American Express Marked Colt Model 1877 Lightning Revolver with Factory Letter

Serial #99302, .38 Long Colt, 4 1/2" barrel with a fine, bright bore that has some mild freckling within the grooves.  The metal surfaces of this 1894-made revolver retain about 40-50% of the original blue finish on the barrel, ejector rod housing, and cylinder, with the balance having a mixture of pewter gray and plum-brown patina.  The back of the hammer retains much of the original brilliant fire blue, and the frame has muted original color case-hardening remaining.  The checkered, hard rubber grips are in fine condition with only a few tiny handling marks scattered about, and minimal flattening of the checkering points.  The interior of the right grip panel is marked with a previous owner’s initials: "WB."  Additionally, the backstrap is engraved with an American Express Co. property mark and rack number: "Am. Exp. Co. No. 27."  The action is mechanically fine, and functions in both single and double action with very good timing and lock-up.  The revolver is accompanied by a 2023-dated Colt Factory Letter that confirms the configuration and backstrap engraving.  It further lists this as one of a twelve gun shipment that left Colt’s Hartford factory on December 10, 1894, to William Reed & Sons of Boston, on behalf of C. E. Seaton, Superintendent of the American Express Co.  American Express was founded as an express mail service in 1850, operating stagecoaches and railroad cars transporting goods and valuables across the United States.  Consequently, its personnel were armed to combat robbers and bandits who preyed along the various transit routes across the country.  This revolver was one of their company-issued weapons, and would make a splendid addition to any collection.  Antique