Lot Essay
Incorporating British patent nos. 14027 of 20 March 1852 (mechanism) and 993 of 3 May 1854 (rammer)
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BY WESTLEY RICHARDS, 170, NEW BOND ST., LONDON (PATENTEE), SERIAL NO. 323 FOR 1857
Details
A FINE AND RARE CASED 36-BORE WESTLEY RICHARDS PATENT FIVE-SHOT SELF-COCKING PERCUSSION REVOLVER
BY WESTLEY RICHARDS, 170, NEW BOND ST., LONDON (PATENTEE), SERIAL NO. 323 FOR 1857
With blued octagonal sighted barrel and top-strap, the former signed in full on the top flat and engraved with a band of foliage at the muzzle, blued serial numbered cylinder, case-hardened border and scroll engraved frame with sprung plunger hammer safety-stop on the left side, blued border and scroll engraved trigger-guard, blued Westley Richards patent rack and pinion rammer, chequered figured walnut spurred butt, and butt-cap with scroll engraved hinged trap-cover retaining traces of original blued finish, the remainder retaining much original blued finish, Birmingham proof marks, in dark oak fitted case lined in green baize with accessories including a revolver flask, Japanned tin for Westley Richards & Co. 'Stout Metallined Caps', and brass double-cavity bullet mould marked 'WR 36', the lid with Westley Richards trade label, the lid with shaped brass escutcheon
6in. (15.2cm.) barrel
BY WESTLEY RICHARDS, 170, NEW BOND ST., LONDON (PATENTEE), SERIAL NO. 323 FOR 1857
With blued octagonal sighted barrel and top-strap, the former signed in full on the top flat and engraved with a band of foliage at the muzzle, blued serial numbered cylinder, case-hardened border and scroll engraved frame with sprung plunger hammer safety-stop on the left side, blued border and scroll engraved trigger-guard, blued Westley Richards patent rack and pinion rammer, chequered figured walnut spurred butt, and butt-cap with scroll engraved hinged trap-cover retaining traces of original blued finish, the remainder retaining much original blued finish, Birmingham proof marks, in dark oak fitted case lined in green baize with accessories including a revolver flask, Japanned tin for Westley Richards & Co. 'Stout Metallined Caps', and brass double-cavity bullet mould marked 'WR 36', the lid with Westley Richards trade label, the lid with shaped brass escutcheon
6in. (15.2cm.) barrel
Provenance
The makers have kindly confirmed that this revolver was completed in 1857 and is the last recorded five-shot percussion revolver
Literature
A.W.F. Taylerson, R.A.N. Andrews and J. Frith, The Revolver 1818-1865, 1968, pl. 34 (Top - trade label only, noted as being P.A. Bedford Collection)