GUN FALL 2015
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/5/2015
EXCEPTIONAL EARLY NIMSCHKE ENGRAVED COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER. COLT SAA 103901 45 IVORY Cal. 45. Nickel finish with 4-3/4" bbl, full front sight & 2-line address. Frame has 3-line patent dates & left front web of trigger guard is marked with Cal. Mounted with distributor supplied 1-pc "certifiable antique ivory" grip that has an extraordinary, very deep, raised carved ox head on right side. Grip is constructed in early style consisting of 2 slabs of ivory attached to 2 wooden spacer blocks and has the matching SN in the backstrap channel. Ejector housing is third type with half-moon ejector head & bottom of bbl has last 4 digits of matching SN under ejector housing. Revolver is beautifully engraved by L.D. Nimschke with nearly full coverage foliate arabesque patterns on the frame. Left recoil shield and loading gate have Mr. Nimschke''s distinctive sunburst patterns. Topstrap is engraved in his snake & dot patterns with fine snake & dot patterns in the bottom front gullets. Base pin boss & ejector boss are engraved with hunter''s stars. Matching engraving extends about 3/4s up the sides of the bbl with snake & dot patterns continuing to the muzzle. The address has fine snake & dot & geometric patterns around the address, extending nearly to the front sight. Cylinder is engraved with matching foliate arabesque patterns on lands between flutes with sunburst patterns back of the flutes. Rear face of cylinder is marked with last 4 digits of of matching SN. Top gullet of ejector housing is engraved with very fine zig-zag & dot patterns. Outer radius of ejector housing is engraved in geometric patterns. top of backstrap & backstrap ears are engraved in distinctive Nimschke patterns with foliate arabesque & geometric patterns down the backstrap, on the buttstrap & trigger bow. Screw heads are all fire blued and all engraving patterns have pearled background. Cylinder pin is a later replacement. Accompanied by a Colt factory letter which identifies this revolver in Cal. 45 Colt with 4-3/4" bbl, nickel finish, type stocks not listed, factory engraved & shipped to Schoverling, Daly & Gales, NY, NY on Oct 1, 1884 in a 3-gun shipment. Additionally accompanied by a modern custom made, red velvet lined oak casing that is compartmented for the revolver with a covered compartment containing a functioning key with a cartridge block containing 18 rounds of modern ammunition. PROVENANCE: The Estate Collection of Phil A. Bleakney, Jr. CONDITION: Extremely fine, all matching including bbl, cylinder and grip. Overall retains 98-99% crisp orig nickel showing only minor dulling near the muzzle. Screws retain about all of their orig fire blue. Grip is sound & has minor age lines on the bottom edges & overall shows a wonderful, mellow ivory patina. Hammer is not solid & safety notch, otherwise mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore with a couple scattered spots of pitting. Box is extremely fine. 49059-86 JR (40,000-60,000)