By Eric C. Rodenberg HATFIELD, Pa. — An original U.S. Model 1847 Colt Walker, issued from the factory to C-Company of the Texas Rangers, is expected to easily find a six-figure final bid at Alderfer Auction on Dec. 18. The revolver is one of only 37 “known survivors,” in firearm collector jargon, according to Tim Hollinger, firearms specialist at Alderfer. This historical firearm is also marked as “No. 122” of 220 such revolvers made by Colt for Company C. As Capt. Samuel Hamilton Walker of the Texas Rangers was the co-inventor of the famous “Colt Walker” revolver, his C Company received 220 of the new revolvers in 1847. Other regiments in the company also received new Walkers. “But, C-Company became the first to receive their revolvers,” Hollinger says. Altogether, only 1,100 of these guns were made, 1,000 as part of a military contract and an additional 100 for private buyers. There are only 16 known to still be in existence among the 100 civilian revolvers. The provenance on the Alderfer revolver dates to 1943, after it was discovered in Austin, Texas, by the editor of the Texas Gun Collector’s Association. However, the gun has been authenticated by Herb Glass, Jr., Firearms Consultant and Honorary Curator of the West Point Museum, an acknowledged expert of Colt Walkers. “… this is a fine Walker, far above average for these guns which generally saw long hard use with many parts replaced in the field during service,” Glass said. “Sadly, many of them have suffered from modern improvements to enhance their value. This gun can truly be called ’untouched’ in that regard and is virtually completely original.” Many of these early Colt Walkers were subject to ruptured cylinders after firing. Nearly 300 of the 1,000 original issue Walkers to the Texas Rangers were returned to the factory for cylinder repairs, according to Percussion Pistols and Revolvers History: Performance and Practical Use by Mike Cumpston. “The cylinder is a lively untouched dark brown patina; indeed all steel parts are the same excellent untouched patina,” Glass wrote, after completely disassembling and examining all of the revolver’s parts. The condition, the Texas Ranger provenance and the rarity make the Colt a highly desirable firearm. Glass and Alderfer Auction have not assigned a pre-sale estimate for the gun. “Herb said, in this day and age, it’s too difficult to assign a value,” Hollinger said. “We have no estimate. We think it will go well into the six figures. It’s operable, it’s far above average and it’s still highly desirable. Before the market crash in 2008, I would have told you $900,000. But’s it’s just impossible to assess.” Ironically, the gun re-surfaced after 50 years in a box on an estate in Montgomery County, Pa. just north of Philadelphia. The gun had “gone underground,” Hollinger said, since the 1960s, when it appeared in Norm Flayderman’s Gun Catalog No. 77, which described it as “one of the best specimens we have come across in virtually untouched condition.” “There was no price on the gun,” Hollinger said, “only a ’price upon request.’” Until two months ago, no one outside the family had seen the gun. Immediately after seeing the revolver, Hollinger called Glass. “There’s a lot of fakes out there,” Hollinger said. “Herb Glass was the man to call.” But, now that has been authenticated down to the company unit of the Texas Rangers, it is impossible to find out the past 50-year history of the gun. “The owner and consigner is in the latter stages of Alzheimer’s disease,” Hollinger said. “There is no way to question him. We have no idea where he got the gun, or how it ended up in Montgomery County, Pa. We just don’t know where it’s been since the ’60s.” The consigner wishes to remain anonymous, Hollinger said. Prior to the current consigner’s acquisition of the gun it is known that it was owned by William H. Robinson Jr. of Gloucester, Mass. Robinson used his ownership of the gun to become a member of the Texas Gun Collector’s Association (TGCA), according to a 1953 association’s newsletter. Prior to that the gun was discovered in Austin, Texas, by the editor of the gun collector’s magazine. Alderfer’s Firearm, Accessories and Taxidermy Auction on Dec. 18 will also be selling a Winchester Model 1886 lever action .45 caliber rifle, a Winchester Model 21 side-by-side shotgun and a heavily-engraved Frankfurt A.O. Underlever Drilling 12-gauge shotgun, stamped “Patent W. Collath.” Contact: (215) 393-3000 www.alderferauction.com |