Colts 1

This is an exciting and profoundly interesting Colt Single Action Army, in 44/40 < known as the Colt Frontier Six Shooter. First it shipped into the last true hold out of the Old West, El Paso Texas. It was the last magnet drawing the remaining hold outs of the Wild Frontier. None more famous than the Black Heart of Texas, John Wesley Hardin. After his release from Huntsville Prison he headed to all he knew, the last vestige, El Paso, Texas. Established as an Attorney in the Wells Fargo Bldg. His old ways quickly took over, he frequented Saloons and Gambled regularly, leading to being at odds with the Law. Why Am I telling this ? this 4-3/4 inch, blue, CFSS ( 44/40) shipped into El Paso on March 13, 1894, to Krakauer, Zork & Moye. Located on S. El Paso Street. Only being in business about 6 years.  I also tell this because, MOST ALL Colts found shipped to Krakauer, Zork & Moye are POST 1898 Smokeless, this Colt is a Black Powder Colt ! revolver.  they later moved to San Francisco, Street, El Paso into a bigger building. Lets discuss dates: this CFSS was in    El Paso in 1894. John Wesley Hardin was shot to death in the back ! of head on August 19, 1895. Some 17 months later ! All I am saying is: this CFSS and Hardin were both in El Paso at the same time ! interesting fact: this CFSS has original to it, Pearl Grips. The Right Grip having a Texas Star carved into the grip! Was it a patriotic Texan, or maybe a Law Enforcement Officer? We will never know to a certainty. The CFSS stands on it’s own. It matches the COLT FACTORY LETTER, 4-3/4 INCH, 44/40 BLUE, SHIPPED MARCH 13, 1894 TO KRAKUAER ZORK & MOYE, EL PASO, TEXAS. TODAY: ALL FACTORY APPLIED MARKINGS ARE PRESENT AND CLEAR, 2 LINE BARREL ADDRESS, LEFT SIDE OF BARREL, ROLL DIE, COLT FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER, FRAME PATENTS ALL PARTS ARE THE FACTORY ORIGINAL,AND SCREW HEADS FOR THE MOST PART HAVE CLEAN SLOTS. THE BLUE PRESENT IS ABOUT 20%, THE BALANCE IS A SOFT GRAY UNTOUCHED NATURAL PATINA. CASE COLOR IS ALSO PRESENT BUT FADED AND POOLED ALL SERIAL NUMBERS ARE MATCHING, 15378x. THE PEARL GRIPS ARE RICH IN ANTIQUE COLOR &  WITH RADIANCE. no damage !! IMPORTANT: THE WORKING MECHANICAL ACTIONS FUNCTION 100% CORRCETLY, ALL THE TIME…NO MECHANICAL ISSUES !!!!!! IT WOULD BE HARD TO FIND A MORE SIGNIFANT CFSS THAN THIS EL PASO REVOLVER. SIGNIFICANT TO TEXAS. THE NAME OF TEXAS ON A SHIPPED COLT IS ALWAYS MAGIC, IT WAS THE REAL WEST, AND LASTED LONGEST, WHAT WITH EL PASO.

