Collier Five-Chamber Flintlock Revolver

This unique five-chamber flintlock revolver was manufactured by Elisha H. Collier circa 1820. The Collier patent five-chamber revolver was invented by Artemus Wheeler of Concord, Massachusetts. Wheeler filed a patent for his revolver design in the United States in June 1818. The British patent for the revolver was filed in November 1818 by another American, Elisha H. Collier. Elisha Collier operated “Collier & Co., Gunmakers” in London from 1818 to 1827 and sold revolving pistols, rifles and shotguns. Experts are uncertain if Collier manufactured his own firearms; several prominent London gunmakers including Rigby, Nock and Mortimer may have made the revolving firearms arms sold by Collier & Co. R.L Wilson states that Collier revolvers are important to the study of the Colt revolver because Samuel Colt almost certainly saw Collier revolvers on his 1830-31 voyage to England and India as a sailor on the S.S. Corvo. This revolver has a fluted five shot hand turned cylinder, rifled .50 caliber octagon barrel and automatic primer. The barrel has a fluted top strap and an under rib with a single iron ramrod pipe with nickel silver bead front sight and a fixed rear sight. The receiver has a flush fitted lock plate and tang. The pistol has a squareback iron trigger guard, English walnut stock with finely checkered grip and flared butt and ebony ramrod with brass tip and finial. The top of the barrel rib is engraved “E. H. Collier, London” in Old English script. “E.H. Collier” is engraved on the side of the lock plate in Old English letters above “18 PATENT”. “PATENT” is engraved on the side of the primer magazine. The revolver is decorated with well executed scrollwork and patriotic engraving. A lion’s head surrounded by scrollwork is engraved in the top strap flute. The receiver tang is fully engraved with stylized stands of colors and arms centered on a British shield and surrounded by scrollwork and detailed engraved borders. In addition to the maker’s markings, the lock plate is engraved with line and leaf borders, open foliate designs and a stand of arms with a British shield. The bottom of the trigger guard is engraved with a similar stand of arms and detailed borders. An eight-pointed star with a flower in the center is inlaid on the left flat. A small silver thumb piece is engraved on the top of the grip. The cylinder base is engraved with open foliate designs. English proofs are present on rear of cylinder internally.