EXTRAORDINARILY RARE PANEL SCENE ENGRAVED COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER FROM THE 1876 CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION & THE EARLIEST KNOWN FACTORY ENGRAVED SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER.

Revised: 10/5/2009

Correction to Printed Catalog: Description reads: Accompanied by “its” original black leatherette covered factory casing….Description should read: Accompanied by “an” original black leatherette covered factory casing….

EXTRAORDINARILY RARE PANEL SCENE ENGRAVED COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER FROM THE 1876 CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION & THE EARLIEST KNOWN FACTORY ENGRAVED SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER. SN 8926. Cal. 45 Colt. One of the earliest known factory engraved Colts and the earliest known factory engraved SAA and part of the Philadelphia International Exposition of 1876 (World’s Fair). This single action along with several others were the central part of the Colt exhibit for this expo and were later loaned to the Henry Folsom Company of St. Louis. In Oct. 1877 they were returned to Colt on a Folsom Billhead invoice which lists them individually by serial number with their values, this revolver being the most expensive item on the inventory at $46.60. In a previous Julia Auction we sold Colt Single Action Army revolver SN 8928, known as the 1876 Centennial Exhibition Colt, and reported it as the earliest known but now this revolver has surfaced and being two numbers earlier is now the earliest known factory engraved single action. There are three others from this expo, numbers 8925, 8927 and 8930 which are as of this writing, unaccounted for. They are listed on the Folsom inventory and have lesser values. This fantastic revolver is described as having nickel finish, a 7-1/2″ bbl, full front sight, script 1-line address with brackets at each end and 2-line patent dates on left side of the frame. Mounted with replacement 1-pc ivory grip with deep relief carved ox head on the right side. It has full coverage extraordinary engraving by Herman Ulrich, although other scholars have contributed the work to Cuno Helfricht. It is the contention of this cataloger that it is by Herman Ulrich as there is no comparable known work by Mr. Helfricht and there is an engraved Colt Lightning rifle in a museum in Canada that is signed “Herman Ulrich” and is similarly engraved. The engraving consists of extraordinarily fine intertwined foliate arabesque patterns with a very fine shaded background. Left side of frame has a wonderfully detailed panel of a nude huntress on a rearing horse about to spear a charging tiger or lioness. Right side of frame has a nude man on a rearing horse holding a large club in his hand, attacking a male lion. Top of the back strap is engraved with the oval vignette of a partially nude Diana the Huntress and the trigger bow has the vignette of a medieval soldier carrying a sword & spear. The cylinder has full coverage engraving to match with a variety of patterns and panels around the cylinder stop notches & approaches with extremely fine punch dot background. Top strap is engraved with matching foliate arabesque patterns with shaded & punch dot backgrounds. Hammer has complete, full coverage foliate arabesque patterns on the sides with a diamond & dot pattern completely around the rear edge and a long, hand-checkered panel on the spur. Bbl has matching foliate arabesque pattern engraving with shaded background which wraps over the top of the bbl and extends to around the front sight. Ejector rod housing is equally beautifully engraved on outer radius and in the top gullet. Edge of the ejector rod head is also engraved. Even the sides of the trigger bow are engraved in a dbl chip border pattern. All the screws and base pin are fire-blued. Undoubtedly the single finest factory engraved Colt Single Action Army revolver ever produced. Accompanied by its orig black leatherette covered factory casing with red & white silk lining with red & white braided cord borders. Bottom of the case is recessed for the revolver and the left front corner has a silk-covered cartridge block for 50 cartridges. Interior of the lid has a diagonal red & white ribbon that is gold-embossed “COLT’S ARMY, 45”. The right end of the case has a nickel plated L-shaped screwdriver. Also accompanied by a Colt factory letter identifying this revolver as found. It lists 7-1/2″ bbl, nickel finish, ivory stocks, factory engraved and shipped to Simmons Hardware Co., St. Louis, MO on Aug. 28, 1884 in a 1-gun shipment. PROVENANCE: Dr. Joseph A. Murphy Collection. CONDITION: Extraordinarily fine, as new, appears to be unfired. Retains virtually all of its orig factory finish with slightly faded fire blue on some of screws. Grip is also like new and retains a fine mellow ivory color. Case is extremely fine on exterior with a worn bottom. Interior has light water stains in lid and moderate wear to silk lining in bottom. Altogether a most extraordinary set. 4-36511 JR158 (250,000-450,000)

