English Percussion Revolvers Adams Patent 1851 King Willem Five Shot Revolvers

by Nina Payne May 16, 2023

Exceptional Cased Set of 38 Bore, 54 Bore & 120 Bore Adams Patent 1851 Model Self-Cocking Five Shot Revolvers.

The Finest Known Set of English Revolvers, owned by William III, King of the Netherlands - King Willem III, Prince of Orange-Nassau.

Percussion Revolvers Adams Patent 1851 Model Self-Cocking Five Shot Revolvers. Cased Set of 38 Bore, 54 Bore & 120 Bore

Adams Patent 1851 Model Self-Cocking Five Shot Percussion Revolvers. Cased Set of 38 Bore, 54 Bore & 120 Bore in mint, unfired condition.

An Exceptional Cased Set of 38 Bore, 54 Bore & 120 Bore Adams Patent 1851 Model Self-Cocking Five Shot Revolvers of Exhibition Quality by Deane Adams & Deane, Makers to H.R.H Prince Albert.

Percussion Revolvers Adams 1851 Self-Cocking Five Shot Revolvers Cased Set 38 Bore, 54 Bore 120 Bore

London Proof Marks, NOS.12812R, 11789R, AND 11758R, Each with blued barrel signed ‘Deane, Adams & Deane, Maker's to H.R.H Prince Albert, No. 30 King William Street, London Bridge’ within a scrollwork frame over its length and the top strap, engraved with a band around the muzzle, fitted with blued fore sight and back sight, engraved blued frame signed and numbered on a scroll on the right and decorated with a dense pattern of fine scrollwork, scroll engraved numbered case hardened cylinder, blued safety catch, blued arbour and blued arbour spring latch.

Finely chequered butt, scroll engraved steel mounts comprising blued trigger guard, trigger plate and tang, gold shield shaped escutcheon engraved with the crowned Royal initial ‘W, the larger revolvers with hesitating actions and case hardened butt caps with traps and the smaller with engraved silver butt cap.

In their original two-tier brass-bound mahogany case, the lid exterior features a brass flush-fitting carrying handle and a rondel engraved with the crowned Royal initial 'W'. The case is fitted with a brass lock by Bramah, London. The interior is lined with tooled leather, including the crowned Royal arms, the mace, sword, and cap of the Common Cryer and Serjeant at Arms of the City of London, all set against a background of neo-rocaille scrolls and foliage.

The set is complete with an additional scroll-engraved case-hardened cylinder, numbered to match the respective revolvers.

Revolver Accessories include:

Nickel cap dispensers with blued steel springs by Dixon & Sons
Patent gilt brass powder flasks with graduated nozzles and spring cut-off by James Dixon & Sons, Sheffield
A turned ivory box with spare nipples
An ebony ramrod with a brass cleaning jag
Brass bullet moulds with conical and spherical cavities
Blued steel sprue cutters
One nipple wrench and a turnscrew
A cylinder cleaning jag, wad cutters, and two spare mainsprings.

Barrel lengths: 7 1/2", 6 1/2" and 4 1/4".
In mint, unfired condition, Circa 1854

English Percussion Revolvers 38 Bore, 54 Bore & 120 Bore Adams Patent 1851 Model Self-Cocking Five Shot Revolvers

Buy online now, with free UK delivery. International delivery services are available, contact us with your enquiry today.

Provenance - Percussion Revolvers Cased, Set of 3

Exhibited at Paris Exposition Universelle of 1855. Presented as the Royal prize by William III, King of the Netherlands (1817-1899) to Mr Van Hoytema, winner of the student shooting match held in Utrecht, 13th November 1868.
King Willem III, Prince of Orange-Nassau, was born in Brussels on 19 February 1817. He was King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg from 1849 until his death. From 1849 to 1866 he was also Duke of Limburg.

Henk Visser (1923-2006), inv. no. 1296 Thence by descent Literature G. de Vries and B. J. Martens, Arms of the Netherlands in the Collection of H. L. Visser, volume I, part 4, Arnhem, 2007, pp. 510-511, cat. no. 905. B. J. Martens, Een koninklije prijs, in, SAM Wapenmagazine 109, 2001, pp. 34-36
John Deane, Robert Adams and John Deane, are recorded at 30 King William Street 1851-6 with their factory at 1 Maze, Tooley Street 1852-3 and Weston Street 1853-6.
They exhibited, and were awarded a medal at the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London, a bronze medal at the New York Exhibition of 1853 and a further medal at the Paris Exhibition of 1855.

A similar set of revolvers, described as 'unique' and less elaborately decorated and presented, were offered for sale, Bonhams, Knightsbridge 2nd July 1997.

Stock Number X2021 £37,995.00

Should you have any questions call: 01306 883487 or 07855 519934 (9am - 9pm)

Robert Adams Patent English Revolver - Gun Manufacturer

The Adams Patent 1851 revolver holds historical significance in the field of gun manufacturing and is recognized as an important milestone in the development of revolvers during the 19th century.

Adams Patent 1851 refers to a specific firearm design and patent filed by Robert Adams in the year 1851. Robert Adams was an English gunsmith known for his contributions to the development of revolvers during the mid-19th century.

The Adams Patent 1851 revolver was a significant advancement in firearm technology at the time. It featured a solid frame, a double-action mechanism, and a self-cocking feature. The double-action mechanism allowed the revolver to be fired by simply pulling the trigger, which both cocked the hammer and rotated the cylinder to the next chamber. This eliminated the need to manually cock the hammer before each shot, making the revolver quicker and easier to operate.

The Adams Patent 1851 revolver was known for its robust construction and reliability, making it popular among military and civilian users alike. It was adopted by several military forces, including the British Army, and saw use in various conflicts of the era.

The design and features of the Adams Patent 1851 revolver influenced subsequent revolver designs and played a role in the evolution of firearms technology. It represented a significant step forward in revolver design, particularly with its double-action mechanism, which became a standard feature in many future revolver designs.