December 6-8, 2023 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/6/2023
Per the included factory letter, this pistol shipped October 16th, 1912, to Stauffer Eshleman & Company, New Orleans, Louisiana, as a 5" blued .45 ACP with unlisted stocks (typically indicative of whatever the standard stocks were, in this case, checkered walnut) in a shipment of 10. This gun has the desirable high polish finish throughout that Colt originally used for the 1911, and was eventually phased out in favor of a more matte finish, as the military found the high polish both too expensive to produce and too reflective. Rear sight is a U notch round top, front is a half moon. Left side of slide has the 2 line 2 block patent and address information, February 14th, 1911, last date, and encircled Rampant Colt at rear. Right side with "COLT AUTOMATIC / CALIBRE 45" centered under the ejection port. Barrel has the mixed coarse polishing visible through ejection port and high polish balance. Frame with S and R stamped at top of frame near disconnector hole, serial number on left side of dust cover, VP proof on left side of trigger guard, "K" subinspector proof on left side of trigger guard, and "GOVERNMENT MODEL" on right side of dust cover. Small parts comprise with long milled trigger, milled relief cut slide release, thin tab milled relief cut thumb safety, spurred checkered hammer, short grip safety, smooth flat mainspring housing with lanyard loop, and checkered diamond walnut grips. 2-tone magazine with lanyard loop. CONDITION: Slide retains the vast majority of the Colt high polish bluing with some silvering to high edges and towards muzzle consistent with holster wear. One minor area of missing on left side, just above "COLT'S" in address information. Appropriate distension visible on several proofs, including the Rampant Colt and VP. Frame is somewhat more blue than slide, with some minor silvering to high edges. Both frame and slide have some silvering to reciprocating areas. Frame has a few handling marks that have silvered on front strap, and some takedown marks at both sides of the slide pin. Grips are excellent with sharp checkering. Mechanically fine, bore is excellent with crisp rifling. An extremely desirable example of an early commercial 1911. One of the best-conditioned first-year production nitre blue commercial 1911s Morphy's has sold.