Product Information

A FINE AND RARE VARIANT OF THE BRITISH BOARD OF ORDNANCE MILITARY ISSUE LONDON MADE COLT NAVY REVOLVER. MADE IN 1855, AND IMMEDIATELY ACQUIRED BY THE BOARD OF ORDNANCE. DURING THE CRIMEAN WAR, THE ORDNANCE EMPLOYED AN INSPECTOR TO WORK IN THE COLT LONDON FACTORY. INITIALLY, THE REVOLVERS WERE PURCHASED BY THE B/O WITHOUT LONDON PROOF MARKS TO SAVE COSTS. THEY WERE GIVEN ONE INSPECTION STAMP, IN THIS CASE TO THE GRIP OF CROWN OVER 4. THE ONLY SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT OF THE BRITISH MILITARY, THE REMOVAL OF THE NAVALK SCENE TO THE CYLINDER AS IT DEPICTED A BATTLE NOT INVOLVING THE ROYAL NAVY. AFTER THE CRIMEAN WAR, THE MAJORITY OF THE ORDNANCE REVOLVERS WERE THEN LONDON PROOFED, STAMPED “W.D.” AND PUT INTO STORE. A SMALL NUMBER REMAINED IN SERVICE FOR PEACETIME ISSUE AND REMAINED UN-PROOFED, SCH AS WE HAVE HERE. VERY RARE SUB-VARIATION, THE LONDON COLT WITH MILITARY MARK AND NO LONDON PROOFS.