June 22, 2024 Brian Lebel's Santa Fe Old West Events Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/22/2024
SERIAL 151520. MFG 1893 BARREL 7.5". CALIBER .45 COLT. BLUE CASE COLOR FINISH. All matching numbers on frame, trigger guard and back strap. Assembly number 986 on loading gate. Barrel has standard one line Colt address. Frame has two-line patent dates with pony in circle. Both sides of the frame are stamped "W.F.& Cos EX", the left side stamp is directly over the patent dates. It is completely consistent with other documented fonts. The gun also sports a pair of vintage, two-piece ivory grips. The right-side panel has the familiar steer head carving. Grips have shrunk a bit and have a repaired toe on right panel. They also have swelled / bowed away from the frame a bit. The holster was made by O. J. Snyder of Denver and is stamped on the single loop. Snyder was a well-known saddler in Denver Co. from 1900-1930. It is tooled in the basket weave pattern, with a full skirt and sewn toe. The unmarked money cartridge belt measures 3" wide, but they accept a .38 caliber cartridge, so this belt would not have been worn with this gun. The belt features a California clip point buckle, is stamped with some catalog model numbers and measures 38" from post to farthest hole. Both are in excellent condition and close in color. CONDITION: Very Good. Gun has a butter smooth patina with no original finish remaining. Legends are all legible. Action has all four clicks and a strong half cock. Rifling is strong and well defined, but has minor abrasion.
Provenance: Ex Ron & Linda Gillett Collection
The written oral history of this gun states that it belonged to one Ray Boyd Sr., who punched cattle in the vicinity of the Shoshoni and Dubois Wyo. area near the Wind River Indian Reservation around the turn of the last century, and this gun was obtained from Ray Jr. He also states this it is accompanied by the rig Ray Sr. wore with this Colt.