1860 Colt army marking

[Mike Forster]

Hi, Can anyone help identify this mark on my 1860 Colt Army, it's not an official mark but very much hand engraved,possibly by the original owner,does the mark ring any bells?

[/img]

 

[rabjr]

http://s1066.photobucket.com/albums/u419/mikeforster

 

[Mike Forster]

Thanks Swampy, this is another link http://www.flickr.com/photos/66088028@N08/6790933057/

Mike

 

[necchi]

I would venture to guess it's a personal identfying mark made by a previous owner.

An added mark to identify if lost or stolen??

 

[arcticap]

I think that the marking can be classified as an embellishment, the meaning of which includes:

1. to improve or beautify by adding detail or ornament; adorn
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/embellishment[/quote]

In sewing and crafts, it's anything that adds design interest.

In sewing and crafts an embellishment is anything that adds design interest to the piece
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embellishment[/quote]

For whatever reason, the design personally appealed to the person who put it there. Like almost any personal work of art, it may simply be a unique adornment that's one of a kind. Perhaps its only purpose is for someone to notice it and to appreciate the fact that it exists.
It's also possible that the person carved their initials into an artwork resembling the stylized branches of a tree.

 

[Poor Private]

In civil war reenacting, we try to mark with our own unique marking in hidden or unusual places. This is so we can id our own weapon or accourterments in a pile with others. Such as canteens, muskets, knapsacks(hard and soft). This could be the previous persons id mark. There is nothing worse than getting home with your pistol or musket to find you have someone elses. It happened to a freind of mine last year and took him most of the summer to get it exchanged.

 

[Mike Forster]

Thanks everyone for your helpful remarks.

Mike