March 15-17, 2022 Collectible Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/15/2022
Serial number dated to 1875. Blade front, notched frame rear sight. Left side of barrel is marked 'COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY .38 SPECIAL", right side with "COLT'S MFG. CO. HARTFORD, CT, USA". Left side of frame with "PAT. JULY. 2. 1872". Matching numbers observed of frame, trigger guard, and butt. Gun is engraved in near complete D class coverage of a mixture of Nimschke scroll and floral scroll, accented with lined borders and stippled ground; recoil shields engraved with florals, left shield with single large flower, right with 3: 1 on loading gate, and 1 each above and below gate. Barrel has a vignette of an American eagle mid-descent. Hammer jeweled on sides. Given the date of the frame and the introduction of .38 Special, this gun was clearly custom assembled to someone's specifications. CONDITION: Excellent, retaining virtually all of the reapplied blue finish done after the gun was assembled and engraved, with a few minor marks from handling throughout. Cylinder has a minor turnline. Hammer has some fine oxidation on left side. Some minor muzzle wear of silvering on left side. Grips excellent with some minor chips to edge and great fire. Mechanically fine, bore is excellent with crisp rifling. A lovely example with great eye appeal. EMW