December 6-8, 2023 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/6/2023
The Colt Model 1905 was the predecessor to the 1911 and the first true production gun in .45 ACP; in 1906, Colt advertised it as "the most powerful small arm ever invented". Blade front sight, U notch round top rear sight. Left side of slide with 2-line 2 block patent and address information, encircled Rampant Colt at rear, right side with "AUTOMATIC COLT / CALIBRE 45 RIMLESS SMOKELESS". External extractor. Case colored spur hammer, fire-blued trigger. Wide truncated diamond checkered walnut grips. Heel magazine release, full blue magazine. Appropriate "VP" proof on left side of trigger guard and "1" subinspector. Factory letter indicates that this gun shipped as a .45 ACP with blued finish, unlisted stocks, and 5" barrel to Major Walter L. Finley on April 16th, 1907, in a shipment of 1. Walter Finley was a cadet at West Point from 1875-1879. Upon his graduation, he was promoted to Second Lieutenant, 9th Cavalry, where he served at Fort Bayard and had several encounters with Apaches. He was made First Lieutenant in 1883 and held several positions throughout the West, including Acting Assistant Adjutant-General of the District of Oklahoma and Regimental Adjutant. He participated in the Sioux Campaign as Adjutant before making Captain. He was relieved from duty with the National Guard of Maryland in 1898 to serve during the Santiago Campaign. He was in the Philippines circa 1900 and is found there sporadically until 1910. He was Colonel of Cavalry and assigned to 1st Cavalry in 1912 at Presidio of Monterey. He took ill in 1914 and died in December of that year at Walter Reed. This pistol was shipped 2 days before he made Lieutenant Colonel in the 13th Cavalry. Accompanied by a holster with single wide belt look and a second magazine box with double loops, sized to hold a magazine. Holster has several illegible ink stamps on interior but is otherwise unmarked. PROVENANCE: Richard "Dick" Burdick collection. CONDITION: Metal retains the vast majority of the Colt high polish blue finish with some distension about proofs from application of stamp. Some silvering to high edges some areas scattered throughout from age use, with more losses mixed with smooth chocolate patina around back half of the slide, where contact would be made while racking the slide overhand. Frame with the vast majority of the Colt bluing and with fewer handling marks, mostly to high edges and reciprocating areas. Hammer with much case color, somewhat toned, with losses towards edges. Holster is very good, tight, leather still pliable, with some crazing. Mechanically fine, bore with strong rifling and frosting throughout. An interesting militarily shipped 1905.
Paperwork
Factory Letter, Information