"COLT MODEL 1860 ARMY PERCUSSION REVOLVER. SN 4782. Cal. 44. Usual configuration with 8" rnd bbl, German silver front sight and 1-line New York address. It has 4-screw frame with flat head hammer screw and rnd head replacement stock screws. It has a silver plated brass trigger guard and iron back strap with 1-pc walnut grip. Back strap is engraved in period script "Hon. F.P. Stanton / with compliments of Col. Colt". Left side of grip is crudely carved "C.W" and right side "G.T". No indication who these initials are for. The presentation was to Frederick Perry Stanton who was born Dec. 1814 in Alexandria, Virginia which was part of Washington, D.C. at that time and died in Ocala, Florida in June 1894. He was the son of a poor brick layer but very talented & capable and eventually graduated from Columbia College which is now George Washington University. He taught school in Virginia and then at age 19 was appointed principal of the Elizabeth Academy in North Carolina where he served two years. He left that position and studied law and was admitted to the Bar in Tennessee and practiced law in Memphis. In Dec. 1845 he was elected U.S. Representative from Tennessee and served until March 1855 during which time he was the Chairman of Naval Affairs and served on the Committee on the Judiciary. He voluntarily left the congress and in 1857 he was appointed Secretary of Kansas Territory under Gov. Walker. However, since the Governor had not arrived to assume his duties, Stanton was made Acting Governor and in 1857 presided at the Lecompton Convention which was probably illegally & fraudulently convened but nevertheless produced a constitution that was pro-slavery. Mr. Stanton was at that time himself pro-slavery but upon learning of the dubious & probably purposely illegal census of the counties which gave the majority to the pro-slavers, he turned anti-slavery and when Gov. Walker resigned he again became Acting Governor. In Dec. 1857 he called and presided over a special session of the legislature which repealed the dubious & probably illegal Lecompton Constitution. There are conflicting reports that he was then removed from office in Dec. 1857 but there is other information which leads one to believe that he actually served until 1861. At the outbreak of the Civil War he returned to Washington, D.C. and practiced law there until about 1880 when he moved to Florida where he resided until his death. It is apparent by the presentation on this Colt that it was made during his tenure as Acting Governor of Kansas. Also in this auction is another Col. Colt presentation Model 1860 Army which was to Edwin O. Perrin. Mr. Perrin was also an attorney who practiced law in Memphis, Tennessee until 1857 when he traveled to Kansas and took an active part opposing the Lecompton Constitution. It is ironic that these two revolvers, which are only 42 numbers apart, were presented to two men who were deeply involved in the bloody struggle for state's rights in Kansas at the same time and under the same circumstances who probably had been acquainted with each other for many years prior to their appearance in Kansas. CONDITION: Very good, all matching including wedge. No orig finish remains on bbl, cylinder, frame or back strap being a dark somewhat mottled brown patina with a few scattered spots of fine pitting. Cylinder has a few nicks on front edge and retains about 70-75% Ormsby naval battle scene. Hammer has a moderately pitted nose and backstrap has been lightly cleaned. Trigger guard retains about 85% strong orig silver plating and grip, which shows light edge wear, retains most of its orig varnish. Mechanics are slightly out of time, but otherwise are fine, strong dark bore with moderate to heavy pitting. 4-31871 JR210 (20,000-35,000)"
Back to the index
|
