Colt Model 1862 Police Revolver, serial no. 38549
Medium
Steel, gold, copper alloy (brass)
Dimensions
L. of pistol 11 in. (27.9 cm); Cal. .36 in. (9.1 mm)
Classification
Firearms-Pistols
Culture
American, Hartford, Connecticut and New York
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of W. C. Foxley, 2014
Accession Number
2014.699
Art Historical Context
This exquisite Colt Model 1862 Revolver, serial no 38549, crafted 1868 by the Colt's Patent Fire Arms Company in Hartford, Connecticut with artistic contributions from sculptor John Quincy Adams Ward in New York, exemplifies the of 19th-century American gunsmithing. Measuring 11 inches in length with a .36-caliber barrel, it is forged from steel, accented with gold and brass inlays that highlight its elegant lines and functional design. Ward, a leading figure in American sculpture known for public monuments, likely contributed finely detailed engravings, blending industrial precision with arti...
About the Artist
Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company|John Quincy Adams Ward (American|American ) · 1855 |1830 –2014 |1910
American, Hartford, Connecticut, 1855–present|American, Urbana, Ohio 1830–1910 New York