99.9999% / UNFIRED!

COLT NEW HOUSE MODEL REVOLVER, .38 CF

It would be virtually impossible to find a better New House, in just plain Nickel Finish. Serial No.1194X is a superb example. It has 100% of all the original factory nickel plating, and 90% of all the bright fire blue on the screw heads, and a PERFECT acid etched panel!

Mechanically the New House operates perfectly on every mechanical function. The hard rubber grips, and THE correct grips for the New House, are in perfect condition.

All factory applied markings are present and extremely clear. Simply stated, it would be hard to improve on this New House! PRICE $3,500SALES HOLD

ALL THE BRIGHT FIRE BLUE STILL PRESENT ON THE HAMMER

It should be noted ONLY 4,000 were manufactured from 1880-1886, so this is a scarce model, and in this condition an ultimate prize for the collection.

CONDITION

SCARCE MODEL

EXCELLENT SHIP LOCATION

COLT MODEL 1889 DA .41  REVOLVER / FACTORY LETTER

UNFIRED CYLINDER FACE, AS IS THE BALANCE OF THE '89.......

The Colt Model of 1889 is maybe the most significant turning point in the history of the company. Prior to this date ALL Colts were of the Single Action mode of firing. This model laid the future foundation for Colt, as it was double action, and had a SWING out cylinder for reloading. A quantum leap forward for Colt, and from this Model came the next 123 years of Colt handguns. Serial No. 893X is 100% ORIGINAL factory condition and finish, and remains UNFIRED! It has perfect checkered hard rubber grips, and has PERFECT mechanical functions for ALL modes of operation.

The Model of 1889 was quickly identified from all the following DA Models, as it has NO external bolt stop notches on the cylinder periphery, it locks from behind as does the Model of 1877. In addition the cylinder turns to the left! The Colt Factory letter shows this '89 as a ONE gun shipment to a VERY dominant Rocky Mountain dealership in 1890, the first full year of production. It would be, excluding engraving, the finest condition three inch nickel 1889 Colt revolver extant in the world today, period! PRICE $7,500

THE SCARCEST OF ALL BARREL LENGTHS WAS THE THREE INCH! THIS IS THE BARREL OF #893X, AND HAS THE SHORT SIDE BARREL ADDRESS

THE BEST ONE AT THREE INCHES & NICKEL IN THE WORLD TODAY.

ONE THING CAN BE SAID FOR SURE ABOUT THIS COLT AND HOLSTER, "IT BELONGED TO A MAN WHO WAS EITHER A LAWMAN OR OUTLAW, "WORKING ON EITHER SIDE OF THE BADGE"

This Colt Single Action Army .45 was deliberately shortened, and the barrel reduced to three inches. It was done very professionally, probably by an existing gunsmith at a Gun Store, or a distributor selling firearms. Maybe Freund or Lower, in the Colorado area. It was re-sighted perfectly, and the barrel crowned. All of this work was done "in the day" as it exhibits all the same wear and color as the balance of the revolver. The question is why? Why, because a man had a strong need for a hide-away with knock down power. Who? certainly a Lawman, or Outlaw, or Sporting Man at the Tables. NO other category would have needed such a modification to a new revolver! Serial No. 4150X was made in 1878, as a Nickel Plated revolver. Today, there is about 1/2% of the nickel plate remaining. The overall finish is a dark "Plum Patina".

