elhombreconnonombre
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Were not most of the Patterson #5 revolvers shipped two per presentation case w/2 spare cylinders, with each spare cylinder specifically numbered to the revolver's sn?
Original Colt Patterson ?
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Berkley
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Ir's my impression, from many years of poring over every Paterson image I could find, that double cased sets are much much more rare than single cased specimens.
I'm going to do some additional research, but I am in agreement with the observations in the above post. I believe most Patterson's were sold as individual guns, although in some cases the orders were for a greater quantity totaling more.
Just for grins, consider the orders from the Army in Florida, and the one from the Republic of Texas Navy.
Just for grins, consider the orders from the Army in Florida, and the one from the Republic of Texas Navy.
Berkley
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These are the only cased pairs of .36 caliber Paterson No. 5 holster pistols I can find (although there are a few cased pairs of the No. 3 belt pistols in .34 caliber also).
Dennis Adler, calling them “very rare”, says there are only two known. This pair is from a private collection :
R.L. Wilson shows the other pair from the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, originally belonging to Lincoln’s Secretary of State, William H. Seward:
Dennis Adler, calling them “very rare”, says there are only two known. This pair is from a private collection :
R.L. Wilson shows the other pair from the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, originally belonging to Lincoln’s Secretary of State, William H. Seward:
AlexanderA
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Note that at the time, the very term "holster" pistol implied that it would be carried in a saddle (pommel) holster, rather than on the person. Pistols to be carried on the person would be called "belt" pistols. Pommel holsters carried pistols in pairs, one on each side.
Also, because of the difficulty in reloading Paterson pistols, and their tendency to foul, often to the point of jamming, after discharging a single cylinder, it would make sense to carry a pair.
Purchasers of these guns, particularly for use on the frontier, would have liked to buy two of them. And probably, a lot were sold in pairs. ("A lot" is a relative term. In absolute terms, not many Patersons were sold. This led to the bankruptcy of the firm.)
Whether these were sold in cased sets is a separate question entirely. The cases would have been important for presentation purposes, and for wealthy individuals, but not very much for actual users.
Also, because of the difficulty in reloading Paterson pistols, and their tendency to foul, often to the point of jamming, after discharging a single cylinder, it would make sense to carry a pair.
Purchasers of these guns, particularly for use on the frontier, would have liked to buy two of them. And probably, a lot were sold in pairs. ("A lot" is a relative term. In absolute terms, not many Patersons were sold. This led to the bankruptcy of the firm.)
Whether these were sold in cased sets is a separate question entirely. The cases would have been important for presentation purposes, and for wealthy individuals, but not very much for actual users.
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