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Firearms and edged weapons, a New York collection, part I; Illustrated catalogue 1921
Samuel Colt once said, "The good people of this world are very far from being satisfied with each other and my arms are the best peacemakers." In January of 1861, Colt produced a small number of special leather-covered, gold embossed, plush-lined presentation cases, made to look like a book. The title, imprinted on the back or spine of the "volume" was Colt on the Constitution, Higher Law and Irrepressible Conflict. A portrait of George Washington adorned the cover. I apologize for the poor quality of the image. Evidently, this was a very limited edition.
The pistol inside the "book" was a .36 caliber, 5 1/2 inch barrel, fluted cylinder revolver.
On March 4, 1861, John Addison Cobb, son of Howell Cobb wrote to his father from Macon, GA. Howell Cobb was then at Montgomery, Alabama, serving as the President of the Provisional Confederate Congress.
Dear Father,
....A package came by express today from Washington containing two presents from Col. Colt (the revolver man) one [for] Mother and one for you. Yours is a large horse-man's pistol (revolver) in a fine case. Mother's is a book. On the back it has "Colt on the Constitution, Higher Law and Irrepressible Conflict" "Dedicated by the Author to Mrs. Howell Cobb." On the inside it is a pistol case containing a fine ivory handle revolver and in the handle is engraved "To Mrs. Howell Cobb from Col. Colt."
The letter is dated March 4, 1861. It was the same day that Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated 16th President of the United States.
[The Correspondence of Robert Toombs, Alexander H. Stephens, and Howell Cobb, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1913, page 544.]
Description of one of the books and the revolver therein Firearms and edged weapons, a New York collection, part I; Illustrated catalogue 1921