GUN SPRING 2017
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/11/2017
MINTY WILBUR GLAHN FACTORY ENGRAVED COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER WITH TEXAS HISTORY SHIPPED TO WOLF & KLAR, FORT WORTH, TEXAS WITH GOLD MOUNTED CARVED IVORY GRIPS.COLTSAA35311845 COLTMODERN; C&R; ESACal. 45. Nickel finish with 4-3/4" bbl, full thick front sight, 2-line address and "COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY 45" on left side. Left side of frame has 2-line, 3-patent dates and rampant Colt in a circle. Mounted with spectacular 2-pc ivory grips with a raised carved ox head on right side. Revolver is engraved by master engraver Wilbur Glahn in his deluxe full coverage flowing foliate arabesque patterns with extremely fine punch dot background. Top of back strap, top of back strap ears & corresponding area of frame are engraved in Mr. Glahn's trademark "V" patterns. Back strap is full coverage engraved in tulip patterns with acanthus leaf patterns on butt strap & foliate arabesque patterns on trigger guard. Foliate arabesque patterns extend 3/4 of the way up each side of bbl with a snake & dash pattern in ejector rod housing gullet and foliate arabesque patterns on outer radius. Ejector rod housing boss on frame is engraved with a large flower blossom. Cyl has full coverage foliate arabesque pattern engraving around the outer diameter, strikingly offset by the bright nickel flutes. SN was observed in the usual place on bottom of frame and on right sides of front & back straps under grip. Last two digits of SN are found on rear face of cylinder. Accompanied by a Colt factory letter fully identifying this revolver, as found, in caliber 45 Colt, 4-3/4" bbl, nickel finish, rubber stocks, factory engraved in Class "C" coverage, shipped to "Loan Account" Wolf & Klar, Fort Worth, TX on July 15, 1929 to Account #16671/1 in a 1-gun shipment. Under remarks section it states that "This revolver was purchased by Wolf & Klar on Jan. 16, 1931." The first time this gun came to auction and sold at a California auction house in 2006, revolver was described as showing "beautiful raised relief carved medallion ivory grips with Wolf & Klar accents to the carving consisting of gold steerhorns, nose ring and ruby eyes inset in the right grip; large gold medallions which appear to be "TD" on the left grip. Wolf & Klar were one of the bigger dealers in Colt firearms at this period of time, and this pistol was loaned as a display piece by Colt. The quality of the engraving is excellent and is one of the finest examples of Wilbur Glahn's work. The initials on the left grip purportedly belong to a Texas oilman who was a regular customer of Wolf & Klar and purchased very ornate Colts and S&Ws of which several are known to old-time collectors. This pistol recently surfaced in Arizona in the hands of an elderly gentleman whose father obtained it in a trade for a horse, along with its fancy tooled S.D. Myers, El Paso marked holster in the 1930's. One of the best unknown Single Actions to surface in a decade". Since this gun was sent to Wolf & Klar's on account in 1929, gold mounted carved grips appear orig from this date and similar are seen on several other special guns in the Wilbur Glahn era. See SN 341995, pgs 564-565 of The Colt Engraving Book - Volume One, R. L. Wilson. Also, of note, is SN 353113, only five SNs different from this gun is also a grade "C" Wilbur Glahn revolver shipped in 1930 with carved ivory steer head grips. This is indeed a stunning Single Action. PROVENANCE: Ex-David Crocker Estate Collection. CONDITION: Extremely fine, all matching including cylinder, grips are unnumbered. Has been fired, but very little and retains virtually all of its fine orig factory nickel with possible re-polishing and touch-up on front & back straps which is not detectable. "Elephant ivory" grips are also extremely fine, fit well with good patina. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore. 50412-32 JR19 (30,000-50,000)