Colt Open Top Revolver

Factory engraved by Waterman Lily ORMSBY Manufacturer: Colt's Patent. Firearms Manufacturing Company Manufacture: 1871-72 Caliber: 44 Henry Number: 2713 Barrel: 19 cm, mirrored interior. 7000 examples manufactured
Six-chamber rimfire cylinder fully engraved with a naval battle scene drawn by Waterman Lily Ormsby, as stated by the mention "engraved by WL Ormsby New-York." It is engraved using the siderography technique, a steel plate engraving technique. It is titled "Engaged 16 May 1843" Other mark: Initial H The frame - Engraved decoration of foliage scrolls, two lines of patent dates are affixed under the cylinder: PAT. July. 25. 1871 PAT. July. 2. 1872. Bolt door, bears the number 39. Round barrel engraved on three-quarters with foliage scrolls, numbered in sequence 2713. Extractor rod fixed on the right side of the barrel. Factory engraved and silver finished. Other mark: S superimposed by an O. Stock furnished with two ivory plates incised in a checkerboard pattern. Waterman Lily Ormsby – Born in 1809 and died in 1883, WL Ormsby is the inventor of the “grammagraph”, a pantograph engraving machine on a metal matrix roller. The pantograph is a drawing instrument allowing the same pattern to be reproduced on a smaller or larger scale. Three scenes intended for the Colt were registered and patented: the first for the Colt US Dragoons, the second reserved for the Colt Navy (and Army) Pistol and finally a third for the Colt Pocket Pistol. It is the second scene, engraved on the barrel of the "Open Top," that particularly interests us. The event took place on May 16, 1843. The ships of the Republic of Mexico and those of the Republic of Texas clashed. The men wearing the colors of Texas were armed with Colt revolvers. These illustrated friezes had an ornamental purpose but also to demotivate all non-manufactured reproductions.