TODAY , GALVESTON IS THOUGHT OF AS A BEACH TOWN, ON THE GULF. NOT SO IN THE 19TH CENTURY. IT WAS THE MAJOR PORT IN THE UNITED STATES, INCREDIBLY BUSY AND PROSPEROUS. HOWEVER, JUSTA  FEW MIKLES SOUTH YOU ENTERED CATTLE COUNTRY. THE ALLEN RABCH WAS THE OLDEST IN TEXAS AND ONE OF THE LARGEST. A RARE TOWN, COMBINING THE CATTLE TRADE, AS MANY DRIVES BEGAN IN GALVESTON. OF COURSE  WITH SUCH DIVERSITY IT ATTRCATED THOSE SEEKING THE EASY DOLLAR !! SO GUN PLAY WAS NO STRANGER TO GALVESTON.. THIS COLT , CFSS, COLT FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER, FOR 44/40 CALIBER, AND COMPANION TO THE WINCHESTER LEVER ACTION, SERIAL No 15753X  WAS SHIPPED TO GALVESTON IN JULY OF 1894, TO J.S. BROWN, LOCTAED AT TREMONT & STRAND ST. IN A QUANTITY OF ONLY 2 ! SHIPPED AS A 4-3/4 INCH. BLUE FINISH, HARD RUBBER GRIP. AS WE SEE IT TODAY, IT MATCHES THE LETTER. EXDCEPT THE BLUE FINISH DUE TO AGE AND USE IS A SOFT  GRAY FINISH. THERE ARE TRACES OF CASE COLOR ON THE HAMMER. ALL FACTORY APPLIED MARKINGS ARE PRESENT AND CLEARLY SEEN. THE COLT FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER ROLL DIE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF BARREL. FRAME PATENTS, BARREL ADDRESS AND ALL MATCHING SERIAL NUMBER CORRCETLY LOCATED. THE SCREW HEADS ARE ALL CLEAN WITH NON BUGGERED SLOTS. ALL PARTS ARE THE 1894 FCATORY PARTS, ALL ORIGHINAL. THE HARD RUBBER EAGLE GRIPS ARE IN GREAT SHAPE SHOWING NORMAL HAND WEAR, NO CRACKS OR MISING PIECES. THE EAGLE IS CLEARLY VISIBLE AS IS THE HAND WORN CHEXKERING. AND RAMPNAT COLT LOGO AT GRIP TOP. IMPORTANT: THE WORKING ACTION IS PERFCET ! ALL HAMMER NOTCHES, SAFETY, HALF-CODK AND FULL COCK. THE CYLINDER RPOTATES CORRECTLY, INDEXES, AND LOCKS UP FOR FIFING. no< TIGHT NO, NO MECHANICAL ISSUES! THIS IS AN HONEST COLT, NEVER CLEANED OR POLISHED, JUST132 YEARS OF HONEST SERVICE.  i SAY WITH CONFIDENCE, TEXAS SHIPPED COLTS RANK AS ONE OF , IF NOT THE ONE MOST, SOUGHT AFTER COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVERS. TEXAS WAS THE FRONTIER, WITH ALL THE FLAMBOYANT HISTORY ROLLED INTO ONE STATE !!!!!

TEXAS WAS  THE OLD WEST AND FRONTIER. IT HAD THE GREAY OPEN RANGES, CATTLE, COWBOYS, AND THE CATTLE DRIVES, ENDING IN WILD TOWNS, LIKE FT.WORTH, EL PASO, SAN ANTONIO,  AND HOUSTONIT ALSO HAD IT’S FAIR SHARE OF GUNFIGHTERS AND GAMBLERS, PLUS FAMOUS LAW MEN PERHAPS THIS IS WHY COLT SINGLE ACTIONS SHIPPED TO TEXAS TAKE ON MYTHICAL PROPORTION AND ALL COLLECTOTS SEARCH FOR THEM FOR THEIR COLLECTIONS. THIS FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER, SERIAL NO. 15474X SHIPPED TO HOUSTON IN 1894, TO DUNLAY & GEISLER IT MATCHES THE LETTER EXACTLY. COLT LETTER, 5-2/2 INCH BARREL. BLUE FINISH, HARD RUBBER GRIPS NOYE: THIS COLT EXHIBITS A FACTORY CHANGE, IT HAS THE CHECKERED HARD RUBBER GRIP, WITH COLT LOGO AT THE TOP. THE EAGLE PATTERN HAD BEEN DISCONTIUED. THESES ARE THE ORIGINAL GRIPS TO THE REVOLVER. EVERYRHING IS ORIGINAL ON THIS CFSS,  THE ONE LINE BARREL ADDRESS, FRAME PATEN AND CALIBER DESIGNATION ON BARREL.  HOWEVER AFTER USE IN TEXAS STARTING IN 1894, THE GRIPS SHOW HAND WEAR AND SONE CHECKERING IR WORN, BUT THE RAMPANT COLT LOGO IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AT TOP OF GRIPS. THE ORIGINAL BLUE FINISH, IS NOW A DARK BLUE AND PLUM COLOR PATINA. ALL ORIGINAL, NEVER BEEN CLEANED, IT IS ALL ORIGNAL AND A 132 YEAR OLD PATINA. IMPORTANT: THE WORKING ACTION IS 100% CORRECT, ALL HAMMER NOTCHES, CYLINDER ROTATION AND LOCKING AND INDEXING CORRECTLY EACH AND EVERY TIME. NO, NO MECHINICAL ISSUES. THIS CFSS SHOWS IT WAS USED, BUT STILL CARED FOR, FOR THE PERIOD OF TIME. SOUTH OF HOUSTON MANY CATTLE RANCHES THRIVED, ALL THE WAY TO VICTORIA AND THE BORDER. A TRUE TEXAS COLT.

