Rare Colt 1860

[Eterry]

Its refreshing to see a Colt letter with an antique arm. So many times someone says that someone said that their GGGG pappy killed a General with this here gun.

I see no signs of a re-blue, just 160 plus years of honest wear, but I don't have my glasses.

Being a documented CSA arm, 5K at minimum, in a good auction the sky's the limit.
The Alabama is infamous for sinking more Union vessels than any other.

 

[Eutycus]

Congratulations on your recent acquisition,it's a beaut. However I'm a bit puzzled about something you said in your opening post. Didn't the firing on Fort Sumter happen on April 12th instead of the 15th? Maybe it was a typo? Oh ,how was a gun was shipped for a Lt. on a ship that wasn't built yet.But then again the Lt. and the CS Navy already existed didn't they? And we are discussing the gun's history and not history of the Civil War. Once again Congrats.

 

[Eutycus]

There was a 4th Lt. by the name of John Low on board the C.S.S. Alabama several years after the gun was shipped to Richmond.

 

[Dude]

Tell us the story how you came by this pistol.

 

[Codger Craig Wilcox]

Beautiful piece, Tinker, and apparently it is now in the hands of someone who appreciates it. Does look like previous owners did the same.

 

[Huasser1]

i'll give you my left one for it!
that is a wonderful specimen. don't you wish it could talk.

Me too. Of course at my age it's hard to tell which one is the right and which one is the left. They're interchangeable from one day to the next..

 

[Tenring]

Very Nice, if it could only talk what it had seen.

 

[11Bravo]

I as Bad Karma would like to see more pics, especially the left side. It is a 4 screw 1860 with the fluted cylinder and by the condition of the 4th screw on the right side my guess is it saw work with the shoulder stock.

 

[JBrandon]

original 1860 Colt. manufactured by a Connecticut Yankee. shipped to the south the day the war of northern aggression started.
in excellent condition with provenance. you will be as older then i am and toothless to boot before you see another.

Oh Yaaaah, 'day the war of N aggression" started - when the South fired on Ft Sumter. Irony is lost on some people.

 

[deerstalkert]

you are correct. i am sure that the southerners thought " wow, lets have some fun today, lets drag our cannon out and lob shells at that island in the bay".

 

[CyrusP]

Google " Lt. J. Low, CSN, CSS Alabama " and you'll get all kinds of hits.
This gun might be more valuable than first appeared!
Provenance means a lot with these old guns, since none of them are telling their tales.

I googled Lt. J Lo and this is what came up.

 

[Andrewmtnman]

Hahaha. That’s him.
cool piece, I’d hold on to that one

 

[Jayhawkdan]

I recently acquired this revolver and would like some feedback from the members out there. The serial number 924 indicates the first year of production and it has the inspectors stamp on the grips, indicating a military gun. I found where SN 923 was part of a 500 gun shipment that was shipped on April 15, 1861 to Peter Williams & Co. Richmond, VA. for Lt. J. Low, CSN, CSS Alabama. Ironic that was the same day that Fort Sumter was fired upon which started the Civil War. The gun is really in good shape and the cylinder rotates in sync when the hammer is cocked. Of course I am not going to fire it, but I believe it could be fired. All the serial numbers match and the left side grip has the intial H carved on it. Further research informed me that this shipment of 500 guns were eventually issued to the 1st Virginia Cavalry. Take a look at this old veteran and chime in on as to what you think it might be worth.

That is an absolutely beautiful Colt revolver, and the provenance is so special to Tinker and his family!!! I am curious that the letter from Colt indicates the revolver was for Lt. J. Low (sic), and shipped more than a year before the CSS Alabama first sailed (July 27, 1862). Does anyone in this thread have an explanation for this disparity?
JayhawkDan

 

[B P Arn]

Oh Yaaaah, 'day the war of N aggression" started - when the South fired on Ft Sumter. Irony is lost on some people.

LOLOL! I have wondered that myself!

The War of Northern Aggression That the South Started! LOLOLOLOL LOLOLOLOLOL

 

[deerstalkert]

was going to post a rebuttal but this isn't the forum for it!
see new post in the political section, or study up for yourself.

 

[Andrewmtnman]

Been enough drama here lately. Lol

 

[Tinker]

I have been slow to respond to the comments as I wanted to hear as many as I could before adding any other information. History of the revolver: After doing more research I have verified to my satisfaction that this revolver, SN924 was part of the shipment of 500 revolvers sent to Peter Williams & Co. Richmond, VA earmarked for Lt. J. Low, CSN, CSS Alabama. * This was one of the last shipments of revolvers sent to the Southern states and it was shipped on the same day as the take over of Fort Sumter, April 15, 1861. This revolver would eventually be issued to an officer, or cavalry soldier of the 1st. Virginia Cavalry after the Virginia State Authorities seized the 500 revolvers. Condition of the revolver: It has all matching numbers to include the barrel, frame, trigger guard, back strap, cylinder, and cylinder pin. The barrel and cylinder have an even smooth brown patina. Traces of the original color case hardening remain on the loading lever. Only the last three words of (ADDRESS COL. SAM’ COLT NEW-YORK U.S. AMERICA) are faintly visible on the top of the barrel and "COLTS/PATENT" is worn but visible on the left side of the frame. The silver plating on the grip straps has turned to a brown patina. The grips have a small corner chip missing on the front of the left side and a thin line crack at the top along with minor-moderate dings and scratches. The initial H is carved on the bottom of the right-side grip and the inspectors markings are faintly visible on each side. The revolver cycles and the hammer holds solidly at both half cock and full cock positions. The bore shows clear rifling, but also fowling and oxidation in some areas. . Why is it rare? First production year, fluted cylinder, military version, issued to Confederate States. Question as to the finish? The patina is consistent in color on all the barrel, cylinder and frame. I can not determine if at some time it was refinished or not, but that concern didn't stop me from purchasing the revolver. If it was refinished then the value will of course be less.

 

[Tinker]

Looks to me as if it’s reblued and someone was happy with the buffing wheel. $3500 plus seems safe enough for such a gun in that condition. Do you have any pics of the other side, serial numbers etc?

You might be right about the finish, can't tell for sure. The patina is even across all parts, something difficult to attain when re bluing.

 

[Eutycus]

I'm still puzzled as to why you insist Fort Sumter was fired upon on the 15th of April. The vast majority (all I believe) of history books say the bombardment was on April 12th.The northern soldiers had surrendered on the 13th and were all gone by the 15th. And the Fort was safely in Southern hands by that date.

 

[Tinker]

Congratulations on your recent acquisition,it's a beaut. However I'm a bit puzzled about something you said in your opening post. Didn't the firing on Fort Sumter happen on April 12th instead of the 15th? Maybe it was a typo? Oh ,how was a gun was shipped for a Lt. on a ship that wasn't built yet.But then again the Lt. and the CS Navy already existed didn't they? And we are discussing the gun's history and not history of the Civil War. Once again Congrats.

You are correct about the dates of the Fort Sumter, April 12th the first shots fired..April 15th was the day the U.S. Army evacuated the fort and the Confederates took possession of the fort. Lt. Low was a maritime supply agent before the war started and as the war began he was involved with obtaining arms and munitions for the Confederacy. I have corrected my last post. Details are important...Thanks for calling my attention to the error.