April 27-30, 2021 Extraordinary Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/27/2021
Roll marked on left side of slide, in two lines and two blocks "PATENT APR.20.1897,SEPT.0.1902,DEC.19.1905." and "COLT'S PATENT FIRE ARMS MFG CO. / HARTFORD. CONN. U.S.A.". Right side with "AUTOMATIC COLT / CALIBRE 45 RIMLESS SMOKELESS". Case colored hammer, fire blued trigger, slide release, and grip safety. Left side of trigger guard with "K.M." proof for Kenneth Morton, who inspected all of these pistols. Checkered truncated diamond walnut grips. Heel magazine release, with lanyard loop. The 1907 Trials set the stage for the famous 1911 pistol as Savage and Colt went head to head testing a new semi-automatic design for the Cavalry. Colt delivered approximately 200 guns in 12 months but suffered serious issues, including sear breaks leading to runaway guns, extraction failure, etc. Savage had similar issues and additionally took nine extra months to make; they were also prone to an issue where shooting the firearm dropped the magazine. Ultimately, while neither was selected, Crozier pushed Colt to continue development, leading to the 1911. Serial number 193 is a documented by Clawson as one of the guns that was withdrawn from testing in order to allow Colt to attempt to rectify their problems and resubmit; however 193 was not resubmitted and the guns were sold by Bannerman in 1912. Accompanied by a Colt factory letter identifying this gun by serial number as being shipped in a shipment of 2 to Commanding Officer, Springfield Armory March 17th, 1908, with notes for "modified hammer, nearly vertical ejection, extractor milled into the top of slide that indicates shell is in chamber, magazine release, clip type, at rear of butt, lanyard loop on left side of butt below." CONDITION: Very good, retaining good amounts of the high polish in the protected areas with the balance of the gun mixing with a pleasing gunmetal grey/chocolate patina. Grip safety, trigger, and slide release with plenty of fire bluing. Grips are good, with checkering slightly worn, left grip has one spot of oil staining and a half moon indentation for being pressed into something. Action works appropriately when cycled by hand, bore is very good with visible but softened rifling and some even thin frosting. This is an extremely rare opportunity to own a directly verifiable piece of the chain of development that led to one of the best handgun designs of all time, which has served up until the modern day. EW
Paperwork
Copy of factory letter