This Nickel Single Action Army, Serial No. 61020, 7-1/2 inch barrel, Nickel finish .45, One Piece Walnut grips. Is LISTED in the Text book,” A Study of the Single Action Army Revolver”, by Graham, Kopec & Moore on PAGE 257, BY SERIAL NUMBER. It is an ULTIMATE RARE Colt revolver, an incredible find for Martial and Colt Collectors, ONLY ONE TO BE HAD. Interest in the Colt Single Action for the NAVY began with Rear Admiral Ludlow Case, Chief of Ordnance, Bureau, Navy Department as early as 1873. In fact earlier, with the .44 American Cartridge era, first SAA’s and American revolver. There were multiple correspondence with Admirals, Ordnance bureau’s etc… Rear Admiral A, Ludlow Case, plus N.N. Nuck, Commander United States Navy. There was one consideration which had to be, it would have a Nickel Plate Finish. All of this, ” Yet, we have ONLY ONE recorded U.S. Nickeled Single Action remaining, stamped Serial No.61,020 If there had been others,  survival rate would be much greater , look at Colt Conversions of the 1851 Navy, so stamped USN. To the purchaser, Page 257 has more to say, too lengthy for here and a sales description.  This Revolver has about 80%+ of the original colt nickel plate finish. ALL Factory Applied markings are clear and present: Barrel Address, Frame Patents, Caliber on shoulder of trigger guard, and a US on left side of frame . Other markings are clear and present also : Military Inspectors, DFC, Naval Inspectors J, and Naval Inspectors Cartouches on BOTH Grips. All serial numbers are present and totally Matching.

ON BOTTOM of BUTT, you have USN with ANCHOR

Mechanically this Colt is 100% Correct in every Working Action, all, notches, it rotates perfectly, locks tight, indexes perfectly, it operates today as it did when sold originally. PLEASE see Images with this Offering,  Especially the USN and Anchor.

Bear in mind, if YOU are a Colt Single Action enthusiast/collector this is the ONLY ONE IN Existence.nOW & ever !

