Exhibition grade engraved cased Colt Model 1849 London Pocket percussion revolver serial number 26 manufactured circa 1853 with a five inch barrel and bearing several unique features. This rare and important revolver was assembled in London from parts that were manufactured in Hartford and then shipped to London when the Colt’s new factory opened in 1853.

The gun is exquisitely embellished in an unusual floral and leaf style of engraving to the barrel, frame, loading lever, hammer, wedge and grip-straps. This style of engraving has only been found on a very few early London Pocket revolvers. The top flat of the barrel bears the minute hand cut engraved barrel address of  ‘SamL Colt London .’ reading breech to muzzle. There is no ‘Colt’s Patent’ engraved on the frame. Serial number 26 has a blued barrel and cylinder with a case coloured frame, loading lever and hammer. The brass trigger-guard and backstrap are silver-plated. This beautiful and unique revolver is complimented with deluxe select walnut one-piece grips.

There are British proofs of Crown over GP stamped on the left side of the barrel below the wedge slot and Crown over V stamped on the right side below the wedge slot. The position of these proof marks are unique and suggest that the gun was proofed after being engraved and them being placed in such a position so as not to distract from the overall engraving.

This revolver which is in excellent condition is quite unique with its rare style of engraving, having no ‘Colts Patent’ engraved the left side of the frame, hand engraved miniature ‘SamL Colt London.’ barrel address reading breech to muzzle and British proofs stamped on either side of the barrel. The cylinder is numbered 95. This is the type of engraved revolver that Samuel Colt would have been exhibited at the Exhibition of Art & Industry held in Dublin in the year of 1853 to promote his new manufactory that had just opened in London. 

Formerly in the Arnold M. Chernoff Collection. Pictured on page 150 of ‘Colt Engraving’ by RL Wilson. Also pictured on page 239 at top and on page 240 of ‘The Colt Engraving Book, Volume I’ also by RL Wilson (incorrectly labelled as # 141). Pictured on page 87 of ‘Fine Colts / The Dr. Joseph A. Murphy Collection’ by R.L. Wilson.