October 25, 2023 The Paul Friedrich Collection of Firearms & Gold Rush
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/25/2023
Manufactured 1873. Very faint Ainsworth inspection visible on frame. Visible 234 serial number visible on frame, trigger guard, cylinder, bottom of grip, and underside of barrel in front of base pin; notably, the numbers on the barrel pin are the small die stamp style, a practice discontinued around serial number 1500. Cylinder has the early unbeveled face and lack of approaches. The toe of the buttstrap and the tip of the ejector tube are unbeveled. Long knurled hammer and ungrooved mainspring. Barrel has the desirable italicized Colt address on top of barrel, and is equipped with the early bullseye ejector head. Several screws have been replaced, later 1-piece walnut grips. Accompanying this gun is a letter from noted Colt authority Dick Burdick covering the features of this revolver and discussing some of the history; a Colt factory letter dated 1964 indicating that there are no records, which has a handwritten story by a Jules Joseph Roberts recounting how a Mr. Ernie Alloy recovered this gun from an Apache burial ground in the Rincon Mountains, 4' deep, near Fort Lowell, and how it came to be in his possession through a series of collectors. Interestingly, the letter from Dick Burdick notes that this gun was probably issued to the 6th Cavalry, who were among the first to receive their new revolvers and were stationed at Fort Lowell. Apache burial rites include burying the deceased with his favorite possessions, with some going so far as to bury the deceased with his favorite steed. Furthermore, capturing an enemy weapon was one of the requirements for becoming a Crow war chief, and the evidence of the successful completion of such a task would have been no small matter. CONDITION: Relic, as ground dug. Metal is totally devoid of finish with areas of pitting throughout, including 2 somewhat deeper areas on barrel. Grips with handling marks and some chipping to toe. Mechanically fine with all 4 Colt clicks, bore with visible rifling and pitting throughout. A fascinating relic with ties to early Indian Wars and Indian religious practice.
Paperwork
Colt letter, Burdick letter