POTD: Baby Paterson – The Gun That Started It All
Sam.S 04.02.25
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! This tiny Paterson No. 1 Pocket revolver is essentially ground zero for American revolvers – the first of Samuel Colt’s designs to actually make it into production back in 1837-1838. Only about 500 were ever made before the Patent Arms Manufacturing Company went bust, making these far rarer than their more famous Texas Paterson cousins. What’s interesting about the Baby Paterson is how it established the pattern for concealed carry pistols that would dominate the American market for decades. While the bigger Colts get all the glory for taming the West, these pocket models were aimed at city folks who wanted protection without lugging around a horse pistol. This particular example stands out with its German silver bands at the muzzle and breech, along with a silver blade front sight. The barrel proudly displays “-Patent Arms M’g Co. Paterson N.J.-Colt’s Pt.-” and both cylinders feature the famous centaur scene and four-horse logo. A nice touch is the silver escutcheon on the grip engraved with “BAL” in script – presumably the original owner’s initials. Despite being sold as the Patent Arms Manufacturing Company, newspaper ads from 1839 were already using “Colt’s Repeating Fire Arms” as the headline – showing how Samuel Colt’s name was becoming the brand even before his company failed and he had to start over. This Baby Paterson (#164) comes with a spare cylinder and was documented in “The Paterson Colt Book” by Wilson. Despite being small and relatively underpowered, these represent the starting point of the American revolver revolution – the granddaddy of the Model 1849 Pocket, which became the most widely owned Colt of the 19th century.
“Patent Arms Manufacturing Co. ‘Baby Paterson’ No. 1 Pocket Model.” Rock Island Auction Company, https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/4094/183/patent-arms-manufacturing-co-baby-paterson-no-1-pocket-model. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
