GUN SPRING 2016
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/14/2016
SCARCE AINSWORTH INSPECTED COLT CAVALRY SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER. COLT SAA 12826 .45 Cal. 45 Colt. Blue and color case hardened with 7-1/2" bbl, full front sight and 1-line script letter address with Serifs. Left side of frame has 2-line patent dates and a small "U.S.". Mounted with an oil finished 1-pc walnut grip that has a legible "OWA" (Orville W. Ainsworth) inspector cartouche on the left side. Various parts have other small inspector initials. Backstrap channel of grip has last four digits of matching SN. Ejector housing is first type with bullseye ejector rod head and base pin is orig type with dimpled ends. Ejector rod housing is beveled as in later production while the toe of the buttstrap remains sharp, cyl also has sharp front edge with small bevels in the flute and has large stop notches with short approaches. This revolver appears to have been part of a lot of about 2000 revolvers shipped to the State of Virginia Militia which were almost immediately sold to a civilian dealer in New York, Hermann Bouker while still in new unissued condition. Mr. Bouker sold large quantities of them on the open market, some of which he had nickle plated and others he apparently sold back to Colt where the majority of them were nickle plated and had varnish grips added. Accompanied by a 2-pg letter from renowned Colt authority, author, historian and collector, John Kopec wherein he corroborates most of the above information and states that in his opinion this is one of the "surplus" Virginia revolvers which were sold to the public. Mr. Kopec also states that this may be one of the finest Ainsworth inspected Colts in existence. He states that in his opinion, this revolver is "in the upper 2% of existing Ainsworth Cavalry revolvers in collections today". PROVENANCE: The Collection of Joel Hankinson. CONDITION: Fine, all matching including bbl, cyl and grip. Bbl retains about 85% dull orig blue with strong feathers on each side of the front sight. Frame retains 15-20% bright case colors in sheltered areas with the balance a light brown patina. Hammer retains dark case colors. Cyl shows strong blue in the flutes with a plummy brown patina on the outer diameter and has strong bright blue in most of the chambers. Trigger guard retains about 50% orig blue with the trigger bow and frontstrap a blue/brown patina. Backstrap and buttstrap retain blue in sheltered areas, being mostly a blue/brown patina. Grip has a series of small chips on the right edge and a series of small gouges near the left toe otherwise is sound with a hand worn patina. Mechanics are fine. Brilliant shiny bore. 50054-1 JR35 (40,000-50,000)