OF - FAIR- some major parts replaced; minor replacement parts may be required; metal rusted, may be lightly pitted all over, vigorously cleaned; rounded edges of metal and wood; principal lettering, numerals and design on metal partly obliterated; wood scratched, bruised, cracked or repaired where broken; in fair working order or can be easily repaired and placed in working order.

NPRF - NON-PROFESSIONALLY REFINISHED/COLD BLUE, ETC.

This revolver was included in the famous Parade of Walkers by the Texas Gun Collectors Association in 2003. Only 1,000 of the historical U.S. martial contract Colt Walker revolvers were manufactured in 1847. These massive "horse pistols" resurrected Samuel Colt's firearms business. The design was famously conceived in collaboration with Captain Samuel H. Walker of the Texas Rangers and the U.S. Regiment of Mounted Riflemen and Samuel Colt. John Coffee Hays, Walker, and the Texas Rangers had successfully used Colt's Paterson revolvers while outnumbered in combat with the Comanche in Texas and in battle with the Mexican army in the 1840s. In 1847, Samuel Colt contacted Walker asking for details on the battles in which his revolvers had been used and for an endorsement that he could then use to pursue government contracts. Walker wrote back a glowing endorsement of Colt's revolvers but also made suggestions on how to improve the design, and a contract for 1,000 revolvers was signed. Colt did not have a manufacturing facility for the revolvers, so he contracted to have Eli Whitney Jr. build them for him. Aside from a few special pairs sent earlier, this revolver would have been part of the first batch of 220 revolvers with the C Company markings (Walker's company in the Regiment of Mounted Riflemen) shipped to the Vera Cruz Ordnance Depot, but nearly all of these were diverted for Colonel Hays's men in the Texas Rangers. The Walker was reported to be as effective as a rifle at 100 yards and more effective than a musket at 200 yards. Walker was famously killed while armed with a pair of Colt presentation Walker revolvers at the Battle of Juamantla in October 1847. After the Mexican-American War ended, most of the surviving Colt Walker revolvers were returned to government arsenals in Texas, and, of the 191 turned in by Hays's men, only 82 are recorded as remaining serviceable. Many of the Walkers used during the Mexican-American War and in fights with Native Americans in the late 1840s were shipped to the San Antonio Ordnance Depot and were captured by the Confederacy at the beginning of the Civil War and then issued to Confederate cavalry units. Included information from collectors lists this revolver as the oldest Colt Walker with matching serial numbers, including a statement from John C. Galle calling it "the oldest intact (all matching serial number) six shooter in the world." The left side of the barrel above the wedge, the left side of the extensively pitted frame, and the butt have "C COMPANY No 10" in larger text while the restamped, pitted cylinder and front of the trigger guard have the same marking in smaller text. The arbor pin on the bottom, front of the frame between the alignment pins, the left side of the front strap, and the mortise of the grip at the butt are marked all "10." The wedge is blank. The barrel has a German silver blade front sight, "ADDRESS SAML COLT NEW-YORK CITY" in large letters reading from the breech towards the muzzle, and "US/1847" on the right side above the wedge. There have been welded repairs made to the underside of barrel (where appears to have been a ramrod catch removed) and frame, and some of the screws, lengthened loading lever and other components are replacements. The barrel address and "C COMPANY No 10" markings on the left side of barrel and frame are all re-engraved. Mechanically functions fine. Includes an x-ray of the revolver.