GUN SPRING 2016
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/14/2016
SCARCE COLT BISLEY MODEL FLAT TOP TARGET SINGLE ACTION REVOLVER.COLTBISLEY186002.44 RUSMODERNCal. 44 Russian. All blue finish with 7-1/2" bbl. Square-base target front sight with German silver blade and fixed rear sight in the top strap. Top of bbl has 1-line Hartford address and left side is marked "(BISLEY MODEL) 44 RUSSIAN CTG." Left side of frame is marked with 2-line 3-patent dates and Rampant Colt in a broken circle. Mounted with scarce 2-pc diamond and fleur-de-lis checkered walnut grips that have spurious matching numbers in pencil with the orig number "5344" still visible. Trigger is full checkered with standard Bisley hammer. Accompanied by a Colt factory letter which identifies this revolver in Cal. 44 Russian with 7-1/2" bbl, blue finish, type of stocks not listed, shipped to James S. Conlin, address unavailable on March 21, 1900 in a 1 gun shipment. Mr. Conlin was an extremely well known target shooter of the late 19th and early 20th Century who apparently owned a shooting gallery on Broadway in New York City. His fame was such that the Stevens Arms Company named a single-shot target pistol after him, the Stevens-Conlin No. 28. This Colt revolver is somewhat more scarce for not having British proofs which are found on the majority of Bisley target model revolvers. According to COLT PEACEMAKER ENCYCLOPEDIA, Cochran, there were only 976 target model guns out of the 44,350 Bisley revolvers produced and of that small number only 62 were chambered for 44 Russian. The target model Bisley was only produced 1894-1912. Few of those fine revolvers survive today especially an unaltered configuration and with orig finish. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching except grips as noted above. Overall retains 80-85% glossy orig blue with the loss areas flaked to a medium patina. Frontstrap and trigger guard are a plummy patina and backstrap is a blue/brown patina. Cyl retains about 75% blue with the balance flaked to a medium patina. Screws retain virtually all of their bright fire blue. Grips are sound and show moderate wear with one flat spot on the left side. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore with very fine pitting. 50101-1 JR33 (8,000-12,000)