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
	2151	$345,000.00	Revised: 10/5/2009 Correction to Printed Catalog: Description reads: Accompanied by “its” original black leatherette covered factory casing….Description should read: Accompanied by “an” original black leatherette covered factory casing…. EXTRAORDINARILY RARE PANEL SCENE ENGRAVED COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER FROM THE 1876 CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION & THE EARLIEST KNOWN FACTORY ENGRAVED SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER. SN 8926. Cal. 45 Colt. One of the earliest known factory engraved Colts and the earliest known factory engraved SAA and part of the Philadelphia International Exposition of 1876 (World’s Fair). This single action along with several others were the central part of the Colt exhibit for this expo and were later loaned to the Henry Folsom Company of St. Louis. In Oct. 1877 they were returned to Colt on a Folsom Billhead invoice which lists them individually by serial number with their values, this revolver being the most expensive item on the inventory at $46.60. In a previous Julia Auction we sold Colt Single Action Army revolver SN 8928, known as the 1876 Centennial Exhibition Colt, and reported it as the earliest known but now this revolver has surfaced and being two numbers earlier is now the earliest known factory engraved single action. There are three others from this expo, numbers 8925, 8927 and 8930 which are as of this writing, unaccounted for. They are listed on the Folsom inventory and have lesser values. This fantastic revolver is described as having nickel finish, a 7-1/2″ bbl, full front sight, script 1-line address with brackets at each end and 2-line patent dates on left side of the frame. Mounted with replacement 1-pc ivory grip with deep relief carved ox head on the right side. It has full coverage extraordinary engraving by Herman Ulrich, although other scholars have contributed the work to Cuno Helfricht. It is the contention of this cataloger that it is by Herman Ulrich as there is no comparable known work by Mr. Helfricht and there is an engraved Colt Lightning rifle in a museum in Canada that is signed “Herman Ulrich” and is similarly engraved. The engraving consists of extraordinarily fine intertwined foliate arabesque patterns with a very fine shaded background. Left side of frame has a wonderfully detailed panel of a nude huntress on a rearing horse about to spear a charging tiger or lioness. Right side of frame has a nude man on a rearing horse holding a large club in his hand, attacking a male lion. Top of the back strap is engraved with the oval vignette of a partially nude Diana the Huntress and the trigger bow has the vignette of a medieval soldier carrying a sword & spear. The cylinder has full coverage engraving to match with a variety of patterns and panels around the cylinder stop notches & approaches with extremely fine punch dot background. Top strap is engraved with matching foliate arabesque patterns with shaded & punch dot backgrounds. Hammer has complete, full coverage foliate arabesque patterns on the sides with a diamond & dot pattern completely around the rear edge and a long, hand-checkered panel on the spur. Bbl has matching foliate arabesque pattern engraving with shaded background which wraps over the top of the bbl and extends to around the front sight. Ejector rod housing is equally beautifully engraved on outer radius and in the top gullet. Edge of the ejector rod head is also engraved. Even the sides of the trigger bow are engraved in a dbl chip border pattern. All the screws and base pin are fire-blued. Undoubtedly the single finest factory engraved Colt Single Action Army revolver ever produced. Accompanied by its orig black leatherette covered factory casing with red & white silk lining with red & white braided cord borders. Bottom of the case is recessed for the revolver and the left front corner has a silk-covered cartridge block for 50 cartridges. Interior of the lid has a diagonal red & white ribbon that is gold-embossed “COLT’S ARMY, 45”. The right end of the case has a nickel plated L-shaped screwdriver. Also accompanied by a Colt factory letter identifying this revolver as found. It lists 7-1/2″ bbl, nickel finish, ivory stocks, factory engraved and shipped to Simmons Hardware Co., St. Louis, MO on Aug. 28, 1884 in a 1-gun shipment. PROVENANCE: Dr. Joseph A. Murphy Collection. CONDITION: Extraordinarily fine, as new, appears to be unfired. Retains virtually all of its orig factory finish with slightly faded fire blue on some of screws. Grip is also like new and retains a fine mellow ivory color. Case is extremely fine on exterior with a worn bottom. Interior has light water stains in lid and moderate wear to silk lining in bottom. Altogether a most extraordinary set. 4-36511 JR158 (250,000-450,000) 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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