Here are some quick pictures I took with my phone. I would welcome any comments about the gun in general as a Navy, condition, and of course if you have ever came across it before! This is by far the oldest one I have ever obtained and it has already been great fun reading up on Civil War naval history and the Sea Devil of the Confederacy himself, truly a larger than life historical figure.
Original Title and post: Is it Legit? Auction for a COLT 1851 NAVY COMMODORE JOHN MAFFITT
What do you all make of this, any chance it is legit? Looks like a beater without provenance to me.
It does have engraving on the back strap, which may or may not be legit. A note in the book would lend some credibility to it, even more so if there was a period picture of it showing the engraving or (even better) the serial. I guess the seller would have mentioned that though, so I suspect that he can't show any provenance. A Colt letter may shed some light on it, but as it is now I wouldn't take any chances.
Yes i saw the engraving, seems odd to me that the engraved area would have a striking patina unlike the rest of the grip frame. Sure would be cool if it is real though
This very 1861 pistol was listed for sale 22 years ago in the catalogue of a very reputable, now deceased, dealer in all things antique Colt. No price given, prospective buyers were asked to call for further info.
Quite a personage, Captain Maffitt! He had many turns of luck in life and still managed to be a gentleman! I hope that provenance for this Colt can be found?
I am unable to post photos on this site; do not have requisite account. Greekgeek, pm me & I will text pics of catalogue entry to you. Maybe you can post them for the forum members.
Wanted to give everyone an update, I acquired this revolver and am very, very pleased with it. Thanks to everyone who responded especially desron6! Would love to find a copy of that catalog.
I wouldnt call this a beater. Patina'ed but with no obvious damage and with nice wood and matching numbers. Here in Ohio thats a $1500-$2000 1861 Navy even with out any potential historical association.
I think you're right, my description was hyperbolic. On close examination it is in pretty good shape, retains a lot of the cylinder scene and Colts patent stamp that do not show in the pictures. Mechanicals are also in order.
You can post pictures directly from your computer without using another program. When you go to insert object, click from computer & it'll let you browse you hard drive.
This was a very interesting story. Incredible that this gun was remembered and the article kept all this time and it provided the provenance for a good purchase. Well done all!!!
I have been keeping a few interesting stories with the pictures from the auctions involving Sharps rifles and some early Colts. Maybe they will come in handy for some one some day. Fascinating how this played out.
Greekgeek - did the seller throw in the book too?
I am humbled to be this gun's caretaker and grateful to the forum members who helped make it happen. I wonder if this ever passed through any forum member's hands over the years? The book was thrown in and promptly devoured! It was a great read, academic in nature and well cited. Even so it read like a swashbuckling adventure, it might take another hundred years but someone will make a movie about this man's storied life. I just received my copy of "Sea Devil of the Confederacy" the story of the Florida and her captain, John Newland Maffitt in the mail this week, can't wait to find some time to read it too.
I snapped a few quick pics and added them to the OP for anyone who would like a closer look.
Just started researching this one again, here is an interesting tidbit from the Crew of the Florida in late 1863. Captain Maffitt was under leave of absence in France, and the Florida was being assigned a new captain by the Confederate Navy. The letter shows their affection and loyalty to their Captain, JNM.
Also, I showed the gun to an antique Colt expert who knew the late Robin Rapley, who looked it over. Some remarks are that it seems to be period engraving, correct patina, grips, and even some spots of old sperm whale oil and blood pitting on it.
Thanks for showing it and the great story. Congratulations and I am sure that you are very proud to own it and will be a good caretaker until it is passed on to someone else.
Wish I had an opportunity to have met him, he sounds like a gentleman scholar from what I have read and heard. I wonder sometimes if he also knew more about the history of this Colt.
And thanks again for your help with the Catalog and connect ion of this Colt to Mr. Rapley. It took me about one year but I did eventually locate a copy of his 1995 catalog, same as pictures you had shares.
Bumping up an oldie but a goodie. I would like to dissemble this revolver, does anyone know what a good resource would be for instructions on how best to dissemble and of course, reassemble?
hello; take it to a good gunsmith. they will have all the necessary correct tools. those old screws can be hard to start after so much time under tension. once done, you can take it apart with ease any time you wish.
regards, bro
hi, might want to make that an impact hammer driven impact tool (gunsmith) colt screwdriver set. it would be a shame to damage those screws. mid nineteenth century malleable iron screws, et c., are softer than you may believe and will twist off screw heads and deface slots more often than not if have not been loosened for many years, may be never.
from your images, it appears someone has already tried to back off the hammer screw. others appear to be pretty much righteous.
Very cool '61 and a good research story arch to go with it! I believe the SN puts this Colt as manufactured in 1864. If Maffitt was off the ship in late 1863 it could have been presented to him upon his return in '64 or at some other ceremony before the end of the year.
As others have mentioned, go slow on the disassembly and soak with Kroil to loosen things up if you feel you must take it apart.
Maffitt was promoted to the rank of Commander in May 1863 "for gallant and meritorious conduct in command of the steam sloop Florida." Ill health due to the lingering effects of yellow fever forced him to relinquish command of Florida at Brest, France on February 12, 1864.
In the summer of 1864, after returning to the Confederate States, Maffit was given command of the ironclad ram CSS Albemarle. Under Maffit's command, Albemarle dominated the Roanoke River and the approaches to Plymouth, North Carolina throughout the summer. In September, he was given command of the blockade runner CSS Owl. On October 3, Owl escaped to sea from Wilmington; the blockaders wounded her captain and several crewmen but 9 shots failed to stop them, and Owl arrived in Bermuda on October 24 with a large and valuable cargo of cotton. Maffit made several more successful runs through the Union blockade in Owl before the war ended.
Perhaps the crew of the Florida gave him the revolver at a ceremony of some sort when he was on another ship or when he returned to North America in the summer of '64 - would be neat to find out exactly when it was presented.
A Colt letter would tell where it shipped, and when, from the factory. Normally pretty mundane info and not worth the $300, but in this case could be very useful. If the gun went north from Colt, how did it get south? If it went south, that'd be an interesting tale itself too.
I suppose, however, that the date on the back strap doesn't mean it was presented to him in '64 although that would be most likely since his service with the Florida ended early that year.
Perhaps the crew of the Florida gave him the revolver at a ceremony of some sort when he was on another ship or when he returned to North America in the summer of '64 - would be neat to find out exactly when it was presented.
A Colt letter would tell where it shipped, and when, from the factory. Normally pretty mundane info and not worth the $300, but in this case could be very useful. If the gun went north from Colt, how did it get south? If it went south, that'd be an interesting tale itself too.
I suppose, however, that the date on the back strap doesn't mean it was presented to him in '64 although that would be most likely since his service with the Florida ended early that year.
I would love to find out more about it, and hope to fill in some of the gaps if time allows for further research. Maybe there is information in Robin Rapley's papers, or Maffitt's archive papers but most are not yet digitized.
Unfortunately this serial number falls within the range of records destroyed in the fire, so nothing available in the form of a Colt Letter.
As posted up in post #21 attachment, the crew knew they were going under a new capt. in Sept. 1963.
Could definitely be something presented at a Florida crew/ship reunion after the war and the date merely reflects when he left the Florida.... I love mysteries like this
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