GUN SPRING 2016
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/14/2016
EARLY COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER MADE FOR THE ENGLISH MARKET.COLTSAA21698450 BOXERCal. 450 Boxer. Blue & color case hardened with 7-1/2" bbl, full front sight & 1-line script address with serifs. Bottom of bbl, under ejector housing, has last 4 digits of matching SN. Ejector housing is first type with bullseye ejector rod head. Base pin is orig type with dimpled ends. Left side of frame is marked with the early 2-line patent dates & left shoulder of trigger guard "45 CAL / B". Right side of frame, most unusually, is marked with 2 crown-V British view proofs. The cyl has a proof in 1 flute. The bbl was not proofed. Mounted with varnished 1-pc walnut grip that has matching SN in backstrap channel. According to Colt Peacemaker Encyclopedia, Cochran, there were only 729 out of the more then 350,000 single action Army revolvers produced 1873-1941 chambered for this Cal. Given that this Cal. was not overly popular in the U.S., it can be stated with some certainty that the majority of the revolvers so chambered were shipped to England. Few have returned to the U.S. PROVENANCE: Accompanied by a Colt factory letter stating Cal.45 Eley, Blue Finish, "Long Barrel", Shipped to Colt''s London Agency June 8,1876 in a 25 gun shipment. CONDITION: Fine to very fine, all matching including bbl, cyl & grip. Bbl retains 20-25% orig blue, strong & bright under the ejector housing with a band at the bbl root & traces around the front sight. Ejector housing retains thin blue in the top gullet with strong blue in the bottom gullet and a blue/grey patina on the outer radius. Frame retains 70-75% orig case colors, bright in the more sheltered areas, faded elsewhere. Screws show no abuse & retain most of their orig fire blue. Hammer retains brilliant case colors on the right side & rear edge, lightly faded on left side & turned dark on top edge. Cyl retains strong blue in the flutes showing a blue/grey patina on the outer diameter & retains most of its orig blue in the chambers. Trigger guard & backstrap retain about all of their orig blue, a little thin on the trigger bow & center of backstrap with wear at the heel & toe. Grip is sound showing moderate edge wear with a deep scratch on the left side & a few scattered bruises on the right side with other light nicks & scratches & retains about 90% strong orig varnish. Mechanics are fine. Brilliant shiny bore shows very little use, just lots of handling. 50138-3 JR128 (8,000-12,000)