*EXTRAORDINARILY RARE AND THE ONLY KNOWN CASED FACTORY ENGRAVED COLT MODEL 1902 SPORTING SEMI-AUTO PISTOL.

*EXTRAORDINARILY RARE AND THE ONLY KNOWN CASED FACTORY ENGRAVED COLT MODEL 1902 SPORTING SEMI-AUTO PISTOL. SN 8150. Cal. 38 ACP. Blue finish with 6″ all blue bbl, orig fixed sights with usual Browning’s Patent & Colt Patent markings on left side of slide and usual markings on right side of slide. It has a hand checkered rnd spur hammer and is mounted with orig, thick, smooth pearl grips and is accompanied by an orig all blue magazine with patent marked floorplate. Pistol is engraved in the readily identifiable style of Cuno Helfricht, with flowing foliate arabesque patterns on each side of frame that wrap around the grips and extend over the trigger guard. Both front sides of the frame have chip & dot borders that extend all the way to the muzzle end. Front strap is engraved with matching foliate arabesque patterns and has feather patterns on each side. Backstrap has matching engraving with a blank presentation banner in the center. Bottom front of frame has a matching foliate arabesque pattern with an 8-pointed flower blossom in the center. Trigger bow is also engraved to match. Sides of slide have matching foliate arabesque patterns with a wavy outside border and a chip & dot inside border terminating with a shell pattern at each forward end. Top of slide has two matching intertwined foliate arabesque patterns. Rear of slide and top rear edge of frame are engraved in feather patterns. All of the foliate arabesque patterns have a very fine punch dot background. This pistol has been examined by several noted Colt authorities and all concur with this cataloger’s assessment that this pistol is factory orig in every respect and was engraved by Cuno Helfricht himself. These letters accompany. Also accompanied by an orig, period, Colt-style casing covered in brown leather with border embossed lid and a nickeled lock & escutcheon mortised into the front. Interior is lined in dark green velvet, French fitted in bottom for the pistol with three small open slots in rear which now contain a brass cleaning rod and bore mop that consignor had especially made for this set. Left front of the case has a walnut cartridge block for 24 cartridges. This case is nearly identical to one which appears on the cover of A Collector’s Guide to Colt 38 Automatics, Sheldon, which houses the only other known cased 1902, which is a military model, SN 14765. This case has minor differences in the interior layout. There is only one other factory engraved Sporting Model 1902, #4302, which is listed as factory engraved and of this writing is not known. The pistol presented here is a “no record” entry signifying that it was a special production, probably as a presentation by a company executive. The book A Collector’s Guide to Colt 38 Automatics, Sheldon, on p. 130 states that the “Factory year end inventory dated December 31, 1904 lists two leather cases for the military model still in stock.” He goes on to say that shipping ledgers do not list these cases as ever having been sent out with orders, so it is likely only a handful were ever made for presentation purposes when the pistol was first introduced. Page 84 of this same book states that “Perhaps three dozen pistols were shipped with special order pearl or wood grips, the former being more popular.” And on p. 76 he states that shipping records indicate that only one pistol (sporting model), #4304, was factory engraved and that it was fitted with pearl stocks. As of this writing that pistol remains undiscovered. This pistol and its display won the Judge’s Choice Award at the Annual Colt Collectors Association Meeting in 2007 and is pictured on p. 24 of the Winter 2007 Rampant Colt magazine with the owner at that time. That award accompanies this pistol. There are several instances where it is stated by the various authors that Sporting Model 1902, SN 4304, is the only factory engraved specimen and that about five were inscribed. Those publications include The Colt Engraving Book Volume I, Wilson; Colt Pistols, Wilson & Habel and The Book of Colt Firearms, Sutherland & Wilson. Consignor states and has certified in a signed letter, that this pistol was received for services by a doctor in the 1920’s or 30’s and remained in that family in the Rocky Mountain West until 2002 when it was purchased directly from that doctor’s family. The individual who purchased it traded it to the consignor, making him only the fourth owner since it was produced in 1905, 104 years ago. CONDITION: Very fine. Overall retains 93-94% strong, glossy orig factory blue with slight thinning in a few areas and with wear around muzzle end of slide. Backstrap is slightly thinned. Hammer retains virtually all of its orig factory case colors. Grips are completely sound with one minor age line and retain great fire and color. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore. Pistol may be unfired just handled & played with. Case is moderately scuffed with storage & handling marks and worn corners but is completely sound in all respects. Interior is strong & bright with only slight wear in bottom pistol recess from grip and muzzle end of slight. A truly exceptional and rare set. A once in a lifetime opportunity to own a stunning, one of a kind piece of history. 4-39045 JR224 (80,000-125,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2009

