The story on the auction site, pertaining to an 1860 Colt Army being auctioned off back in 2010, goes like this:

"This is a late 1960’s-Early ‘70’s reproduction of the Colt 1860 Army Revolver in .44 Caliber, imported by William B. Edwards (Bill Edwards). The back story of this Revolver is that Bill Edwards, who was the founder of the Civil War reproduction industry and author of the book "Civil War Guns", was the first to start looking to have this manufactured in Europe and had these made to be imported. He had them marked “ADDRESS BILL EDWARDS AFTON, V.A. U.S. AMERICA“ similar to the originals that were marked “SAM COLT NEW-YORK U.S. AMERICA” that the 1860’s were known for. As for condition, it is in BEAUTIFUL brand new condition (serial # 8069) in the original covered box! This is an rare revolver, .i.e. the "One that started the 1860 Reproduction Craze", waiting to be showcased in any SERIOUS collector’s display case!" The buyer of this particular 1860 was Dr. James Davis of the RPRCA (Replica Percussion Revolver Collector's Association)."

But, unfortunately, that story is not quite accurate. Those who collect these replicas know that the industry was started with an 1851 Colt Navy and not an 1860 Colt Army.  As for this 1860 Colt Army replica, there is another explanation for this revolver and others like it.  Here is how that particular 1860 Colt Army revolver....and other revolvers, including an 1858 Remington New Army revolver with the same address mark on it became reproductions and the rarest of the rare.

There were replica revolvers that were supplied to Bill Edwards, partner in Centennial Arms Corp., in an attempt to persuade him to use Rigarmi (RAG) as a future supplier of the revolvers. The revolvers so far uncovered that were sent to him are Remington New Model Armies, Colt 1860 Armies (the subject revolver above?), Colt Model 1851 Navies w/Brass frame and engraved cylinder, and a Schneider & Glassick which is an 1851 brass frame Navy with plain cylinder. At that time the plain cylinder on what is the Schneider & Glassick was an example of a cost cutting step in production. All four of these revolvers were in the RPRCA (Dr. James H Davis) collection and were obtained through auctions, on Gun Broker and Auction Arms at prices in the $1400 range per revolver. The three obtained on Auction Arms were posted by Sarco, Inc. Bill Edwards had presented these three revolvers to Charlie Steen, President of Sarco, Inc. four decades ago, after he had received them from RigArmi.

Rigarmi produced the revolvers for Bill Edwards that bear this barrel address:

- ADDRESS BILL EDUARDS AFTON VA US AMERICA -

The Italians mistakenly used the letter "U" instead of "W", making these the rarest of the rare!