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Serial nos. 92275/. and 93215/. .36 cal., 6-shots, 7-1/2" barrels, each marked on top "- ADDRESS SAML COLT HARTFORD CT. -" within engraved border and with intricate finial engraved at muzzle end of each marking. Left side of each frame engraved "COLT'S/PATENT." Serial number stampings including last four digits on top of loading lever lug, bottom of cylinder pin and on bottom of wedges. Cylinder roll scene of naval engagement motif, including dates "ENGAGED 16 MAY 1843." Scroll and border engraved by the Gustave Young shop on the barrels, loading lever lugs, wedges, frames, hammers and gripstraps. Details including floral motifs on the barrel lugs and frames, wolfhead motif hammers, and human head profiles on left side of each lug. Punched dot or stippled background to scrolls. Cartouche on back of each backstrap, allowing space for inscriptions. Scroll embellishment on 93215/. with arabesque styling on each side of frame. Close examination reveals revolvers executed by two different engravers. High gloss blued finish, with color case-hardened loading levers, frames and hammers. Silver-plated brass gripstraps. Single piece ivory grips with rare "WCB" script monograms engraved on left panel, for William C. Browne. Varnished rosewood case, bound in brass and lined in burgundy velvet in the American style of partitioning. Diamond contour inlaid brass plaque on lid, with inscription hand-engraved "PRESENTED TO/Col. Wm. C. Browne./by his friends/at/WATERTOWN.N.Y." Matching diamond profile brass inlaid keyplate. Brass key. Accessories of bag-shaped brass powder flask, blued steel .36 caliber bullet mold marked "COLT'S/PATENT" on sprue cutter, two lacquered tins of percussion caps, cleaning brush tip and worm tip, and miscellaneous lead projectiles. Colonel William C. Browne was elected colonel of the 35th New York Infantry, known as the "Jefferson Grays." The unit was organized in Elmira, New York, and mustered into Federal service on June 11, 1861. Companies A and E were organized at Watertown, N.Y., thus tying in with the inscription on the case lid plaque. The Jefferson Grays unit was disbanded and mustered out, at Elmira, May 18, 1863. The regiment's first year of service was to build and man defenses, in Washington, D.C. The Jefferson Grays first service in action was at the Second Manassas campaign, late August, 1862, in which they saw significant fire. Among other action was at Antietam, and the second battle of Bull Run, as well as at Fredericksburg, Virginia. The cased set comes from the family of Colonel Browne, and has not previously been in a private or public collection.
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