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	1057	$0.00	EXTRAORDINARILY RARE AND THE ONLY KNOWN CASED FACTORY ENGRAVED COLT MODEL 1902 SPORTING SEMI-AUTO PISTOL. SN 8150. Cal. 38 ACP. Blue finish with 6″ all blue bbl, orig fixed sights with usual Browning’s Patent & Colt Patent markings on left side of slide and usual markings on right side of slide. It has a hand checkered rnd spur hammer and is mounted with orig, thick, smooth pearl grips and is accompanied by an orig all blue magazine with patent marked floorplate. Pistol is engraved in the readily identifiable style of Cuno Helfricht, with flowing foliate arabesque patterns on each side of frame that wrap around the grips and extend over the trigger guard. Both front sides of the frame have chip & dot borders that extend all the way to the muzzle end. Front strap is engraved with matching foliate arabesque patterns and has feather patterns on each side. Backstrap has matching engraving with a blank presentation banner in the center. Bottom front of frame has a matching foliate arabesque pattern with an 8-pointed flower blossom in the center. Trigger bow is also engraved to match. Sides of slide have matching foliate arabesque patterns with a wavy outside border and a chip & dot inside border terminating with a shell pattern at each forward end. Top of slide has two matching intertwined foliate arabesque patterns. Rear of slide and top rear edge of frame are engraved in feather patterns. All of the foliate arabesque patterns have a very fine punch dot background. This pistol has been examined by several noted Colt authorities and all concur with this cataloger’s assessment that this pistol is factory orig in every respect and was engraved by Cuno Helfricht himself. These letters accompany. Also accompanied by an orig, period, Colt-style casing covered in brown leather with border embossed lid and a nickeled lock & escutcheon mortised into the front. Interior is lined in dark green velvet, French fitted in bottom for the pistol with three small open slots in rear which now contain a brass cleaning rod and bore mop that consignor had especially made for this set. Left front of the case has a walnut cartridge block for 24 cartridges. This case is nearly identical to one which appears on the cover of A Collector’s Guide to Colt 38 Automatics, Sheldon, which houses the only other known cased 1902, which is a military model, SN 14765. This case has minor differences in the interior layout. There is only one other factory engraved Sporting Model 1902, #4302, which is listed as factory engraved and of this writing is not known. The pistol presented here is a “no record” entry signifying that it was a special production, probably as a presentation by a company executive. The book A Collector’s Guide to Colt 38 Automatics, Sheldon, on p. 130 states that the “Factory year end inventory dated December 31, 1904 lists two leather cases for the military model still in stock.” He goes on to say that shipping ledgers do not list these cases as ever having been sent out with orders, so it is likely only a handful were ever made for presentation purposes when the pistol was first introduced. Page 84 of this same book states that “Perhaps three dozen pistols were shipped with special order pearl or wood grips, the former being more popular.” And on p. 76 he states that shipping records indicate that only one pistol (sporting model), #4304, was factory engraved and that it was fitted with pearl stocks. As of this writing that pistol remains undiscovered. This pistol and its display won the Judge’s Choice Award at the Annual Colt Collectors Association Meeting in 2007 and is pictured on p. 24 of the Winter 2007 Rampant Colt* magazine with the owner at that time. That award accompanies this pistol. There are several instances where it is stated by the various authors that Sporting Model 1902, SN 4304, is the only factory engraved specimen and that about five were inscribed. Those publications include The Colt Engraving Book Volume I, Wilson; Colt Pistols, Wilson & Habel and The Book of Colt Firearms, Sutherland & Wilson. Consignor states and has certified in a signed letter, that this pistol was received for services by a doctor in the 1920’s or 30’s and remained in that family in the Rocky Mountain West until 2002 when it was purchased directly from that doctor’s family. The individual who purchased it traded it to the consignor, making him only the fourth owner since it was produced in 1905, 104 years ago. CONDITION: Very fine. Overall retains 93-94% strong, glossy orig factory blue with slight thinning in a few areas and with wear around muzzle end of slide. Backstrap is slightly thinned. Hammer retains virtually all of its orig factory case colors. Grips are completely sound with one minor age line and retain great fire and color. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore. Pistol may be unfired just handled & played with. Case is moderately scuffed with storage & handling marks and worn corners but is completely sound in all respects. Interior is strong & bright with only slight wear in bottom pistol recess from grip and muzzle end of slight. A truly exceptional and rare set. A once in a lifetime opportunity to own a stunning, one of a kind piece of history. 4-39045 JR224 (80,000-125,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2009 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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