Colt Model 1855 Pocket Percussion Revolver, Serial no. 4460, with Case and Accessories 1851 - 1861

Curator: Well, isn't that something? Looks like a relic from an old Western film set, all shine and threat. Editor: Indeed. What we have here is a Colt Model 1855 Pocket Percussion Revolver. The serial number is 4460, and it comes with its case and accessories. It was produced sometime between 1851 and 1861, the tumultuous pre-Civil War period in the United States. Curator: Mid-19th century, huh? So, right in the thick of things. There’s something disturbingly beautiful about it, a deadly flower with that intricately carved metal, the warm wood of the handle. It's smaller than I imagined. Editor: That speaks to its intended purpose – a concealable weapon. This type of firearm played a significant role in the expansion of the West, industrialization and evolving power dynamics of the era, a tool and a symbol of manifest destiny. Its portability contributed to the increase in violent altercations during westward expansion and other historical impacts of US society. Curator: Makes you think about how easily violence became a part of everyday life back then, doesn't it? I bet a lot of these ended up in poker games gone bad or settling petty disputes. It represents some dark aspect about humans. Editor: Certainly, but we must also consider the object within its broader context. The rise of industrialization allowed for mass production of such weapons, which democratized access to deadly force and subsequently altered the course of society. Colt became an early arms manufacturer icon. Curator: "Democratized deadly force"--I can't help but cringe when you put it like that, yet I feel that that sums up the history behind it well. Thinking about what stories that gun could tell… if it could talk. It evokes a shiver. What do you make of that craftsmanship then? It is more than merely a gun. Editor: Precisely. The engraved detailing, the careful balance of form and function elevated the Colt revolver beyond its basic utility as a weapon, underscoring the power that this tool embodied and projecting that to the individual holding it. Curator: It almost feels disrespectful to call it a tool… more like a terrible, elegant statement about a certain moment in our story. Thank you. Editor: My pleasure.