EXTRAORDINARY FACTORY ENGRAVED COLT SHERIFF’S MODEL SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER WITH TEXAS PROVENANCE.

EXTRAORDINARY FACTORY ENGRAVED COLT SHERIFF’S MODEL SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER WITH TEXAS PROVENANCE. SN 145346. Cal. 45 Colt. Blue & color case hardened with 4″ bbl, rare dovetailed half moon German silver front sight, 2-line address and caliber marking on left side. Revolver is black powder frame and made without provision for an ejector rod housing. Left side of frame has 2-line 3-patent dates and rampant Colt in a circle. Mounted with replacement 2-pc smooth ivory grips. This beautiful revolver is factory engraved by Cuno Helfricht in his deluxe nearly full coverage presentation with flowing arabesque patterns on the frame, his deluxe sunbursts on the recoil shield and loading gate. It has snake & dot patterns on the top strap which extend down rear of the frame on each side of the hammer slot with foliate sprays on each side of base pin boss and snake & dot patterns in the gullets. Right rear side of the frame, below the loading gate is, unusually, engraved with a partial sunburst. Top of back strap is engraved with Mr. Helfricht’s trademark fan pattern with half blossom patterns on shoulders of the back strap and shoulders of the trigger guard. Back strap, butt strap & trigger guard are engraved in Moorish patterns with presentation panel on the back strap engraved in period script, “J.B. Pritchard” probably by Mr. Helfricht. Cylinder is engraved in typical Helfricht patterns of alternating foliate arabesque and sunbursts on the lands between the flutes with snake & dot and dbl wavy line borders at the rear edge. At some point during the working life of this revolver the orig 4″ bbl was apparently replaced with a 5-1/2″ bbl which accompanies this revolver. Still later in its life a replacement 4″ bbl was created and is currently installed on the revolver. This revolver is pictured on p. 203 & p. 205 in full color in Colt Pistols, Wilson & Hable, near life size, with the caption that it was displayed in the Texas Ranger Museum, Waco, Texas for many years. Another similarly engraved 3″ Sheriff’s Model with German silver, half moon, dovetailed front sight is pictured on p. 432 of The Colt Engraving Book Volume I, Wilson. Accompanied by a Colt factory letter fully identifying this revolver, as found, in caliber 45 Colt with 4″ bbl, blue finish, ivory stocks, factory engraved and furnished with half moon silver sight, shipped to Dunlay & Geisler, Houston, TX on Aug. 5, 1892 in a 1-gun shipment. PROVENANCE: David Crocker Estate Collection. CONDITION: Fine to very fine. 4″ bbl retains about 95% strong bright blue with light wear on each side of muzzle. 5-1/2″ bbl retains about 98% strong bright blue. Frame & cyl are mostly a medium blue/brown patina with case colors visible in front flutes of the frame, strong in a couple of spots. Cyl is matching patina with blue in the flutes. Trigger guard & back strap retain strong blue in sheltered areas with front & back straps a blue/gray patina. Replacement grips are sound with numerous age lines and retain a fine mellow ivory patina. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bores. 4-36890 JR17 (30,000-50,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2010

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
	2143	$0.00	EXTRAORDINARY FACTORY ENGRAVED COLT SHERIFF’S MODEL SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER WITH TEXAS PROVENANCE. SN 145346. Cal. 45 Colt. Blue & color case hardened with 4″ bbl, rare dovetailed half moon German silver front sight, 2-line address and caliber marking on left side. Revolver is black powder frame and made without provision for an ejector rod housing. Left side of frame has 2-line 3-patent dates and rampant Colt in a circle. Mounted with replacement 2-pc smooth ivory grips. This beautiful revolver is factory engraved by Cuno Helfricht in his deluxe nearly full coverage presentation with flowing arabesque patterns on the frame, his deluxe sunbursts on the recoil shield and loading gate. It has snake & dot patterns on the top strap which extend down rear of the frame on each side of the hammer slot with foliate sprays on each side of base pin boss and snake & dot patterns in the gullets. Right rear side of the frame, below the loading gate is, unusually, engraved with a partial sunburst. Top of back strap is engraved with Mr. Helfricht’s trademark fan pattern with half blossom patterns on shoulders of the back strap and shoulders of the trigger guard. Back strap, butt strap & trigger guard are engraved in Moorish patterns with presentation panel on the back strap engraved in period script, “J.B. Pritchard” probably by Mr. Helfricht. Cylinder is engraved in typical Helfricht patterns of alternating foliate arabesque and sunbursts on the lands between the flutes with snake & dot and dbl wavy line borders at the rear edge. At some point during the working life of this revolver the orig 4″ bbl was apparently replaced with a 5-1/2″ bbl which accompanies this revolver. Still later in its life a replacement 4″ bbl was created and is currently installed on the revolver. This revolver is pictured on p. 203 & p. 205 in full color in Colt Pistols, Wilson & Hable, near life size, with the caption that it was displayed in the Texas Ranger Museum, Waco, Texas for many years. Another similarly engraved 3″ Sheriff’s Model with German silver, half moon, dovetailed front sight is pictured on p. 432 of The Colt Engraving Book Volume I, Wilson. Accompanied by a Colt factory letter fully identifying this revolver, as found, in caliber 45 Colt with 4″ bbl, blue finish, ivory stocks, factory engraved and furnished with half moon silver sight, shipped to Dunlay & Geisler, Houston, TX on Aug. 5, 1892 in a 1-gun shipment. PROVENANCE: David Crocker Estate Collection. CONDITION: Fine to very fine. 4″ bbl retains about 95% strong bright blue with light wear on each side of muzzle. 5-1/2″ bbl retains about 98% strong bright blue. Frame & cyl are mostly a medium blue/brown patina with case colors visible in front flutes of the frame, strong in a couple of spots. Cyl is matching patina with blue in the flutes. Trigger guard & back strap retain strong blue in sheltered areas with front & back straps a blue/gray patina. Replacement grips are sound with numerous age lines and retain a fine mellow ivory patina. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bores. 4-36890 JR17 (30,000-50,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2010 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.

.red{fill:#B50938;} .white{fill:#FFFFFF;} .blue{fill:#005596;}