1851 Navy ID help

[sgtdevildog]

I have an old (well maybe 30 years old) 1851 Navy .44 Italian Import. It is brass framed with CCH on the loading lever and hammer. The bottom of the grip has black powder only and a serial number. Other than made in Italy, I can't find any manufacturers name. There is an "AE" in a box and a sideways diamond with some type of lettering in it, but that's about all I can find other than what look like miscellaneous proof marks. Is there any other way to determine who made it, or given that it's 30 years old there may be so many possibilities it's not worth pursuing? It's more a curiosity than anything - I can't image that I paid that much for it 30 years ago as a young enlisted man. Thanks for any help.

 

[Tommygunn]

The "AE" in a box indicates it was manufactured in 1979.
The CCH on the loading lever and hammer I don't know.
As for the lettering inside the diamond, I'm not really certain, but sounds like maybe A.S.M. marking, which is Armi San Marco, a now defunct Italian company.
Some one else may be able to tell you more about it, there's a lot of knowledgeable people here.

 

[mykeal]

Fratelli Pietta used the letters FAP inside a 'squashed diamond' shape for many years. I haven't seen it in several years, however. The term 'squashed diamond' refers to an equilateral trapezoid with the top and bottom points closer together than the left and right side points. That's what came to mind when I read 'sideways diamond'.

I recall the Armi San Marco logo was AM in an upright diamond, upright meaning not squashed. Could be wrong about that, though.

CCH usually stands for color case hardened and was sometimes stamped on display models in the early 60's and 70's. That could be the case here.

 

[Tommygunn]

Ooooops Yup, it's Pietta.
I am going to give my memory a severe whipping for that one .....:banghead: