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Item No.:	10121	Price :	SOLD
Item :	RARE COLT MODEL 1860 ARMY REVOLVER, ENGRAVED, FACTORY IVORY MEXICAN EAGLE GRIPS

Description :

This is a true revolver of the Great American West. It is a civilian Colt Model 1860 Army .44 caliber percussion revolver manufactured in 1869. It is engraved and fitted with a set of factory ivory grips. The left grip is carved with the Mexican Emblem which is an Eagle holding a rattlesnake in its beak. The eagle sits on a cactus. This was a very popular motif on ivory grips of the period. It was available on the 1851 Navy, 1860 Army, and even the M1873 Single Action Army. Wild Bill Hickock is said to have owned a pair of engraved '51 Navies with the Mexican Eagle on the grips. The .44 caliber, percussion Model 1860 was the standard service revolver of the Union Army during the Civil War. By war's end nearly 156,00 had been made. When Colt stopped production of the M1860 in 1873, over 200,000 had been made. They were quite popular, and many were carried into the great American West. This is one of those Western revolvers. The gun is in good condition but has little original finish remaining. There was some overall surface rusting that has resulted in a heavy speckling of dark brown patina with some pitting. There are traces of blue remaining in protected areas. The brass trigger guard was silver plated, more evidence that this was intended for civilian use. About 20% of the silver remains. The cylinder has traces of blue in protected areas but also a couple of areas of heavy pitting. The action works fairly well but the clicks are not well defined. One nipple (percussion cone) is broken off. The chambers are dark but mostly smooth. The bore has some small areas with pitting but the rifling is visible along the bore's length. The ivory grips are very good to fine. There is a very old chip on the toe of the right grip. It has been worn smooth by years of handling. Both grips have visible checking of the grain. This is especially visible on the butt. The Mexican Eagle is beautifully carved. The highest details have been worn smooth by all those years of handling. While there are some condition issues, this is a scarce and historically significant Colt. Stock no. 29368

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