GUN SPRING 2016
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/14/2016
RARE EARLY PRESENTATION ENGRAVED COLT NEW HOUSE MODEL SPUR TRIGGER REVOLVER W/ PEARL GRIPS. COLT NEW HOUSE MODEL REVOLVER 25634 38 CF Cal. 38 CF. Nickel finish with 2-1/4" rnd bbl, half-moon front sight and 2-line address with "NEW HOUSE 38" roll marking on left side. Left rear side of frame has the Rampant Colt trademark in a circle. The square-butt grip frame is mounted with extremely rare smooth, 2-pc pearl grips and right recoil shield has a thumbnail loading gate. Revolver is beautifully engraved, probably by Gustave Young with about 70% coverage foliate arabesque pattern that has pearled background. Topstrap is engraved in snake & dot patterns with matching fine patterns down each side by the hammer slot and on each side of the bbl address with geometric patterns around the front sight. Cyl is engraved to match on lands between flutes with a snake & dot pattern continuous band around the rear edge. Backstrap is beautifully period script engraved "Presented to / Wm J. Collins / by his friends / June 18th / 1893". There were about 4000 of these revolvers produced 1880-1886. According to The Colt Book of Firearms, Wilson, this was the highest SN for a 38 cal pistol of this type. Mr. Wilson also states that engraving for these pistols is "extremely rare". That this revolver was presented 7 years post-production and appears to be completely factory orig indicates that it was probably a slow selling model. Accompanied by a Colt factory letter which identifies this revolver in cal 38 with bbl length not listed, nickel finish, pearl grips, factory engraved and sold to Henry C. Hallaver at the Colt factory Jun 14, 1893 in a 1-gun shipment.A paragraph at the bottom of the page states "Two other Hallaver''s were employed at Colt''s in 1893". Also accompanied by a 4-pg handwritten letter from Dr. Cox to R. L. Wilson wherein he orders some of Mr. Wilson''s books and is purchasing this pistol, identified by SN. Additionally accompanying is a 2-pg letter from Mr. Wilson to Dr. Cox discussing the relative rarity of engraved New Line pistols. In one paragraph of the letter, Mr. Wilson states that Colt shipping ledgers indicate that 1890 was the cutoff for production but deliveries continue sporadically into the 1900''s. Further accompanied by a copy of a letter from Dr. Cox to Mr. Wilson informing him that this pistol had arrived. PROVENANCE: The Dr. Robert G. Cox Estate Collection. CONDITION: Extremely fine, all matching. Overall retains about 96-98% strong orig blue with some minor losses on face of cyl and a few scattered spots on the outer diameter of the cyl. Screws retain most of their vivid fire blue. Grips are sound showing great fire with good color. Mechanics are fine. Bright shiny bore with one spot of pitting. 50018-93 JR39 (5,000-8,000)