Lot 69

Cochran Patent Turret Revolver from Samuel Colt's Collection

Previous image preload Next image preload

Cochran Patent Turret Revolver from Samuel Colt's Collection

Estimate: $40,000 - $60,000

Starting Bid: $35,000

(0 Bids)

by Rock Island Auction Company
June 27, 2026 5:00 PM CDT
Live Auction
3600 Harwood Road
Bedford, TX, US 76021

Exceptional and Historic Well-Documented W. Berry Cochran Patent Percussion Turret Revolver from the Personal Collection of Samuel Colt While the basic design of revolvers today resemble the original designs of Samuel Colt back in 1836, it was not a forgone conclusion that his design would become the standard. A variety of other designs were experimented with and used both prior to Colt's patent in 1836 and in the decades that followed. Many were impractical by comparison, some were clever attempts at creating a design that did not infringe upon Colt's patent, others were more traditional and were shut down by litigation from Colt, and a few were fairly radical, including the Cochran turret revolver which instead of a cylinder bored from the front featured a rotating disk bored in from the around the outside with chambers radiating outwards like the numbers on a clock. Samuel Colt built an impressive firearms collection, including other revolving firearms designs as part of his study of the development of revolving firearms and of his competition. Some of these guns remained in his personal collection and were later donated by his wife to the Wadsworth Atheneum while others were part of the factory's reference collection and were donated by the company to the Connecticut State Library in 1957. This incredible Cochran patent turret revolver is documented as from Colt's collection and the collection of the Connecticut State Library. It is shown on page 69 of "The Art of the Gun: Magnificent Colts, Selections from the Robert M. Lee Collection" by Lee and Wilson as item 67 in a photograph of "selections from the Colt Collection of Firearms then housed at the Colt Factory, Hartford" in the early 20th century. It is also no. 752 from page 41 of Norm Flayderman's appraisal of the Connecticut State Library Collection in 1974 and listed as: "Cochran Patent percussion under-hammer turret pistol marked 'W. Berry, Maker, Pokeepsie.' No serial number marking. Inlay of game bird on grip. Mint condition." The revolver was sold by Greg Martin to Robert M. Lee at the Las Vegas show in 1993. John Webster Cochran (1811-1873) of New York patented his first turret design in 1834 for a "many-chambered cannon" and then patented two "improvements in many-chambered cylinder fire-arms" in April 1837 just one year after Colt's first patent. "Cochran's many chambered rifles and pistols" were manufactured both in rifle and handgun form as well as in limited numbers as "Cochran's Patent Bomb Cannons" and were tested by the U.S. military. The fact that the chambers radiated outward in various directions, including back at the shooter himself, concerned some interested parties; however, during the military trials, Cochran reportedly attempted to put these concerns to bed by placing loose powder in the chambers, over the balls, and around the caps without incident. The turret is rotated manually between shots. Cochran filed at least two dozen other firearms and ammunition patents, including revolver designs in the 1870s. In "The New York State Firearms Trade Volume 1" by Swinney on pages 206-207 William Berry is noted as active in Albany 1833-1836 and in Poughkeepsie starting in 1842 and by 1856 was running a variety store with his son. On page 100 of Volume 5, Swinney states that Berry made Cochran patent revolvers in Albany about 1840. While Berry is known to have manufactured Cochran's revolvers in very limited numbers, most of the limited number of known American examples were manufactured by C.B. Allen in Springfield, Massachusetts, in the late 1830s. In Flayderman's Guide, it is estimated that total production by Allen was but 150 revolvers and slightly over 200 rifles. Flayderman also mentioned that some of the rifles were manufactured by another unknown maker "believed from Poughkeepsie, New York, same general era c. 1830s." The design was also patented in the U.K. and manufactured by James Wilkinson & Son in limited numbers The barrel of this exceptional turret revolver has a fixed German silver blade front sight, a dovetailed notch rear sight, and is marked "COCHRANS. PATENT." on top. The hinged top strap is marked "W. BERRY/MAKER/POKEEPSIE". The secondary threaded notch rear sight doubles as the latch for the top strap. Though noted having no serial number by Flayderman, the matching serial or assembly number "2" is marked on the underside of the barrel at the breech, underside of the top strap, lower strap at the breech, left side of the hammer, and other small components. The varnished walnut grip has a "saw-handle" profile and features the game bird inlay noted by Flayderman on the right side and a stag inlay on the left. The shield guarding the nipples is also German silver.

Manufacturer: W. Berry

Model: Cochran Turret

BBL: 7 inch part octagon

Gauge: 38

Finish: blue/casehardened/German silver

Grips: walnut

Serial Number2

Class: Antique

  • Provenance: The Personal Collection of Samuel Colt; The Connecticut State Library Collection; Greg Martin; The Robert M. Lee Collection
  • Condition: Exceptional overall with 95% plus bright original high polish blue finish, 85% plus original case colors with particularly vibrant colors on the hammer, distinct maker and patent markings, some faint pitting on the cylinder, faint details on the bird inlay and light aged patina on the German silver. The grip is also excellent and has most of the glossy varnish remaining and minor dings and scratches. The sear notch on the hammer does not engage the trigger, but the turret mechanism functions.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Rock Island Auction will contact you shortly after the auction has completed. We will arrange for shipping and or pickup.

Rock Island Auction Company

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 30% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $199 $10
$200 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000