Rare "Photo" Of A Guy Packin' A Colt Walker

[Wyatt Burp]

This extremely rare picture of an early Californio actually packing a Colt Walker pops up in books every once in a while and is my current screen saver. He wears it on a wide belt up high in probably the most comfortable position. Notice the holster flap is folded out of the way. I think a Dragoon would fit this holster perfectly while the Walker hangs out the bottom. I'd sure like to know the story how this gun traveled from the Mexican war to end up on the hip of this elegantly dressed native Californian in the early 1850's.

[twaits]

Great photo. Before I cut it off the my Walkers barrel stuck out the bottom of the holster I have for it.
Didn't Jose Wale's Walker barrels stick through too?

[Oyeboten]

I'd sure like to know the story how this gun traveled from the Mexican war to end up on the hip of this elegantly dressed native Californian in the early 1850's.

I'd guess...( being playful, ) it either it went to California via some South of the Boarder route...or, some North of the Boarder route...there being a big difference of course, between the two.


Far as Northern California, and, the days of the initial or early Gold Rush - the Patterson and Walker Models would have been about it, far as Colts being in California.

I used to have a tattered first edition of the Book "Life amongst the Modocs, or, Unwritten History" by Juachin Miller.

He was born in Northern California around 1830 and so was was about 19 when the Gold Rush first began, so he was there and part of various Mining Camps and Skirmish occasions in which sometimes he faught with the Indians, and, sometimes, against them, depending on the indicent...and, in his Book he did mention Colt Pistols as being very highly thought of in the early Mining Towns, where, otherwise, most fellows had single Shot Muzzle Loading Percussion Pistols.

Many of the '49ers had plenty of Money ( or Gold, or both ) and, I imagine quite a few Colts were brought or brought in, especially by the mid or latter 1850s.


The image above I assume is attributed to some location in Southern California? Or, do we know?

Too, aweful hard to tell say, an image-portraint from say 1855, or, 1860 or even mid 1860s...as not everyone adhered to Fashion in a way where they were sure to be up to date, and, even when they were, it is still hard to tell..!

Very interesting image...

[Wyatt Burp]

Oyboten, no wonder there's a park around Oakland or Berkeley called Jaquin Miller Park. I think this daguerrotype is from the early 1850's inbetween the long sideburn/no beard period and the "everyone had facial hair" period of the late 1850's and onward. And it looks like both are wearing swords. I think around this time swords were giving way to "bowie" knives and repeating pistols. Something about their outfits with those swords, if they are swords, make me think these two guys are part of a militia or something. But that's all speculation on my part. But that's what makes looking at these old pictures so interesting.

[Oyeboten]

That Walker in Holster m-i-g-h-t even be partially suspended by a Shoulder Belt.

If I were going to carry one, that's how I'd do it - sort of like a 'Sam Brown' outfit, but heavier, so the Shoulder Strap helps bear and transfer the weight.

A waist Belt alone would not tend to work well - far as I can imagine anyway.

Hard to tell in the image just what he has going on that regard.


His Walker likely still had a lot of Blue on it I bet!

[Nick B.]

Interesting photo, that young man must have been very proud of his new (?) Colt, he is certainly making sure everyone can see it.

As for swords , I see the line by their legs , but unless the photo has been flipped aren't they on the wrong side ? The sword would be worn on the left so it could be easily drawn, also if one sword was hidden the other should be visible , unless one of them were left handed - a soul mate for you Wyatt - which hand would the quirt be carried on the strong or the weak ?

NB

[Wyatt Burp]

I've seen this picture flipped around sometimes like on the cover of this book on the right here (upper left corner of the books cover). So I don't know which way it goes without a reference like features on the gun. And I don't know if flap holsters were left handed for a right hand twist draw that far back. Or maybe these guys ARE members of that unique elite group of people blessed to be port sided. You know, like ME!

[Chaffee]

The guy on the right appears to have some sort of badge-buffalo? on his hat.

[Oyeboten]

Interesting photo, that young man must have been very proud of his new (?) Colt, he is certainly making sure everyone can see it.

As for swords , I see the line by their legs , but unless the photo has been flipped aren't they on the wrong side ? The sword would be worn on the left so it could be easily drawn, also if one sword was hidden the other should be visible , unless one of them were left handed - a soul mate for you Wyatt - which hand would the quirt be carried on the strong or the weak ?

NB

Deguerrotypes were always 'flipped', there was n Negative to print from, the image was made dirsctly on to the Plate, which when developed was then the finished copy.

[twaits]

Deguerrotypes were always 'flipped', there was n Negative to print from, the image was made dirsctly on to the Plate, which when developed was then the finished copy.

This is what made Billy The Kid the "left handed gun"
It looks to me that Wyatts original picture was flipped to make the backwards deguerrotype correct. The picture on the cover of the book looks like the original picture in a little frame. This would make sense as most people are right handed. Didn't they also used to force little kids to be right handed in the old days as well?