.44 caliber, 7.5" octagonal-to-round barrel, S/N 219 (mfg. ca 1853). Blued and color case hardened finish, silver-plated brass backstrap and triggerguard, varnished highly figured walnut one-piece grip. Six-shot percussion cylinder roll engraved with the traditional Texas Ranger & Indian scene and the usual U.S.M.R. and Colt's Patent panels. One-line barrel address reads ADDRESS SAML COLT NEW YORK CITY, engraved frame marking in Gothic lettering: Colt's Patent in a ribbon. Revolver is profusely engraved in the finest English style with tight flowing foliate scrolls, with flowing feathery leaf motif boarders and a fan motif at the top of the gripstrap. Frame with nearly fully coverage engraving, with similar dense coverage on the triggerguard and barrel web. Additional engraving is present on the butt, gripstrap and backstrap, as well as the loading lever and at the muzzle. London commercial {Crown}/GP and {Crown}/V proofs are clearly stamped on the cylinder between the chambers and on the left web of the barrel. Matching numbers throughout with a single punch dot below all external numbers. A fixed rear sight of the period has been dovetailed into the top barrel flat. Serial number 219 is the most exquisitely and profusely engraved Colt Hartford London 3rd Model Dragoon we have cataloged with the extreme rarity of coverage on the front gripstrap of the triggerguard as well as profuse engraving extending past the front sight. Adding to the stature of this Colt icon is provenance to W. Keith Neal and the House of Windsor as well as the renowned California Colt collector, Dr. Chester P. Bonoff, owner of the legendary Johnson 1861 Navy and the Norton 1860 Army. Serial 219 appears as Plate 102 on page 79 in Rosas book described as "This ornately engraved pistol is a fine specimen." Chet Bonoff owned the very best Colts and this extraordinary Dragoon was in good company in his collection. Condition: Excellent. Revolver retains strong amounts of original English blue on the barrel, which has thinned and faded in some areas, most notably around the muzzle and two dime sized patches just forward of the octagonal portion where some old oxidation was cleaned. Another small area of pitting is present on the reverse of the loading lever rammer. The frame retains strong traces of the soft English case colors. The triggerguard and backstrap retain much of their silver plating. All markings remain clear and crisp, as does the engraving. Cylinder retains nearly all of the roll scene and is really spectacular. Cylinder retains all of the safety pins, with a couple showing wear and some battering, all percussion cones remain crisp and sharp. Mechanically functional, fine bore with some dust and dirt near the muzzle and a couple of small patches of light pitting. Chambers with some light surface oxidation. Bore rates excellent. Grip is fine, retaining most of the varnish and showing only some light handling marks. #219 is the finest engraved Hartford London one can own.
.44 caliber, 7.5" octagonal-to-round barrel, S/N 219 (mfg. ca 1853). Blued and color case hardened finish, silver-plated brass backstrap and triggerguard, varnished highly figured walnut one-piece grip. Six-shot percussion cylinder roll engraved with the traditional Texas Ranger & Indian scene and the usual U.S.M.R. and Colt's Patent panels. One-line barrel address reads ADDRESS SAML COLT NEW YORK CITY, engraved frame marking in Gothic lettering: Colt's Patent in a ribbon. Revolver is profusely engraved in the finest English style with tight flowing foliate scrolls, with flowing feathery leaf motif boarders and a fan motif at the top of the gripstrap. Frame with nearly fully coverage engraving, with similar dense coverage on the triggerguard and barrel web. Additional engraving is present on the butt, gripstrap and backstrap, as well as the loading lever and at the muzzle. London commercial {Crown}/GP and {Crown}/V proofs are clearly stamped on the cylinder between the chambers and on the left web of the barrel. Matching numbers throughout with a single punch dot below all external numbers. A fixed rear sight of the period has been dovetailed into the top barrel flat. Serial number 219 is the most exquisitely and profusely engraved Colt Hartford London 3rd Model Dragoon we have cataloged with the extreme rarity of coverage on the front gripstrap of the triggerguard as well as profuse engraving extending past the front sight. Adding to the stature of this Colt icon is provenance to W. Keith Neal and the House of Windsor as well as the renowned California Colt collector, Dr. Chester P. Bonoff, owner of the legendary Johnson 1861 Navy and the Norton 1860 Army. Serial 219 appears as Plate 102 on page 79 in Rosas book described as "This ornately engraved pistol is a fine specimen." Chet Bonoff owned the very best Colts and this extraordinary Dragoon was in good company in his collection. Condition: Excellent. Revolver retains strong amounts of original English blue on the barrel, which has thinned and faded in some areas, most notably around the muzzle and two dime sized patches just forward of the octagonal portion where some old oxidation was cleaned. Another small area of pitting is present on the reverse of the loading lever rammer. The frame retains strong traces of the soft English case colors. The triggerguard and backstrap retain much of their silver plating. All markings remain clear and crisp, as does the engraving. Cylinder retains nearly all of the roll scene and is really spectacular. Cylinder retains all of the safety pins, with a couple showing wear and some battering, all percussion cones remain crisp and sharp. Mechanically functional, fine bore with some dust and dirt near the muzzle and a couple of small patches of light pitting. Chambers with some light surface oxidation. Bore rates excellent. Grip is fine, retaining most of the varnish and showing only some light handling marks. #219 is the finest engraved Hartford London one can own.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