Colt Factory Letter/This is an ULTRA RARE Colt Single Action, with Factory Letter. Originally Shipped in January 1887 to U.S. Government, as a Cavalry Colt. The United States Post Master General requested Colt Single Actions to Protect the Railway Mail from Train Robbers.  The Springfield Armory established a LOAN of 229 Revolvers. Sent in TWO shipments, One of 20 the second 209. Issued to Postal Clerks working the Railway Mail Service. What you must understand here is the postal system. ALL mail moved by train, and was sorted, and delivered by train. As the train pulled into a station, a Bag was grabbed by a special hook, in reverse a bag was left. The newly picked up mail was sorted into Pidgeon holed cabinets, to be ready for the next stop and drop. Originally the first  two  routes to  receive Colts were the San Francisco to NY routes. Why? GOLD and Government documents. The next, was the Omaha Neb. to Ogden UT routes. Eventually to all routes which had been plagued by Train Robbers. RESPONSIBILITY was taken very seriously. If you lost one, you had to pay the government back at $12.50. One clerk in Mandan ND, was robbed in his hotel room while sleeping, the Colt #120054 was taken, he had to repay the Government. IN 1890, the Government and USPS cancelled the loan on revolvers. BUT ONLY 226 were returned. Three were lost or unaccounted for. ONE, was allowed to remain with the RMS #119509, THIS REVOLVER  being sold here. The return also included issued ammunition and holsters ALL OF THIS INFORMATION can be found in the Text. A Study of the Colt Single Action Army, by Graham, Kopec and Moore. On pages 495 – 498 ALL Serial Numbers for the original 229 are listed. However, ONLY ONE REMAINED AS ORIGINAL.  After the return call sent with others to Springfield. Where they were used, and re-assembled as Artillery revolvers. ONLY ONE Original remains, this one offered for sale. If you have seen the Movie “The assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Bob Ford”, starring Brad Pitt,& Casey Affleck.  It graphically shows James Gang boarding the train, and immediately robbing the Mail/express car, Asking where is the Registered Pouch, then going through all the sorted mail seeking some thing of value to Rob. This happened far too many times, more so in the late 1800’s with the Wild Bunch etc… That is why the Post Master asked the Government for REVOLVERS , to defend the US Mail !!!

The State of Texas has always been a highly sought after ship location for Colt Single Action Army revolvers. Dallas, Texas was one of the scarcest and most interesting, and the recipient and dealer was E.A. Worden. He was a well known figure in Dallas, forming Shooting Clubs and Sportsmen Clubs, not to mention, his Gun Store was well visited and he had a huge following. During his period, which lasted 55 years  nearest competitors were in Austin and Ft. Worth. During his time Dallas grew from a Cattle Camp on the Trinity River into a small metropolitan area. Important to know, many cattle drives going north passed thru Dallas, and many camped for the night or a few days to enjoy the water and feed offered by the Trinity River and grassy areas. No telling how many Cowboys stopped at his location to buy a Colt. WHAT makes this Colt SO INTERESTING is it was the Colt Single Action carried and owned by “himself” E.A. Wordon . The exterior grips has been checkered in a diamond pattern and many roughly carved initials E. A. W on both grips. but I believe they were applied by his descendants, to remember whose Colt this was, who the revolver belonged to.  IN THE INSIDE channel of the grips, neatly stamped is E.A. Worden, in both channels. This would have been his style and  choice, at least that’s what I think, either way highly identified as E.A. Worden’s Colt SAA .45. NO DOUBT this was his personal Colt SAA .45 !! Currently Serial No.4458X, from the 1878 production has a dark blue gray patina finish, all original and untouched. Some traces of plum patina. ALL Factory applied markings are clear and present: frame patents, barrel address, ALL matching serial numbers in correct locations and caliber of upper trigger guard shoulder.  ALL parts are the original parts, and IMPORTANT: the mechanical working action is perfect! ALL notches, cylinder rotation, indexing correctly, and locking tight, and releases to fire. NO mechanical issues. Along with this Colt comes an accumulated group of documentation from Historical Societies and The Dallas Morning News, plus a photo of E.A. Wordon from the Dallas Morning News.  He was a prominent figure in Dallas for 55 years and his obituary also comes with these documents. The Walnut grips show hand wear, no damage, and of course initials, but the certain ID is in the channel of the original grips neatly stamped E.A. Worden. If you are searching for a real Frontier Colt, A Texas Colt this is  solid Texas history. A Long Barrel  7-1/2 ” SAA .45 and relatively early production, owned by a well known Texan !! Additional Info: From the ” Texas Gun Trade” by Chris Hirsch, E.A. Worden was located at 734 Elm St. Dallas, Texas . He began in 1878, after arriving in Texas from Wisconsin. He took over the business from Francois Charlut, who had been there from 1875 – 1878. His knowledge was called upon in 1892 to testify in Court regarding firearms operation and cartridge knowledge. An important Colt dealer and Dallas Businessman.

