May 7, 2024 The Paul Friedrich Collection of Firearms & Gold Rush
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.
This is an absolutely outstanding pair of Colts that were displayed at the Marshall Field & Company department store in Chicago, Illinois. Per the included factory letters, the .22 LR Officer's Model was shipped as a 6" blued gun with ivory grips and factory engraved with gold inlay to Marshall Field & Company on January 23rd, 1936, in a shipment of 1; the .38 Colt was in identical configuration, but first shipped to the Loan Account at Von Lengerke & Antoine, Chicago, Illinois, on December 11th, 1933, but was returned on January 23rd, 1935, and shipped to Marshall Wells Company, on November 27th, 1935. It was shipped a final time to Marshall Field and Company, Chicago, Illinois, on January 23rd, 1936. Per the included description from Little John's Auction, when these last sold, they were then privately sold by Marshall Field & Co, during the Great Depression in 1936, and jealously guarded until they were offered at Little John's auction house. (A) is in .38 Colt, with an adjustable front sight, drift adjustable square notch rear sight, and checkered trigger. Rich blued finish throughout, engraved with rolling florals on a punch dot background, with gold inlay designs of an Art Noveau flavor, including floral designs on the barrel, geometrics at the read of the cylinder, and geometrics on the frame. Ejector rod heads are gold washed. Ivory grips with silver Colt medallions, facing forward, and checkered backstraps. Frame knuckle engraved with a starburst. (B) is engraved in an identical pattern and configured en suite, with some slight differences, such as the front sight contour and ejector rod housing head. PROVENANCE: Included are the aforementioned factory letters, copies of the descriptions of the pistols when sold at Little John's, a printout of the initial inquiry detailing how they were purchased from Marshall Fields, and copies of 1964 dated Indiana Safety Inspection Certificate for these guns. Housed in a French fitted case to display these pistols with a wine-colored lining, which has acquired some holes around the French cuts due to age. CONDITION: Outstanding, retaining virtually all of their factory finishes, with some very minor handling marks and age related storage marks. Most noticeable are a few specks of gold missing along the barrel of gun (B) and some handling marks to (B) that have silvered somewhat, most to muzzle, and likely a result of the hole in the case lining. Mechanically fine, bores are excellent, bright and shiny, with razor sharp rifling. Case with normal age related handling marks throughout some through the varnish, and some holes in the lining. Pre-War gold inlaid Colts are extremely rare, and finding a pair of them, shipped to the same destination, and in this kind of condition is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Caliber/Bore
(A) .38 Colt (B) .22 LR
Model
(Both) Officers Model
Paperwork
Factory Letters, Provenance
Serial Number
(A) 585452 (B) 8984