September 9, 10, & 11, 2025 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/9/2025
The accompanying factory letter verifies all of this revolvers components such as length, finish and caliber with exception to stocks not listed along with the notation that this gun is listed as engraved and part of a 20 gun shipment to a major retailer, Powell & Clement Co. in Cincinnati on April 8, 1892. This is a Colt factory error. First off, a shipment of 20 guns to a single retailer may have all been the same type and model but this writer has never seen a factory engraved gun included in a dealer shipment of 19 others or 20 engraved guns in one shipment. Next, we have an identical gun from this shipment, serial number 141123, also listed as engraved in the letter and from the exact same 20 gun shipment and it is definitely not engraved. Interesting aspects of this gun are the screw in black powder frame that started transitioning to the current smokeless style traverse pin in 1892 as they fazed out the Colt Eagle gutta percha grips in 1891. This gun wears the eagle grips and each panel has the hand etched 143 which matches all existing serial numbers and fit like a glove. Top of barrel has the standard one line Colt legend. Left side of frame has the two line patent legend. The screws are finished in the peacock blue and all heads are true retaining the majority of their finish. CONDITION: Fine. This superb and crisp revolver retains the vast majority of the factory blue on barrel and housing showing minimal high edge wear, nominal handling and bold legends. The cylinder has drifted to a blue patina hue with the flutes still quite bright with original blue. The frame case colors are very vivid on lower forward frame flutes with flashes on frame and balance simply patterned. The straps have drifted, much like the cylinder, to a blue patina blend with bright blue on top and sides. Hammer still displays some bold color. Grips are unimpeachable with just enough appropriate wear given the current condition of this revolver. The action displays four perfectly tuned clicks. The bore is nearly mirror bright. In addition, this Colt comes with an evaluation letter from the well known and respected Colt authority C. W. SLAGLE, dated 2008, where he inspected this gun by serial number stating it is all original and in very fine. condition.