ALL Colt factory applied markings are still visible: frame patents, remaining barrel address, and Serial Numbers. ALL Serial Numbers are matching, including the cylinder and barrel. This is an all original Colt that had it's barrel reduced for a PURPOSE, by a man with a PURPOSE! The holster is about as charismatic as the Colt. It's a F.A. Meanea, Cheyenne, Wyo. holster. This maker is HIGHLY sought after by Western Leather collectors, and is a keynote maker !! ALL mechanics of the Colt function perfectly, all the cocking positions are present, and it locks tight and aligns perfectly. This is a Outlaw or Lawman's "Sheriff Model" , made long before Colt introduced one from the factory, and made in a extremely high professional manner. It has seem a "hard life" the finish is a dark plum patina, and the holster has it's scars too. BUT, BUT this Colt has a lot to say, and huge amounts of Western Frontier charisma, both Holster and Colt, perhaps carried by a notorious person, maybe even in Cheyenne, Wyoming in the late 1870's and early 1880's. PRICE $4,650

The Holster has been cut down from a "loop" holster, and shortened to fit it's Colt, a Three Inch barrel SAA .45

Two cuts were made in the back of the holster after it was shortened to accommodate a belt to be passed through.

An authentic Colt such as this, with a modified Holster to fit the Colt, and by a renowned maker is seldom if ever seen. This was the "Last Ditch", the "Ace in the Hole", the "Hide-Away" maybe the difference between having breakfast the next morning, or being viewed the next morning! Definitely working on one side of the badge or the other!

BLACK POWDER SINGLE ACTION / 1896 COLT FACTORY LETTER/ PLUS FAMILY ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTS

Butt of grips marked: Wm. Price, with an "X" opposite his name. He was better known as "TUBBY PRICE. The "X" standing for the man he shot with this Colt.

The Colt SAA .45 today, Serial No. 16757X, is in a pleasing state of a dark patina. There are glimmers of the once blue finish in protected areas, but it is a patina Colt. The hard rubber grips show extensive hand wear, and the checkering has softened. Mechanically, it is a PERFECT revolver. It cocks, locks, indexes, each and every time the hammer is drawn to the rear. It is a genuine south east Texas Colt, and was definitely fired in anger, to resolve a dispute. It appears in the archival information, one William Price, known as "Tubby" Price, warned a neighbor to stay away from his Levee , holding water. The letter states it so simply, "he said he would shoot him, and he did" He shot him in the leg, which was followed by the ensuing investigation etc.. In the original documents, there is a photograph of Tubby, in later years, when he entered a "Whisker" growing contest. A colorful Texas Colt. PRICE $3,450SALES HOLD

This barrel length became the most popular as we pushed the calendar toward the closing of the 19th century. Convenient to carry, more easily hidden in a pocket, and quicker to put into action! The .41 Colt caliber was introduced in 1885, and found an acceptable level of sales. It might be worth mentioning that the .41 Single Action seems to appear on a regular basis with members of the Texas Rangers. The accepted theory, a more accurate, less recoil, "hot" cartridge with excellent "knock down" capabilities. Many of these .41's were shipped to Texas dealers, so perhaps a Colt letter could be beneficial to the buyer.

Serial No. 13725X has "perfect" operating mechanics, each and EVERY time the hammer is pulled to the rear. It actually has about 10-12% of the original blue finish, but scattered throughout, in protected areas, such as the trigger guard, butt, and beginning of the barrel, and front sight. You can easily see all the case color on the hammer, just slightly faded.

There are "ghost traces" of case color on the frame. ALL parts are original to the Colt, and it has excellent screw heads. A very fine example of a Black Powder .41 Single Action revolver.  PRICE $ 3,850

Original Blue on the Barrel, and Sight.

Checkered hard Rubber grips showing only normal wear, and NOTE: it is A SCARCE pair of grips, known as the "High Horse" grip. Also, blue on trigger guard visible, and case color on hammer.

A pair of carved Mother of Pearl grips for the Colt Single Action Army. This pattern of the One Eyed Ox, was a signature pattern for Cuno Helfricht, master engraver for Colt from about 1870 - 1900. There is some slight pearl loss on the bottom outside corner, but not so much, as to effect the appearance. If the purchaser is so inclined, there are master restoration artists who can effect a repair which will be un-noticeable. A RARE and SCARCE pair of grips, which will dramatically impact the appearance of a Single Action, a real upgrade! PRICE $3,250

It is the OPINION of many collectors/dealers, who have seen this pair of grips, and by making comparisons to known examples which have verified documents, that these grips are the hand carving of Cuno Hefricht, the great 19th century engraver. Helfricht created these grips no doubt for one of his elegantly engraved Single Actions. How they have come to be alone is a mystery, but an OPPORTUNITY for the collector of Single Actions.

