Colt Cloverleaf House Pistol .41 Rimfire 3″ Revolver, 1871 Antique
SOLD FOR: $1,075.00
LSB#: LSB260629EB067
Make: Colt
Model: Cloverleaf House Pistol
Serial Number: 306
Year of Manufacture: 1871 / Antique
Caliber: .41 Rimfire
Action Type: Single Action, Four-Shot Revolver
Barrel Length: 3″
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a small blade integral to the barrel. The rear sight is a sighting groove along the top of the frame.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece smooth hardwood panels. They show handling and age-related wear but remain in Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Nickel
Finish Originality: Factory Original
Overall Condition: This revolver retains approximately 80% of its original nickel finish. The balance shows finish loss and patina, primarily on the top of the barrel and the trigger. The remaining nickel presents well for an early antique pocket revolver.
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright and the rifling is well defined. There is fouling and light corrosion throughout the bore.
Mechanics:
The action functions correctly.
We did not fire this firearm.
As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box & Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: Introduced in 1871, Colt’s House Pistol was one of the company’s earliest metallic-cartridge, solid-frame revolvers. The four-shot version quickly became known as the “Cloverleaf” because of its unusually shaped cylinder, while the less common five-shot version is generally referred to simply as the House Model. Chambered for .41 Rimfire and offered with both short and longer barrels, these compact spur-trigger revolvers represent an important transitional step between Colt’s percussion-era designs and the metallic-cartridge revolvers that followed. Serial number 306 places this example among the very early production guns from the model’s first year.
This is an appealing early Cloverleaf with the desirable 3″ barrel, substantial original nickel remaining, attractive smooth wood grips, and a correctly functioning action. The mostly bright bore with defined rifling is another positive for a revolver more than 150 years old. Its extremely low three-digit serial number adds considerably to its collector interest, particularly for someone assembling an early Colt metallic-cartridge collection. Please see our photos and good luck on your bid!-C.M.