Cased Colt Model 1862 Police Revolver, Serial no. 9174, with Thuer Conversion for Self-contained Cartridges, and Accessories
Medium
Steel, gold, silver, brass, wood (rosewood), textile
Dimensions
Cal. .36 in. (9 mm); case: 15 x 9 in. (38 x 23 cm)
Classification
Firearms-Pistols-Revolvers
Culture
American, Hartford, Connecticut and New York
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Jerry D. Berger, 1985
Accession Number
1985.264a–r
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
This exquisite Cased Colt Model 2 Police Revolver, number 9174, exemplifies the pinnacle of American firearms craftsmanship from the Civil War era. Produced in 1862 by Samuel in Hartford, Connecticut, .36-caliber steel revolver was later enhanced with a Thuer Conversion, it for modern self-contained metallic cartridges—a-thinking modification that bridged cap-and-ball technology to the cartridge age. The case, measuring 15 x 9 inches, includes rosewood, brass, and textile elements, along with accessories, making it a complete collector's ensemble. Renowned engravers Louis Daniel Nimschke and Charles L. H. Muller adorned the revolver with intricate gold and silver inlays, transforming a practical weapon into a work of art. Distributed through New York dealers Schuyler, Hartley and Graham, such deluxe pieces were often presentation gifts for officers or dignitaries, blending utility with opulent decoration. The Model 1862 Police was favored for its compact size and reliability during the Civil War, symbolizing Colt's revolutionary contributions to mass-produced, interchangeable-part firearms. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Arms and Armor Department (gift of Mr. and Mrs. Jerry D. Berger, 1985), this revolver highlights America's industrial ingenuity and the cultural fascination with personalized weaponry in the 19th century. Visitors will appreciate how its gleaming surfaces and floral motifs evoke the era's blend of martial function and artistic flourish.
About the Artist
Samuel Colt|Louis Daniel Nimschke|Schuyler, Hartley and Graham|Charles L. H. Muller · 1814–1862
Samuel Colt was born on July 19, 1814, in Hartford, Connecticut, to Christopher Colt, a textile manufacturer, and Sarah Caldwell. His early years were marked by family tragedy, including the death of his mother from tuberculosis when he was six, after which his father remarried. At age 11, Colt was indentured to a farmer and later worked in his father's textile mill in Ware, Massachusetts, where h...