I have intentionally refrained from posting this one on the Forum, as I had hoped to be able to write an article about it for the Journal. However, I am unpublished and may not have the exciting information I had hoped for. Yes, this revolver did once belong to Connecticut Republican Senator Frederic Walcott, who was a U S Senator from 1929 to 1935. And, he might perhaps be considered, if not the "father" of the Federal Duck Stamp, one of the pioneers behind its creation: An Unsung Conservation Pioneer – Delta Waterfowl
Specifically: "Frederic C. Walcott, who was elected to the U.S. Senate from Connecticut in 1928, co-sponsored the bill that created the Federal Duck Stamp. Before serving in the U.S. Senate, Walcott had been fish and game commissioner for Connecticut. In 1921, Walcott penned an article titled, “The Necessity of Free Shooting Grounds,” which was a plea for public hunting lands. The article put forth the idea of a federal hunting license, and contained a drawing of this proposed license. It depicted a Canada goose, and the design of the license looks remarkably similar to a Federal Duck Stamp. And just like the Duck Stamp, this proposed license would have been sold at U.S. post offices. Bills supporting a federal hunting license were introduced in Congress in 1921, but did not pass.
Certainly though, Walcott’s effort was the forerunner to the Federal Duck Stamp, and he was proud to sponsor the Duck Stamp Act in Congress."
I had hoped that this revolver, Number 12250, assembled on 21 May 1901 (THANK YOU Ed (opoefc) for that information!) and shipped on 02 July 1901, might have shipped to Senator Walcott directly, but it did not, shipping instead to Sears, Roebuck & Co in Chicago. Perhaps Walcott purchased it by mail order, like so many others would have back then, or perhaps he bought it second-hand, just as I did.
Please forgive the photographs. Streaks are from Renaissance wax that was rubbed off to photograph, and despite being dark, the revolver has definitely not been reblued. Also, a collector asked me about whether or not the trigger guard was blued or case coloured. It is blued. My understanding is that the trigger guard of NM #3 revolvers were all case coloured, but the DA Frontier usually contained a blued trigger guard, just like this one.
And here's a link to the wikipedia page that details Senator Walcott's biography: Frederic C. Walcott - Wikipedia
Specifically: "Frederic C. Walcott, who was elected to the U.S. Senate from Connecticut in 1928, co-sponsored the bill that created the Federal Duck Stamp. Before serving in the U.S. Senate, Walcott had been fish and game commissioner for Connecticut. In 1921, Walcott penned an article titled, “The Necessity of Free Shooting Grounds,” which was a plea for public hunting lands. The article put forth the idea of a federal hunting license, and contained a drawing of this proposed license. It depicted a Canada goose, and the design of the license looks remarkably similar to a Federal Duck Stamp. And just like the Duck Stamp, this proposed license would have been sold at U.S. post offices. Bills supporting a federal hunting license were introduced in Congress in 1921, but did not pass.
Certainly though, Walcott’s effort was the forerunner to the Federal Duck Stamp, and he was proud to sponsor the Duck Stamp Act in Congress."
I had hoped that this revolver, Number 12250, assembled on 21 May 1901 (THANK YOU Ed (opoefc) for that information!) and shipped on 02 July 1901, might have shipped to Senator Walcott directly, but it did not, shipping instead to Sears, Roebuck & Co in Chicago. Perhaps Walcott purchased it by mail order, like so many others would have back then, or perhaps he bought it second-hand, just as I did.
Please forgive the photographs. Streaks are from Renaissance wax that was rubbed off to photograph, and despite being dark, the revolver has definitely not been reblued. Also, a collector asked me about whether or not the trigger guard was blued or case coloured. It is blued. My understanding is that the trigger guard of NM #3 revolvers were all case coloured, but the DA Frontier usually contained a blued trigger guard, just like this one.
And here's a link to the wikipedia page that details Senator Walcott's biography: Frederic C. Walcott - Wikipedia
