November 17 & 18, 2021 Extraordinary Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/18/2021
Officers Model double action revolver manufactured by Colt in 1938. Left side of barrel is stamped "COLT OFFICERS/MODEL .22 LONG RIFLE" with Colt's patent information present across the top. Left side of the frame bears the Rampant Colt logo and "VP" proof. Features include a blue finish, Patridge front sight, square notch rear sight, checkered hammer and backstrap, as well as 2-piece Colt silver medallion checkered walnut grips. Top strap and rear strap are finished in a matte blue. Matching numbers are found on the frame and cylinder crane. Grips are unmarked. Leather holster bears an "H. H. HEISER" maker mark stamp on the rear above "920X", with a hand scribed "WR" within a circle written on the front. Accompanying this pistol is a Colt factory letter, indicating that this revolver was sent in a single gun shipment to Bodine Hardware Company in Bradford, Pennsylvania on July 27th, 1938, a signed letter by former Chief Curator of the Autry Museum, James N. Nottage, who indicates when he first became aware of this revolver in 1992, while he was interviewing Mrs. Buck (Dell) Jones, as well as a "Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History" Winter 2006 magazine published by the Indiana Historical Society detailing the extensive career of Charles "Buck" Jones (Charles Frederick Gebhart), who was one of the most successful Western movie actors in both the silent and black and white film eras. CONDITION: Excellent, with metal components retaining the vast majority of their original factory blue finish, exhibiting a few small and scattered nicks and handlings marks. Cylinder bears a light dragline. Mirror bore, with well-defined rifling throughout. Grips show some light smoothing to the checkering, with a few nicks to the diamonds and a few scattered handling marks. Leather holster shows scattered nicks and marks from handling and use, but is otherwise fine. Holster is not properly fit to revolver and does not button. An exemplary condition Colt Officers Model .22 LR revolver that is attributed to famed Western movie actor Charles "Buck" Jones. MLW
Paperwork
Provenance, Factory Letter