PRICE $3,450

COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER, CHAMBERED IN CALIBER 44/40

The most desirable of all the Frontier Six Shooters are the revolvers having the delicate acid etched caliber panel on the left hand side of the barrel. This CFSS, Serial No. 12193X, has the etched panel.

As seen above the panel is very faint, BUT present, which is wonderful, because most panels disappeared from use very quickly.

This 7-1/2 inch example saw probably a fair amount of use, not abuse mind you, just normal use. There is about 45% of the original nickel plate remaining, some bright, some slightly frosty. The balance is a gray patina, with a slight plum tint in places. the Walnut grips have about 75% of their original varnish, and show normal use for a Colt of this age. The screw heads still show strong tints of fire blue!, as does the trigger. The cylinder has a remarkable amount of nickel left.

The mechanical action is SUPERB ! All phases of operating are crisp and exact. ALL factory applied markings are present: barrel address, frame patents, serial numbers. This is just a very good example of a CFSS, that was used, but still has an excellent visual appearance, and high collectable status.  PRICE $4,950

The Colt firm was always thinking of achieving a significant portion of any of the markets it entered. During the last half of the 19th century, Target Shooting was a National pass time, and Colt wanted to make an impression in that market. They redesigned their old stand by, the Single Action Army, into a new frame design, and hammer profile. In 1895 a few of this Model made their way to the famous Range in England. It was this range that gave the Model it's name, BISLEY, thus the Bisley Model. Many of this Model came with a "Flat Top" target frame, however the standard frame was the bulk of production. This Model found great popularity in the hands of non target shooters, and was carried in the late 1890's through end of production, just as it's brother the Single Action Army. In fact many found the lower hammer profile, and curving grip an asset to quicker and more efficient action! The Bisley Model was very much at home on the hip of the "Westerner", and many images exist today showing the Bisley on the trail. This Bisley Single Action, Serial No. 19665X, is chambered for the 38/40 caliber, and goes well with a Winchester in the same caliber. It has about 20% of the original blue remaining, the balance is a dark blue/plum patina. You can still see the ghost outlines of the case hardening colors on the frame. The screw heads are neat and clean, with perfect slots. The hard rubber grips are crisp, retain checkering, and are damage free. All factory applied markings are clear and present: barrel address, side barrel Bisley markings, frame patent, and serial numbers. The mechanical action is PERFECT, with each cocking of the hammer, the cylinder rotates and locks into position, and the trigger releases smoothly to fire. The half cock position is also perfect. A CLEAN NATURAL example of a Bisley, and with the sought after short barrel. An excellent addition for the collector, and priced reasonably at $2,250

Note blue still on trigger guard, and fire blue trigger.

COLT 1849 POCKET MODEL, with IRON BACK STRAP & TRIGGER GUARD  mfg'd 1859

The Pocket Model by Colt held somewhat of a production record, being produced from 1850 to 1873, non interrupted. During this period approximately 340,000 were manufactured. Within this there are many variations. One of the SCARCEST is New York City barrel address, with IRON back strap and trigger guard.  It is theorized, that with the closing of the London operation, all parts in the Hartford warehouse were used. Therefore Iron back straps and trigger guards were assembled with the standard New York City barrel address, and shipped domestically!

