Ultra rare, original Paterson pistol capper with the rampant Colt and crossed pistols in high relief on the top of the lid. Within a double line border on the circumference, it reads at the top “COLTS PATENT” and “PATENT ARMS MANG. CO. PATERSON. N.J” around the sides and bottom in a semi-circle. The capper is made of gilded brass and steel. The lid shows a slight manufacturing flaw in the casting. It runs from near the “N” in PATENT towards the mane of the horse. The production number is “5”. The locking post is located to the left, on the underside of the lid. This capper is similar to the one designated CP #2 in “COLT ACCOUTREMENTS 1834-1911” by Robin Rapley.   

These cappers were protected by Samuel Colt’s patent of 29 August, 1839. This clever device was manufactured to insert percussion caps directly on to the nipples of Colt Paterson revolvers.

Robin Rapley believes that these cappers for both the pistols and the long-arms were manufactured at the Patent Arms Manufacturing Company factory, at Paterson, New Jersey. The device has a blued spring-fed actuator which guides percussion caps into position.

According to “The Paterson Colt Book featuring the Dennis A. Levett Collection” by R.L. Wilson , there are six different styles of Colt pistol cappers. This style is the similar to number 4 on page 254 of Wilson’s book. He writes that it is slightly smaller than the others and likely made for Pocket and Belt size revolvers. It is numbered “5” on the inside of the lid and on the base. The rarest of rare Paterson accessory to find.

The diameter is 1 7/8 inches or 47 mm