A rare and good miss matched .36” Egyptian contract Colt Navy percussion revolver with Enfield inspection mark to the grip.
£3750 SALE £2500
A rare and good miss matched .36”
Egyptian contract Colt Navy percussion revolver with Enfield inspection mark to
the grip. Navy frame with brass trigger guard and back strap is stamped to the
left side COLTS PATENT, the trigger guard being stamped to the left side 36
CAL. The varnished walnut grips stamped to the left side with an Enfield
roundel and inspection stamp with the initials GS in the centre. The mark of
senior Enfield inspector George Stainton who was at the time in charge of the
pattern shop where prototype weapons were hand built for British army trials.
Six shot London proofed cylinder with good naval engagement scene with the
engagement date still legible. London proofed octagonal barrel rifled with gain
twist rifling is roll engraved to the top flat ADDRESS COL SAMl COLT NEW YORK
U.S. AMERICA. Manufactured at Colts US factory after the closure of the London
factory for the Egyptian army these pistols were shipped via London at the
Egyptians insistence, where they were proofed and then sent for final
inspection at the Governments Enfield factory before being paid for and shipped
onwards to Egypt. The inspections being done as a commercial job at the factory
by the pattern making department under the charge of senior inspector George
Stainton, one of the ordnances most experienced men at the time. Chosen by the
Egyptian army largely because the British army had adopted the Colt in limited
numbers for issue to cavalry units in the Crimea the Egyptian pistols saw long
and hard service and many like this had their parts swapped around in service
as they were cleaned or repaired. In this case the frame, trigger guard, back
strap and barrel wedge all match while the barrel and cylinder are from other
Egyptian issue guns. Being fully interchangeable arms this of course did not
affect the function of the weapon at all in service and was not considered
important to the Egyptian army at the time. Most Egyptian troops after all not
being able to read Arabic numerals and so more likely to miss match parts than
their British army counterparts. In good condition with very good bore and
mechanics, a good cylinder scene and traces of original finish turning to brown
with age. A nice example of a rare military Colt Navy to a colonial
Government.
£3750
