GUN FALL 2015
The live portion of this session begins on Monday, October 5, 2015.
COLT FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVERCOLTSAA10738244 WCF (44-40)IVORYCal. .44 WCF (44-40). Nickel finish with 7-1/2" bbl, full front sight, 1-line block letter address & "COLT FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER" etched panel on left side. Bottom of bbl is marked with a tiny "44". Left side of frame has 3-line patent dates & left front web of trigger guard is marked "44 C.F." Mounted with very early 1-piece "certifiable antique ivory" grip that is made in orig style consisting of 2 slabs of Ivory attached to 2 wooden spacer blocks, it appears that this grip is probably a replacement as the frontstrap has a hole for 2-piece grip locator pin. Regardless this grip is very old and fits reasonably well & is at least contemporary to the revolver. Ejector housing is 3rd type with half-moon ejector head. Accompanied by a Colt Factory letter which identifies this revolver in cal 44-40 with 7-1/2" bbl, nickel finish & type of stocks not listed, shipped to Lee Fried & Co., Omaha, NE, on Feb 18,1885, in a 5 gun shipment. The Lee, Fried & Co. of Omaha, NE, was owned by the partnership of H.J. Lee & Carl A. Fried. Mr. Fried immigrated to the U.S. from Sweden in 1869 and after a short stay in IL, settled in Omaha where he opened a hardware store in Fremont, NE, in 1873. In 1875 he entered into partnership with Mr. Lee under the name H.J. Lee Co. The firm was so successful that in 1880 the name was changed to Lee, Fried & Co. They were very successful, supplying hardware and associated products to ranchers in the region. Mr. Fried died in 1887. Given the date of delivery of this revolver and the area to where it was delivered, it can be easily understood that this was a rancher''s or cowboy''s sidearm. Firearms of that era rarely survive today in any condition especially with orig finish. CONDITION: Fine, bbl and ejector housing retain about 60-70% strong orig nickel turning a little milky with the loss areas a gray metal patina. Frame retains 30-40% orig nickel with the grip frame mostly cleaned bright metal. Cyl retains about 60% orig nickel with losses mostly on one side. Grip has numerous age lines but is sound with a mellow Ivory patina. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore with only a couple small spots of pitting. This is a fine Western Six Shooter documented to the frontier when the West was still wild. 49104-7 JR (6,000-10,000)