RARE EARLY NIMSCHKE ENGRAVED COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER.

RARE EARLY NIMSCHKE ENGRAVED COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER. SN 87320. Cal. 45 Colt. Nickel finish with 7-1/2″ bbl, full front sight and 1-line block letter address. Left side of the frame has 3-line patent dates and the left front web of the trigger guard is marked with the caliber. Mounted with smooth 2-pc pearl grips. Revolver is engraved by L.D. Nimschke with foliate arabesque patterns on sides of frame, a large flower blossom on left recoil shield and a smaller version on the loading gate. Sides of the ejector housing boss and base pin boss are engraved in hunter’s stars with snake & dot patterns in the front gullets. Top strap is engraved in a leaf & vine pattern. Matching foliate arabesque patterns extend about half way up the sides of the bbl with the forward half engraved in snake & dot patterns and geometric patterns around the address. Top gullet of the ejector housing is engraved in snake & dot pattern. Back strap, butt strap & trigger guard are engraved in zig zag geometric patterns with a fan pattern at the top of the back strap. Cyl is engraved with foliate arabesque patterns on the lands between the flutes and zig zag patterns in the flutes with a snake & chip border pattern around the rear edge. Base pin is first type with dimpled ends and screws are fire-blued. Accompanied by a Colt factory letter which identifies this revolver in caliber 45, bbl length not listed, nickel finish, type of stocks not listed, factory engraved and shipped to Wexell & DeGress, Mexico City, Mexico on Feb. 7, 1883 in a 6-gun shipment. Undoubtedly this revolver would have been intended for presentation to a high ranking official in Mexico or was purchased by a wealthy ranch owner down there. It is very rare to find any firearm returning from Mexico with high orig finish such as this one. PROVENANCE: John Stewart Collection. CONDITION: Very fine. Bbl & ejector housing retain 90-92% strong orig nickel with a dark area on right side of front sight at the muzzle and some wear on the outer radius of the ejector housing; frame retains virtually all of its strong orig nickel with the loading gate showing a gray metal patina; hammer retains virtually all of its orig nickel; cyl also retains about all of its orig nickel turned a little milky; trigger guard retains about all of its orig nickel with some dulling on the front of the trigger plate & trigger bow; back strap is mostly a light gray metal patina with bright nickel at the top. Right grip has a repaired heel, otherwise grips are sound and retain great fire & iridescent color. Mechanics are crisp, sharp bore with good shine and scattered pitting that may clean much better. 4-48149 JR306 (50,000-75,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2013

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
	1358	$0.00	RARE EARLY NIMSCHKE ENGRAVED COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER. SN 87320. Cal. 45 Colt. Nickel finish with 7-1/2″ bbl, full front sight and 1-line block letter address. Left side of the frame has 3-line patent dates and the left front web of the trigger guard is marked with the caliber. Mounted with smooth 2-pc pearl grips. Revolver is engraved by L.D. Nimschke with foliate arabesque patterns on sides of frame, a large flower blossom on left recoil shield and a smaller version on the loading gate. Sides of the ejector housing boss and base pin boss are engraved in hunter’s stars with snake & dot patterns in the front gullets. Top strap is engraved in a leaf & vine pattern. Matching foliate arabesque patterns extend about half way up the sides of the bbl with the forward half engraved in snake & dot patterns and geometric patterns around the address. Top gullet of the ejector housing is engraved in snake & dot pattern. Back strap, butt strap & trigger guard are engraved in zig zag geometric patterns with a fan pattern at the top of the back strap. Cyl is engraved with foliate arabesque patterns on the lands between the flutes and zig zag patterns in the flutes with a snake & chip border pattern around the rear edge. Base pin is first type with dimpled ends and screws are fire-blued. Accompanied by a Colt factory letter which identifies this revolver in caliber 45, bbl length not listed, nickel finish, type of stocks not listed, factory engraved and shipped to Wexell & DeGress, Mexico City, Mexico on Feb. 7, 1883 in a 6-gun shipment. Undoubtedly this revolver would have been intended for presentation to a high ranking official in Mexico or was purchased by a wealthy ranch owner down there. It is very rare to find any firearm returning from Mexico with high orig finish such as this one. PROVENANCE: John Stewart Collection. CONDITION: Very fine. Bbl & ejector housing retain 90-92% strong orig nickel with a dark area on right side of front sight at the muzzle and some wear on the outer radius of the ejector housing; frame retains virtually all of its strong orig nickel with the loading gate showing a gray metal patina; hammer retains virtually all of its orig nickel; cyl also retains about all of its orig nickel turned a little milky; trigger guard retains about all of its orig nickel with some dulling on the front of the trigger plate & trigger bow; back strap is mostly a light gray metal patina with bright nickel at the top. Right grip has a repaired heel, otherwise grips are sound and retain great fire & iridescent color. Mechanics are crisp, sharp bore with good shine and scattered pitting that may clean much better. 4-48149 JR306 (50,000-75,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2013 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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