There is still a large amount of Silver Plating remaining on the Trigger Guard, and upper and lower quadrants of the Back Strap. The percentage of Iron Back Strap '49 Pockets is infinitesimally small ! The barrel and cylinder have turned a dark blue with lighter original blue tones, mixed with a correct plum patina, and have strong and clear factory markings. The cylinder has a very good scene remaining:

Serial No. 15344X has some case color remaining , and ALL factory applied roll dies are clear and crisp. All Serial Numbers are matching, and screw heads are fine with clean slots. Speaking of crisp, this 4 inch barrel '49 pocket, still has an EXACT and PRECISE working action, with each cocking of the hammer. This is a very strong and pleasant example of a VERY scarce variation in '49 Pockets. PRICE $2,850

There are still strong areas of case hardening color on both sides of the frame.

CARTOUCHE ON LEFT GRIP "DAL" FOR DAVID A. LYLE, PLUS 1877 DATE.

CARTOUCHE ON RIGHT GRIP "JTC" FOR JOHN T. CLEVELAND.

These grips are authentic, period grips. The show normal hand wear for their age, but have no chips missing, or damage!. A pair of grips like these are nearly IMPOSSIBLE to find, and if you need them, this is a great opportunity. It is exceptionally rare to find U.S. grips as a single item ! PRICE $975

The SMALLEST production of 1860 Conversion Models is the Type II, as it bridges the gap between the Richards, and the final change, the Richards-Mason conversions. This Model, has the NEW firing arrangement, where the hammer strikes the cartridge directly through the channel cut in the recoil shield. Whereas the Richards did not, but used a spring loaded firing pin system, and a solid recoil shield. However, this was the LAST conversion to use the PERCUSSION era barrel ! The next full Mason-Richards used the solid frame barrel. serial No.19482X is a superb example of the TYPE II, as few were made, and they saw HARD use! This Mason-Richards conversion has about 75-80% of the original nickel plate, with the heaviest concentration being on the frame and cylinder. The barrel has thinned out somewhat to areas of a light gray, well blending patina. The hammer retains it's case hardening colors, and are vibrantly obvious. The Walnut grips retain about 75% of their original varnish. All factory markings: barrel address( New York America), frame patents( 2 line '72), and all Serial Numbers etc..are crisp, defined, clear and legible. The mechanical action is PERFECT, very crisp and deliberate on each cock of the hammer. The cylinder indexes, and locks tight perfectly, and releases with celerity of fire. This is a very , very fine example, of a very scarce and important conversion for Colt. it represents the steady direction toward the metallic cartridge era, with NO resemblance to the percussion era. PRICE $6,550

Entire Cylinder Scene present, and very clear and defined.......................

Hammer strikes the cartridge directly through recoil shield............

75% of original varnish intact......

U.S. NAVY CONVERSION TO .38... AND SO MARKED..............

With the onset of the self contained cartridge era, and the immediate need of cartridge revolvers in the Military, plus the frugality of the Government, it gave birth to the Conversion revolver.  ALL Navy Conversion revolvers were originally '51 Navy/Navy percussion revolvers, RETURNED to the Colt factory, and converted to .38 cartridge. They fall in Serial Range 41,000 to 91,000. This Navy Conversion is Serial No. 8951X, and is absolutely correct in every way, a true and perfect Navy/Navy conversion. The Butt and the Barrel bear all the correct markings, as well as a unique feature! the frame was re-stamped with the two line 1872 patent, over top of the original Colts/Patent, and the U.S., remnants of which can still be seen.

The overall condition for this specimen is SUPERB ! It has 90% of all the original Colt factory Conversion blue finish, and 75% of the case hardening colors remain on the frame. The hammer has 85% or more of the case hardening colors also present. This revolver is also unique, as it is an Iron Back Strap! which is indigenous to the Navy revolvers. The mechanical action is so crisp, and tight it's hard to believe the age of the revolver. Without saying, ALL mechanical aspects of this revolver function perfectly. The cylinder scene, even after rework at Colt, is still present and distinct.

A remarkable example of a Martial ( Navy) Conversion revolver, a scarce and highly sought after example for the Colt Collector, or Martial Collector. PRICE $7,500

Naval Yard Inspector markings on bottom of Barrel..........plus Anchor.

STRONG BLUE AND CASE COLORS REMAIN !!