A Cased Nickel Plated Colt Pocket Percussion Revolver, No. 8998. With nickel plated octagonal sighted barrel with London address, cylinder with roll engraved stagecoach hold-up scene, nickel plated trigger guard and back-strap (some flaking to finish) stamped with London proofs, matching serial numbers throughout: in its original case, lined and fitted with plum velvet with accessories including powder flask, bullet mould and cap tin, the exterior of the lid with an engraved shield shaped escutcheon, engraved with the original owners crest and the initials, BM – The crest appears to be for Edward MacKenzie and the BM for his company Brassey Mackenzie.

Notes:
Edward Mackenzie – 1880 Obituary
Mr. Edward Mackenzie, of Fawley-court, Henley-on-Thames, has passed away at the age of 70. He had a severe paralytic seizure about four years ago, but he recovered from this, and was in the enjoyment of good health until three weeks ago; upon returning from his estates in Scotland, he was visited with a renewal of the seizure. His system had been too much shaken to resist this second attack, which ended fatally on Monday last.

He was the youngest son of the late Mr. Alexander Mackenzie, C.E., of Fairburn, in Ross-shire, and was twice married; first, to a Miss Dalziel, of the Craigs, County Dumfries; and secondly, to Miss Ellen Mullett, who survives him.

He leaves behind him a colossal fortune, made as a civil engineer and contractor. He was a man of mark in connexion with his elder brother, the late Mr William Mackenzie and the late Mr Brassey, in the early and palmy days of the railways, they being the contractors for gigantic works in France and England. They were all men of great administrative powers. Mr. Mackenzie lived for a quarter of a century at Fawley-court, which estate he purchased on retiring from business. The house abounds with valuable paintings and works of art; it was built by Sir Christopher Wren after the demolition of the former mansion during the great rebellion. Mr. Edward Mackenzie was a magistrate and deputy-lieutenant of the county of Oxford, and served the office of high sheriff of that county in 1862-3.

Edward Mackenzie – born 1 May 1811.  Father was a canal contractor who with Hugh Mackintosh cut the Leeds-Liverpool Canal. Edward starting working for his brother William in the 1830s and with Thomas Brassey and his brother when they joined to form Brassey Mackenzie in 1841.  They were Railway pioneering engineers with many famous completed projects.  On 28th June 1856, he completed their last project – the Paris-Bordeaux line and retired to Fawley Court in Henley which he had purchased in 1853.

An interesting aside to Edward Mackenzie’s career below, he was also a collector and philanthropist. Amongst his acquisitions of works of art was the original huge painting (6ft x 11ft) of ‘The Waterloo Banquet’ by William Salter which was completed in 1840 by Salter and exhibited in June 1841 at 20 Threadneedle Street, London, the offices of Alderman Moon who subsequently published Greatbachs engraving of the painting. Neither Moon or Salter were able to find a buyer for the picture until it was bought by Edward Mackenzie who was a friend of Salters. The painting remained at Fawley Court until bequeathed to the 6th Duke of Wellington by Edwards grandson. There are many references online for this painting as well as Edward, his house Fawley Court at Henley and his achievements with his brother and Thomas Brassey.

Dimensions:
Bore: .31 Calibre
Barrel Length: 5 Inches (12.70 cm)
Overall Length: 10 Inches (25.40 cm)