Handguns Personalized Weapon: Real or Added Inscription

Legion Para

Captain
Retired Moderator
Joined
Jul 12, 2015
Is there anything about this inscription which makes you suspicious about the authenticity of this Colt?


LT. ALONZO H. CUSHING
4th LIGHT ARTILLERY U.S. ARMY BATTERY A


img-2144-resize_orig.jpg


images.jpeg
 
It just doesn't look right to me, although all I can see the backstrap and engraving. I would expect a somewhat worn pistol. It should have seen a lot of service and be worn to a degree. I would have thought his name would be in script with other engraving. What does the rest of the pistol look like?
 
Have you researched what weapons Cushing may have actually carried? Is there any documentation available that ties the pistol to the user - be it serial number assignment, family documentation, etc?

IMO, one shouldn't rely the engraving type set alone for a determination of authenticity unless you can match the type set exactly to another similarly or identically engraved handgun. Nor would I rely solely on patina or wear as an indicator of authenticity - what if the pistol had always been kept in the family, cared for and recently cleaned? What if it had been kept in a museum or perhaps in a curators collection? Perhaps it never saw service and wasn't engraved until after the war, perhaps as a GAR commemorative, thus having age to it but not any war service wear typically found on a pistol from the ACW?

Knowing Cushing was a West Pointer, perhaps they may have some additional info regarding the pistol in their historical archives. For instance, 2 of Patton's pistols are at the VMI museum, with family documentation. They are on loan by the family and may one day have to be returned. Slight as it may be, maybe the pistol was once displayed at the Point.

I think there are just too many "what if's" at the moment to determine if the inscription itself is wartime, post-war engraved or simply fake. Let us know if you have anything on the lineage and documentation showing its ownership or use...we are all now as curious as you!
 
The serial # and photos of the rest of the Colt would be helpful and you do raise a few interesting question. It could have been engraved after the war as the engraving IMHO is not CW period.
 
I am not asking about the authenticity of the pistol. I obviously know more about it than I posted. With that said:

What about the style of engraving?

Cushing was an Artilleryman. What about the use of "CO A."?
 
As I stated the engraving is not CW period. The use of Co A instead of battery A, is suspect as well now that you mention it.
 
So, L.P.

You going to drop the other shoe here & enlighten us with the rest of the story or just whistle Dixie?
 
Is there anything about this inscription which makes you suspicious about the authenticity of this Colt?
LT. ALONZO H. CUSHING
4th LIGHT ARTILLERY U.S. ARMY BATTERY A
Both the name of the alleged owner and the style of lettering.
 
So, L.P.

You going to drop the other shoe here & enlighten us with the rest of the story or just whistle Dixie?

There is no other shoe to drop. The Colt is currently owned by a dealer/collector and is for sale at the right price. There is absolutely no rock solid provenance connecting it to Cushing. I personally don't like the engraving.
 
I agree almost totally with the responses about this Colt. Closer inspection of the revolver would certainly help determine it's actual value. The problem definitely arises with the inscription. It doesn't look period correct, but there may be a perfectly good explanation such as this revolver being a commemorative, etc. Unfortunately, you need absolute proof of how that inscription got there. Facts need to show if it is original to the revolver or added at some latter time for some reason.
If you will let me divert a little to an example that almost shadows the example of this Cushing Colt, I'll show you how important it is to have proper documentation on a historical piece no matter how hard you want to believe a firearm is genuine. This example is slightly out of the time period of the Civil War but the inscription scenario is almost the same. Once, while working in the firearms business I was called upon to evaluate a rather large collection of firearms. After examining a host of rifles and shotguns I picked up a rather nice early Colt Single Action Army revolver off the table. The finish was slightly worn but it was solid and in excellent condition. Then I saw it! Engraved on the backstrap was "William H Bonney"! I could hardly believe that I may have in my hand one of the most important and valuable firearms in history.........if the owner had the provenance on this Colt. I asked him if he knew who William Bonney was. He said no.It never occurred to him who he was. He had no paperwork on this Colt. So even though I may have actually held Billy the Kid's gun in my hand it was just a really nice old Colt without proper documentation.
I apologize for drifting a little out of the Civil War time period, but this was a good example of how important it is to have rock solid provenance and proof on a historically signifigant firearm.
Good Evening To All,
Fad
 
Without seeing more of the piece, it appears someone has ruined a nice, say $3000 Colt.
WJC made a very good point about this Colt. If the inscription can't be proven to be genuine and it appears suspect, a lot of collectors may view it's addition to the revolver as actually a negative thus decreasing (possibly significantly) it's value. Almost like defacing it. So who knows........real or fake?........genuine or not?.........no one will ever know without proper paperwork or proof. In the end it's really up to the potential buyer if he wants to take a chance or not and how badly he wants it.
PS - Here is a story that might make some gun enthusiasts cringe. It's not exactly the same story as the revolver we have been talking about, but shows what can happen to affect the value of a firearm if something is put on it that doesn't belong there. It's a good example of one of the things you should NEVER do to firearm, especially if it is highly collectible. I once had a gentleman bring to us to sell an absolutely pristine second generation Colt Single Action Army 12"Buntline revolver. I believe he said it had 6 shots fired out of it. While examining it I turned it over and saw where the man's son had thoughtfully carved his fathers drivers license number into the trigger guard with an electric engraving pencil! OUCH! People do dumb things sometimes and don't even realize they are doing them at the time.
 
Back
Top