Sold for $3,900

Sold prices are inclusive of Buyer’s Premium

Lot Description

Colt 3rd Model Dragoon Inscribed to Colt's Mexico City Agent David K Torrey

.44 caliber. 7.5" octagon to round barrel. SN: 11382 (mfg. ca.1851). Blued and color casehardened finish, brass backstrap and triggerguard, one-piece oil finished wood grip. Single action military pattern percussion revolver with six-shot smooth round cylinder. Top flat of barrel marked in a single line bracketed New York address, {ADDRESS SAML COLT NEW-YORK CITY} with the word "CITY" mostly obscured by an added dovetailed rear sight. Lower left of frame marked in two lines COLTS/US. Matching serial numbers on barrel, frame, triggerguard and butt, with the abbreviated serial number 1382 on the loading lever and 382 on the cylinder arbor. No visible serial number on cylinder, grip with no visible number in the backstrap cut out. Wedge unnumbered and replaced. Backstrap with a "B" sub-inspection. Grip with a large round Mexican "Snake & Eagle" cartouche on each side. Cylinder with traces of what appears to be acid etched foliate scroll engraving. Backstrap is engraved in two lines: Presented to David K Torrey / Colt Agent Mexico City January 9, 1851.

Torrey worked as a trader in Waco prior to the Mexican War and is believed to be the person who sold Texas Ranger Jack Coffee Hays his first Colt Paterson Belt Revolver. Little else is known of Torrey other than he worked as an agent representing Colt and Colt Patent Firearms Company in Mexico City in the post-Mexican War period. An early 3rd Model Dragoon with interesting history. The revolver is accompanied by a folder of information and research including the auction listing where it sold at James D. Julia's in March of 2016, and a sales receipt and letter of authentication from Collector's Firearms from January of 2019.

From the Collection of George Oldenbourg

Condition Report

About good. Bore is fair with moderate to heavy pitting and some visible rifling. Metal with no remaining finish, showing scattered light to moderate pitting and mottled oxidized age discoloration. Brass with a medium golden patina. Most markings remain legible in the metal, but no serial number is present on the cylinder and the serial number on the butt is very weak. The presentation remains fully legible. The cylinder arbor appears to have been very slightly shortened and refaced at the tip. The wedge slot in the arbor appears to have been modified as well. The wedge, wedge screw, loading lever pivot screw and hammer screw are replacements. The grip is worn with spliced repairs at the tops of both sides where it meets the frame and along with lower leading edges of both sides.

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