Lot 1153

Richmond, Virginia, Shipped Fluted Colt 1860 Army Revolver

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Richmond, Virginia, Shipped Fluted Colt 1860 Army Revolver

Estimate: $37,500 - $55,000

Starting Bid: $32,500

(0 Bids)

by Rock Island Auction Company
August 22, 2026 9:00 AM CDT
Live Auction
3600 Harwood Road
Bedford, TX, US 76021

Desirable Documented Richmond, Virginia, Shipped Early Production Fluted Cylinder Colt Model 1860 Army Percussion Revolver with Scarce 7 1/2 Inch Barrel, Richmond Retailer Labeled Case, and Factory Letter This factory letter indicates this revolver shipped to Peter Williams & Co. in Richmond, Virginia, on April 15, 1861, in a shipment of 472 guns of this type in .44 caliber with a 7 1/2 inch barrel, "Blue/Brass" finish, and wood grip. This date falls just a few days after the outbreak of the Civil War with the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter on April 12-13, 1861, and was the same day President Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers to subdue the insurrection, including 3,500 Virginia militia. Virginia was still officially a Union state on April 15, but by the time the revolvers arrived, the situation had changed. The Virginia Convention voted to secede on April 17, 1861, and the state's secession was confirmed by a referendum on May 23, 1861. By the end of May, Richmond was functioning as the official Confederate capital. This shipment of revolvers would have been largely used to arm Confederate troops. However, these revolvers were also being sold on the open market in Virginia. The included mahogany case lid has a James Walsh, Richmond, Virginia, trade label inside. James Walsh notably advertised in the Richmond newspapers that he had hundreds of Colt's pistols available at the beginning of 1861. By early July, however, the numbers listed were much lower. He noted he had "just received and for sale - "40 Colt's Navy Pistols", "30 Colt's Pocket-size Pistols", and "4 Colt's Army Pistols". Charles Pate in his book "The Colt Model 1860 Army Revolver" estimates that between 5,000 and 6,300 fluted cylinders were originally produced, and some of these cylinders were changed by the factory to the standard non-fluted cylinders if they were returned to the factory which has limited the number that have survived. By his estimates, the 7 1/2 inch barrel on this revolver is actually rarer than the fluted cylinder as he estimated that only 2,800 Model 1860 Army revolvers had this barrel length. Regardless of the exact numbers, only a very small portion of the 200,500 revolvers manufactured between 1860 and 1873 were in this configuration. With their genuine Confederate connections, these revolvers have long captivated Colt and Civil War collectors and continue to be in high demand. The revolver has the distinctive blued, six-shot, fluted cylinder that defines this desirable variation. The cylinder is marked the "PATENTED SEPT. 10th 1850" in one of cylinder flutes. The rare early production barrel is 7 1/2 inches in length and has a German silver blade front sight, "-ADDRESS SAML COLT HARTFORD CT.-" roll-stamped on top, and a blued "creeping" loading lever mounted underneath. The brilliantly color casehardened "four screw" frame has "COLTS/PATENT" stamped on the left side of the frame, slightly projecting "fourth" screws, flush hammer screw head, shoulder stock cuts on the recoil shield, and a capping groove on the right. The hammer is also color casehardened and features borderless knurling. The silver plated brass front strap is marked "D" on the left side of the trigger guard. The varnished grip is "Army sized" rather than the smaller "Navy" sized grip seen on some early examples. The cylinder, arbor pin, wedge, barrel, frame, and back strap have serial number "2903". The "3" is stamped over an inverted "4" on the barrel. "2903" is also handwritten in black ink inside the rear mortise of the grip strap. The trigger guard is numbered "2901". The case contains a dog and pheasant pattern powder flask, blued "COLTS/PATENT" bullet mold, balls, and Eley Bros. cap tin.

Manufacturer: Colt

Model: 1860 Army

BBL: 7 1/2 inch round

Gauge: .44

Finish: blue/casehardened

Grips: walnut

Serial Number2903

Class: Antique

  • Condition: Very fine, especially for a revolver shipped to the South at the outbreak of the Civil War, with 70% original blue and 50% casehardened finish, general light oxidation and pitting on the iron, a few flattened cylinder pins, 25% original silver on the trigger guard, aged patina on the silver and brass, and fairly minor overall wear. The grip is also very fine and retains most of the original high gloss piano varnish finish and displays light edge wear and scattered dings and scratches. Mechanically excellent. The case is fine, and the accessories are very good with age and storage related wear including a minor crack in the underside of the case, scratches on the exterior, and some staining on the lining. This is an incredible opportunity to add a rare and exceptional Richmond, Virginia, shipped fluted cylinder Colt Model 1860 Army to your collection!

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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