This Colt 2nd Model 1848 Dragoon Revolver was manufactured in 1850. This revolver is one of a lot of three pistols that reportedly were purchased by the U.S. Navy in 1852 and were part of the small arms carried on the U.S.S. Mississippi during Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry's famous expedition to Japan. According to biographical information supplied by the consignor, these revolvers were originally part of a 500-arm contract with Juan Manuel de Rosas, Dictator of Argentina, who was ousted from power before payment could be made. Stuck with the revolvers, Colt started looking for a place to dispose of them when word of the Commodore's mission reached him. In the end, the Commodore only needed 25 Dragoons (called "Army Pistols" in correspondence), along with 50 "Navy Pistols" (M1851 Navy) and "13 6- inch pistols", "6 5-inch pistols" and "6-four inch pistols" (M1849 Pocket), which were tin-plated by the Adams Plating Company of New York City, and delivered to the steamer U.S.S. Mississippi, Perry's Flagship by way of Navy Yard Brooklyn. The Perry Expedition, launched in 1852, successfully established the Convention of Kanagawa (also known as Japan-US Treaty of Amity and Friendship) with the Tokugawa Shogunate, opening Japanese ports to American trade, establishing the American Consulate and ending Japanese isolationism. The 2nd Dragoon revolver has the distinctive square back trigger guard and rectangular cylinder stops. The revolver barrel, frame, cylinder, loading lever, hammer and brass trigger guard and back strap are tin-plated. The trigger and screws have a niter blue finish. The one-piece walnut stocks have a varnished finish. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped: "-ADDRESS SAML COLT NEW-YORK CITY-" in a single line reading toward the breech. The left side of the frame is stamped: "COLTS/PATENT/U.S." in three lines. The cylinder is roll-engraved with the Ranger and Indian scene and "MODEL U.S.M.R./COLT'S PATENT. Small, single letter, sub-inspection marks are stamped on most components including the heel of the stock. The full serial number, "8935" is stamped in small numerals on the bottom of the barrel lug, the frame, trigger guard, back strap cylinder and loading lever. All of the serial numbers match. The sides of the grip are not stamped with the Ordnance inspection marks found on Army contract Dragoon revolvers, which is proper as these arms would have been delivered from Colt to Navy Yard Brooklyn in New York.

Very fine. The revolver retains at least 85% of the tin-plated finish. Wear is limited to thinning on contact points and edges. There are some scattered, minor spots of age discoloration on the barrel and the frame. The cylinder retains about 85% of the Ranger and Indian scene. The markings on the barrel and frame are crisp. The nipples and rear face of the cylinder have some light flash pitting. All of the safety pins are intact. The grips are in very good condition and retain 85% or more of the varnish; wear is limited to some minor handling marks and small chips on the front heel of the grip. The action is tight and functions well.

Colt Model 1849 Pocket Revolver, part of the 100-arn grouping for Commodore Perry's Expedition to Japan, as noted before. This revolver has a four-inch barrel and five-shot, .31 caliber, cylinder. The one piece walnut grip has a high polish varnish finish. The cylinder is roll-stamped with the Stage Holdup scene and "COLT'S PATENT". The top barrel flat is roll-stamped with the first style, two-line, barrel marking: "{ADDRESS SAML COLT/ NEW-YORK CITY}". "COLTS/PATENT" is stamped in small letters on the left side of the frame. "3" is stamped on the lower left side of the barrel lug and "X" is stamped on the left shoulder of the trigger guard. The full serial number, "59046" is stamped on the bottom of the barrel lug, the frame, trigger guard, back strap and cylinder. The loading lever is stamped with the partial serial number "9046". All of the visible serial numbers match.

Good. The revolver retains about 50% of the original finish; metal surfaces are smooth and free from scratches or pitting. The cylinder has 90% or more of the roll-engraved scene. All of the markings are crisp. There is light-moderate flash pitting on the percussion nipples and the rear face of the cylinder. The cylinder safety pins are battered but intact. The grip is in excellent condition and retains nearly 95% of the original high polish varnish with minimal handling wear. The action is tight and functions well.

Colt Model 1851 Navy Revolver, noted as one of the 50 Colt Navy Model Revolvers that were part of the 100 Colt pistols purchased by the U.S. Navy for the Commodore Perry Expedition to Japan. The Third Model 1851 Navy Revolver has a small oval trigger guard thin barrel lug and non-beveled, v-shaped loading cut-out. The revolver has a full tin-plated finish and varnished, walnut, one-piece grip. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped: "-ADDRESS SAML COLT NEW-YORK CITY-" in a single line. "COLTS/PATENT" is stamped in two lines on the left side of the frame. "2" is stamped on the left side of the barrel lug at the junction with the frame. A small "G" sub-inspection mark is stamped on the left shoulder of the trigger guard. The full serial number, "32868" is stamped on the bottom of the barrel lug, frame, trigger guard, back strap, loading lever and cylinder. All of the visible serial numbers match.

Very good. The revolver retains about 70% of the tin-plated finish. There is moderate-heavy flaking on the barrel, loading lever, hammer and frame. The delicate, roll-stamped, Texas Navy scene is no longer visible on the cylinder. The surface of the cylinder is smooth and retains about 85% of the plated finish. There is light-moderate flash pitting on the cylinder and five of the six safety pins remain intact. The barrel markings and serial numbers are crisp. The grip is in good-to very good condition with scattered handling and storage marks; about 75% of the varnished finish is intact. The action is tight and functions well.