Collection Guide
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Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company Collection
89.62
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Contributing Institution:
Library and Archives at the Autry
Title: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company Collection
Creator:
Colt, Samuel
Creator:
Colt Manufacturing Company
Creator:
Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company
Identifier/Call Number: 89.62
Physical Description:
3.4 Linear Feet
(2 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1894-1946
Abstract: Samuel Colt patented his revolver with a mechanically rotating cylinder in 1835 and 1836. It revolutionized the firearms industry
and was the first truly global manufacturing export in American history. The success of the revolver ultimately allowed Samuel
Colt to incorporate Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company in 1855. This collection of Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing
Company documents spans 1894-1946 and includes contracts, correspondence, invoices, memos, notes, receipts, stock certificates,
and trademark registration certificates regarding manufacture, registration and trade of Colt products.
Language of Material:
English
, Spanish; Castilian
, French
.
Appointments to view materials are required. To make an appointment please visit
https://theautry.org/research-collections/library-and-archives and fill out the Researcher Application Form.
Copyright has not been assigned to the Autry Museum of the American West. All requests for permission to publish or quote
from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Research Services and Archives. Permission for publication is
given on behalf of the Autry Museum of the American West as the custodian of the physical items and is not intended to include
or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.
Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company Collection, Autry Museum of the American West; 89.62.[item number]; [date].
Donated by John T. Reynolds and William C. Reynolds on April 7, 1989.
A revolver with a mechanically rotating cylinder had eluded gunsmiths for centuries. Finally, in 1831, sixteen-year-old Samuel
Colt constructed the first rudimentary model of such a revolver. Over the next five years, he worked with several gunsmiths
to manufacture prototypes. Colt patented his invention around the world over the course of several months in 1835 and 1836.
The Colt revolver was extremely popular, especially on the American frontier, because it was the first practical revolving
firearm capable of firing more than one shot without having to be reloaded. It revolutionized the firearms industry and was
the first truly global manufacturing export in American history. The success of the revolver ultimately allowed Samuel Colt
to incorporate Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company in 1855. The company was a pioneer in the use of research and
development. It also benefitted from the use of state-of-the-art machinery and interchangeable parts. Still in existence to
this day, Colt's continues to produce revolvers and a variety of other firearms.
This collection of Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company documents spans 1894-1946 and includes contracts, correspondence,
invoices, memos, notes, receipts, stock certificates, and trademark registration certificates regarding manufacture, registration
and trade of Colt products. Some documents pertain to Colt firearms sold to the Republic of Argentina in 1926.
Initial inventory, physical processing, and cataloging by Autry Museum of the American West staff. Finding aid completed by
Holly Rose Larson, NHPRC Project Archivist, March 6, 2012, made possible through grant funding from the National Historical
Publications and Records Commission.
- Colt Industries Museum Collection Archives, 1848-1949, Autry Museum of the American West; 87.118.
- Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company records, 1810-1980, Connecticut State Library, RG103.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Correspondence
Blueprints
Advertisements
Weapons
Revolvers
Firearms industry and trade -- United States
Patents
Firearms
Firearms -- United States
Colt firearms
Colt revolvers
Certificates
Contracts