case had been relined some decades ago, and whoever relined it did an excellent job of retaining the perfection of the revolvers original fit.
Unusual Colt Casing... Why ?
Why unusual ?..... Look closely at the two revolvers...
The top revolver No. 36691, which has been fired, has the smaller ball loading cut out and R.C. Parry M.A. engraved on the back strap.
THIS SERIAL NUMBER SEQUENCE, IS A CONTRADICTION.
Because after Colt modified the loading gate, all London Navy Revolvers were produced with the larger cut out.
We can not define the date, when the change to the larger cut out was introduced as standard production, but we can assume ( I hate that word ) that it was before 17089.
The lower revolver in the image above, No. 17089, which seems unfired has the larger beveled loading cut out which would confirm this.
WE know Colt engraved many guns that were in stock and not distributed.
So why does a later serial number, near the end of production, have an earlier absolute cut out loading gate ?
This would have needed to have been specially produced with a smaller gate.
So why... after improving the Navy to accept Paper Cartridges, would Colt produce a high end Serial No. with an earlier absolute loading gate ?
That is the questions....
The modified design for Paper cartridges.
Paper cartridges had been around for many years for all type of rifles.
It did not take long for parties to invent a paper cartridge for the .36 Cal Colt Navy.
In order to facilitate the faster loading offered by paper cartridges, Colt modified by expanding the cut out to accept the Paper Cartridge as can be seen on 17089 above.
But look at the finish of this cut out.
The original design.
This smaller loading cut out on 36691 was for ball or conical projectile loading.
But this was deleted in production a couple thousand revolvers ago.
So why do we have a Navy, with an obsolete design, but a late Serial No. 36691 and confirming Colt London Factory Production with the deformed barrel roll stamping with the missing part at 9 o'clock ?
Why does this late model have the small loading gate ?
Paper Cut Out Modification.
Better than 'Perfect Polishing' to highlight this modified cut out.
The cut out above is on the seemingly unfired Navy, Serial No. 17089.
What is noticeable is the exceptional mirror finish of this cut out. It has been polished to perfection.
Polished so fine.... that it would exceed what one might expect, even for any Col. Colt presentation revolver.
Polished so well as to be " A Statement ? " .... Or ....To demonstrate a point ?
Why ?
Paper Cartridges
My thoughts..........
As much as Paper cartridges were efficient, they were out of the question for many private owners who may have been isolated away from towns and supply.
Not so for the Military who had both the finance and logistics to supply their troops.
Colt obviously saw a need to modify the Navy to be able accept the paper cartridge to satisfy Military use.
Two mystery Colt Navy Revolvers..
The Case, it's design and lack of accessories are still an unknown mystery... but the research goes on.
During the research of these Colt Navy revolvers I have spoken to many, many historians, Colt antique experts, collectors and received a mix of positive and negative opinions.
On the positive side, the leading two authorities on London Colt Navy revolvers, in the UK and Australia, both believe they are factory engraved and original Colt London Factory production.
On the negative side there have been comments that:
* The serial numbers are too far away to be a pair.
* They are too good to be true and have been re engraved or refinished.
* They would never be cased that way by Colt.
* They were probably separated and re cased that way later.
We may never know....
My thoughts so far, point toqwards the fact that these two Colts were cased intentionally this way, as a " Display Set " to demonstrate Colt's modification to accept Paper Cartridges.
As to somebody finding them later and casing them together, I think it very unlikely that two almost perfect Navy Colts could be found separately and re-cased.
As for the serial numbers too far apart, it is noted that the earlier 17089 has the larger loading gate which by its production time, was now standard production.
But, the later 36691, has been produced with the earlier smaller loading gate, I believe may be intentionally to demonstrate the difference and improvement.
Why has a later Navy, almost at the end of Colt's 42,000 London production, with the deformed 'O', been manufactured with an earlier and absolute small loading gate cut out ... and then engraved with R.C. Parry M.A. ?
A reason I think, that by Serial No. 36691, all Navy revolvers were being manufactured with the large cut out... so one possibility is that this is an anomaly manufactured specifically to have the small cut out as a demonstration to compare the difference .. and that is why it has the small absolute cut out of the earlier production , but still bears the gap in the COLT ' O ' at 9 o'clock confirming later London production.
As to being re engraved, or refinished, microscopic analysis shows that the engraving and fine lines are one time original work.
Why engraved with a name but not include 'Presented by Col Colt or the Inventor ?
When researching the origin or history of firearms, I always put myself in the shoes of the person I am researching, as in this situation ............... " If I were Sam Colt, what would I do ?"
Colt was renowned for presenting Colt Navy Revolvers to very, very high profile individuals who were in a position to influence sales and he always engraved after their name, 'Presented by the Inventor.... or.... Presented by Col. Sam Colt".
If I were Colt, I would not want to detract from presentations given to Napoleon III, Generals, or Lords by giving a set of revolvers to a relative low rank officer and engraving "Presented by Col. Sam Colt".
If one of my staff or distruibutors, alerted me to R. C. Parry M. A. as a potential influencer for the Militia, I would say .."Ok give him a set and engrave his name on one, place them in a case showing the modification for the paper cartridges, but don't put presented by me ."
So my line of investigation now, is that they could have been presented to R.C Parry M.A. as an inducement to acquire military contracts and sales for Navy revolvers to the Dublin Militia and were intentionally cased without accessories, so as not to distract from displaying the modified larger loading gate to accept paper cartridges, which would be strongly appreciated by the military.
We may never know the truth behind these two Navy revolvers.
What I do know is that these two Navy Colts, now confirmed as produced in 1855 in the London Factory and engraved in the London Deluxe Factory Pattern are, with out any doubt, the most perfect examples known.
What do you think .....?
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