IMPORTANT COLT REVOLVER in THE SINGLE ACTION CALIBER OFFERINGS FROM COLT..1877..44/40

This is an incredibly rare and scarce Single Action, showing the introduction of a new caliber to the Colt line in Single Action revolvers. Serial No.4108X is the very beginnings of 44/40 for Colt. Officially introduced in 1878 as a standard caliber, like many things there were a few hundred 44/40 pistols made and shipped, but they were different! The difference being the gain Twist Rifling. All of this is explained in detail in the Colt Peacemaker Encyclopedia by Keith Cochran. The lowest serial number presently recorded is 41078, this one is only six numbers away! The letter states Blue, Barrel Not Listed, more than likely 7-1/2 inches. However, looking at the end of the barrel, sight etc.. it really has Factory appearance of 4-3/4 inches ! The current finish is a medium gray original untouched patina, with blue only present in the most protected areas.

This Colt Single Action, Serial No. 3964X presents an interesting characteristic found in Colt Factory Letters from the 33,000 – 39,000 Serial Range. Colt did not Factory Nickel plate any revolvers until 1877, the year of this Colt. Prior to that date all were sent to Adams Plating Co. Previous to that ALL SAA’s were Blue Finish. If you review many factory letters of this serial range, you find finish “blue”, which based on physical revolvers not correct. Perhaps a communications breakdown within the process of shipping. Anyway, this Colt letters Blue, .45, Barrel & Stocks unlisted. It was shipped on November 3rd, 1877, to a New York dealer, with a quantity of 25. This is a New York engraved Nickel finished revolver, with the style of Cuno Helfricht. Regrettably, the barrel has been reduced from 7-1/2 inches to 5-1/8 inches. The SAA has been engraved at a high level of quality, close to maximum coverage.. Then fitted ( 1877 ) with one piece Ivory grips. I might add the grips construction is as done in that period.

” THE GREAT WILDERNESS”, This is what this area was called. Geographically the town of Hamburg ( named after Hamburg Germany, as many names in Arkansas were, like Stuttgart etc…) sat at a confluence of rivers and later Railroads. This 5-1/2 inch SAA , Serial No.11084X, left the Colt factory as a Nickel finish in 1884. Currently you can see about 15-20% nickel still present, mostly barrel, ejector tube and back strap. ALL factory markings are vividly clear, and ALL serial numbers are matching. The Eagle H/R grips show only normal hand wear.

There is way more significance to this Colt, Serial No. 10712X. It was a participant in one of the most vicious gun battles, involving the arrest and death of George Weightman. He was known as “Red Buck”, and was the MOST wanted man in the Territory. He was so demented than Bill Doolin threw him out of the Indian Ty.gang !

All the details are contained in pages of the details of the event of March 1896. Three USD Marshals, Ventioner, Quillen and Holcomb attempted to arrest this Gang of Miller and “Red Buck” near Arapaho Ok. Ty. During this attempt a vicious gun battle erupted. One gang member, Miller had his right hand blown completely off, and all but two fingers on his left hand blown off. USD Marshal Ventioner was shot through the lower abdomen, by Red Buck right in front of the dug out. Holcomb was attempting to drag him to safety before Buck finished him off with a 2nd shot. Just then Red Buck fell dead with a shot thru the head, accredited to Bill Quillen. However, later it was said Ventioner shot Buck while laying there being dragged, HIGHLY improbable ! Note: A Minco, OK Newspaper published an article in 1896, stating Quillen had filed for the Reward for killing “Red Buck”. Either way this Colt was in the hands of Bill Quillen at the wild shootout in March 1896, Oklahoma Ty. There are many many more pages about this man and his history, the purchaser can read at his leisure. This Colt has about 60% or more original nickel plate finish, the balance is a soft gray patina. The cylinder represents the major loss of nickel and most of the patina. The Eagle Grips show normal wear and have crisp images and no damage. MOST IMPORTANT: despite it’s exciting life it remains 100% mechanically correct in every working action. ALL factory applied markings are clear and present. Due Note: 3 notches are present in 3 locations ! butt, trigger guard edge, and very end of the barrel past the sight !! With this Colt, they are the REAL deal !