This a beautiful example of the “Colt ’49 Pocket.” The six-inch barrel is the most aesthetically pleasing configuration of this revolver and this one has loads of original blue, case color, silver, and varnish, along with crisp markings and cylinder scene to boot. The barrel preserves about 85 percent of its original blue, showing just some rubbing and a sliver or two of underlying metal along some edges, which are the places most subject to wear. The barrel marking is the correct “one-line New York” address: “Address Col. Saml. Colt New-York U.S. America.” The loading assembly has vibrant case colors as does the frame, which also has crisp Colt stamps and shows some blue on the screws, which themselves have crisp slots. The cylinder, like the rest of the gun, has matching serial numbers, a very visible cylinder scene, a crisp serial number and patent stamp just a little light on the right, and excellent blue- one of the toughest things to find since it is a natural wear point for revolver resting on its side. The nipples are not battered and the gun shows no signs of firing.

The triggerguard has about 85 percent of its original silver, with just tiny spots of muted brass showing, and the backstrap is even a bit stronger, again unusual, since it is the most subject to handling. The silver has oxidized uniformly on both to a mix of muted silver and bluish-gray tarnish. We have left it untouched. On the backstrap the less tarnished area is at the center, where the palm of one’s hand would naturally touch it. The buttstrap shows a little bit of age spotting on the bottom, but preserves its color and the screw slot shows a small bit of turning, but still has blue. The grips are excellent, with a lustrous deep brown color, full varnish, very few and very minor handling marks, tight fit to the frame and backstrap, and crisp bottom edges showing only the tiniest bit of wear to the varnish on the left toe, which is not noticeable at all.

Colt made more than 300,000 of this popular .31 caliber revolver from 1850 through 1873. This one is serial # 237013, which gives it an 1863 date of manufacture. It was a convenient size for carrying and personal defense. Aimed at the large numbers of fortune-seekers heading west, it was very popular with gold-miners and travelers of all sorts. Its convenient size and light weight also made it a popular side arm with Civil War officers, who were not about to lug heavy army-caliber revolvers on long marches, but could use a personal side-arm in addition to a regulation sword.

This is a very nice Colt pocket that would look great in western or Civil War display and is good enough to upgrade a Colt collection as well.  [sr]

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