Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Here we have a sequentially serialized pair of Colt 1849 Wells Fargo pocket revolvers, serial numbers 99999 and 100000, probably manufactured December 31, 1854 and January 1, 1855.
That description alone is sufficient. Two guns, separated by a number, spanning one calendar year, were reunited in the same case. The pair’s chances of surviving together are not good, which makes finding them this way truly remarkable.
Both Wells Fargo configurations, are 3-inch barrels with no loading lever. That setup kept them slim and obstruction-free, which is exactly what you want if you’re a stage driver or a gamer who needs to get a gun out of the pocket fast. The compact profile made these some of the most practical revolvers of the era for anyone traveling in the American West.
The fitted hardwood case includes powder flask, ball mould, cap tin, key and four packages of combustible cartridges. The case has been redesigned but the correct period configuration has been retained. The sight numbers, including the wedges, on both revolvers are identical.
One cylinder shows the shadow of the second number below the middle digits, reflecting Colt’s common practice of reusing cylinder components during manufacturing. Not unusual for this period.
Most of our POTDs use images of our friends Rock Island Auction CompanyMajor firearms auction in the United States. Take some time to browse them current auction – Who knows, maybe you’ll find a piece of history to take home!
“A highly desirable cased consecutive pair of Colt ‘Wells Fargo’ Model 1849 pocket percussion revolvers, with serial numbers ‘99999’ and ‘100000’.” Rock Island Auction, www.rockislandauction.com/detail/5031/706/consecutive-pair-of-colt-wells-fargo-model-1849-revolvers. Accessed 28 May 2026.
