GUN FALL 2015
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/5/2015
RARE COLT MODEL 1878 DA FRONTIER ASSIGNED TO THE CANADIAN MINISTRY OF MILITIA AND DEFENSE COLT 1878 DA FRONTIER 14725 45 COLT Cal. .45 Colt. Nickel finish with 7-1/2" bbl, full front sight and 1-line block letter address. Left front web of trigger guard is marked "45 CAL". Mounted with Rampant Colt hard rubber grips and has a lanyard swivel in the butt. Left front side of frame is stamped, through the nickel "223.MD". According to an article by John Fera which appeared in the June 1997 issue of The Gun Report, John Fera, in 1885 Canada was in turmoil with a full scale rebellion in Northwest Territories led by Louis Riel. Just prior to the beginning of the rebellion, the Canadian Government realizing that the rebellion was imminent began looking to the Militia to augment the Royal Canadian Northwest Mounted Police (RCMP) to suppress this rebellion. They realized that the Militia was poorly armed with Civil War surplus Spencer rifles and obsolete Colt 1851 Navy revolvers. They ordered that the Militia arms be immediately updated before the rebellion became a reality. This was the responsibility of the Department Of Militia & Defense. That department contacted the New York firm of Hartley & Graham to furnish 1001 Colt Model 1878 DA revolvers in cal .45 Colt with nickel finish. The first part of the order was immediately filled from stock with a rush order shipped from Colt in several increments. According to the article, these 1001 revolvers all fall within the serial range 8731 to 14996 with the majority in the 14,000 serial range. The rebellion was quickly suppressed with Louis Riel captured and hanged. Eventually all of these revolvers were returned to militia armories where they remained until about 1899 when they were re-issued to the militia for the Boerer War in South Africa. Apparently many of these revolvers returned from South Africa and were sold surplus. Also several publications show that they were issued with a flap holster as found here. Accompanied by a brown leather flap holster with narrow security strap which attaches to a brass stud on the backside just above the belt loop. Inside the flap of this holster is marked in pen "A.A.G." and "VIII C.M.R." which stands for Canadian Mounted Rifles who was the first unit assigned to South Africa. Holster has a sewn in plug and marked as noted above. PROVENANCE: The Estate Collection of Phil A. Bleakney, Jr. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching except grips which are un-numbered. Overall retains most of its orig nickel with some very minor pitting on the bottom right front of the frame. Trigger & hammer retain strong fire blue on their edges. Grips are sound showing light diamond point wear. Mechanics are fine. Bright shiny bore. Holster is also fine. 49059-94 JR (3,000-5,000)