*THE MOST FAMOUS OF ALL ELMER KEITH’S HANDGUNS, COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER, “THE LAST WORD – OLD NO. 5”, CUSTOM DESIGNED BY MR. KEITH & HAROLD CROFT.

SN M5. Cal. .44 Special. All blue finish with 5-1/2″ bbl that has 1-line address & dual caliber markings on left side. Bore is 6 lands & grooves with left hand twist. Muzzle is fitted with a sleeve that is mounted with a Colt double action style adjustable front sight. Top strap has been reworked & redesigned into a flat top style which extends over the hammer slot and has a Colt style, windage adjustable rear sight. The base pin is of custom design that has a ribbed hourglass shaped head and is secured with a swinging latch replacing the screw or spring-loaded crossbolt and is retained by a spring-loaded detent. Hammer is Bisley style that has a widened & extended spur. The trigger is also wider & a little longer than a standard single action trigger. Backstrap is an altered Bisley part attached to a single action frontstrap/trigger guard. The hammer spring is a custom design between the originator of this design and Mr. Keith. Mounted with 2-pc pre-ban African ivory grips, custom built to fit this frame with a raised, carved Mexican eagle on right side. The orig customized single actions that led to the final development of this revolver “Old Number 5” was begun by S. Harold Croft who, having heard of Mr. Keith’s legendary long range handgun shooting skills, traveled to Durkee, Oregon with “a box full of guns” for a demonstration of Mr. Keith’s long range shooting. He was so impressed with Mr. Keith that he began working with him to re-design the single action army revolver. The No. 5 Colt was as its name suggests the fifth iteration of Harold Croft’s highly modified Colt revolvers. The first four were Croft’s designs and called “Featherweights.” After experimenting with these Elmer made final design changes to create what was in his mind the perfect revolver. The final design became No. 5, being sold here. In an April, 1929 American Rifleman article, titled “The Last Word”, Mr. Keith details the specifics surrounding the concept, and manufacture of the revolver including those who assisted on the project. In a side note, he states that the orig walrus ivory grips had shrunk, and so he had a new pair made from elephant ivory carved with a Mexican eagle which are mounted on the gun today. The engraving on this revolver was commissioned by Mr. Croft for Mr. Keith and consists of flowing foliate & floral patterns with about full coverage on the frame, bbl, cyl, frontstrap & trigger guard. Top strap is engraved with the Masonic symbol of a square & compass. Backstrap is engraved “Elmer Keith” and buttstrap is engraved “Durkee, Oregon”. This revolver is pictured on p. 103 of Mr. Keith’s book Six Guns and on p. 169 in the accompanying Keith designed Lawrence holster. Holster is beautifully tooled with a light buckstitch edge and has a thumb strap with snap. It also has Mr. Keith’s designed integral leg strap. This storied revolver has been the subject of numerous articles over the last 80 years. More recently on the cover of the May, 2003 edition of Guns & Ammo magazine. Special Note: This item contains or is made of ivory. Do not bid on this lot unless you have read and agreed to our “Ivory Position Statement” and the “Waiver of Legal and Financial Risk to James D. Julia in regards to your Purchase of an Ivory Object”. This information is located in our catalog on pages 30 and 31. PROVENANCE: The Elmer Keith Estate Collection. CONDITION: Very fine. Overall retains 96-97% strong custom blue showing holster wear & sharp edge wear. Grips are sound showing light wear on eagle and retain light ivory patina. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore. Holster is crisp showing only very light wear & retains about all of its orig brown finish. This is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity to own handgun history, the iconic “Last Word” from Elmer Keith. 4-47801 JR244 (30,000-50,000) – Lot 1005

| Click here to view provenance

Auction: Firearms - March 2015

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
	1005	$80,500.00	THE MOST FAMOUS OF ALL ELMER KEITH’S HANDGUNS, COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER, “THE LAST WORD – OLD NO. 5”, CUSTOM DESIGNED BY MR. KEITH & HAROLD CROFT. SN M5. Cal. .44 Special. All blue finish with 5-1/2″ bbl that has 1-line address & dual caliber markings on left side. Bore is 6 lands & grooves with left hand twist. Muzzle is fitted with a sleeve that is mounted with a Colt double action style adjustable front sight. Top strap has been reworked & redesigned into a flat top style which extends over the hammer slot and has a Colt style, windage adjustable rear sight. The base pin is of custom design that has a ribbed hourglass shaped head and is secured with a swinging latch replacing the screw or spring-loaded crossbolt and is retained by a spring-loaded detent. Hammer is Bisley style that has a widened & extended spur. The trigger is also wider & a little longer than a standard single action trigger. Backstrap is an altered Bisley part attached to a single action frontstrap/trigger guard. The hammer spring is a custom design between the originator of this design and Mr. Keith. Mounted with 2-pc pre-ban African ivory grips, custom built to fit this frame with a raised, carved Mexican eagle on right side. The orig customized single actions that led to the final development of this revolver “Old Number 5” was begun by S. Harold Croft who, having heard of Mr. Keith’s legendary long range handgun shooting skills, traveled to Durkee, Oregon with “a box full of guns” for a demonstration of Mr. Keith’s long range shooting. He was so impressed with Mr. Keith that he began working with him to re-design the single action army revolver. The No. 5 Colt was as its name suggests the fifth iteration of Harold Croft’s highly modified Colt revolvers. The first four were Croft’s designs and called “Featherweights.” After experimenting with these Elmer made final design changes to create what was in his mind the perfect revolver. The final design became No. 5, being sold here. In an April, 1929 American Rifleman* article, titled “The Last Word”, Mr. Keith details the specifics surrounding the concept, and manufacture of the revolver including those who assisted on the project. In a side note, he states that the orig walrus ivory grips had shrunk, and so he had a new pair made from elephant ivory carved with a Mexican eagle which are mounted on the gun today. The engraving on this revolver was commissioned by Mr. Croft for Mr. Keith and consists of flowing foliate & floral patterns with about full coverage on the frame, bbl, cyl, frontstrap & trigger guard. Top strap is engraved with the Masonic symbol of a square & compass. Backstrap is engraved “Elmer Keith” and buttstrap is engraved “Durkee, Oregon”. This revolver is pictured on p. 103 of Mr. Keith’s book Six Guns and on p. 169 in the accompanying Keith designed Lawrence holster. Holster is beautifully tooled with a light buckstitch edge and has a thumb strap with snap. It also has Mr. Keith’s designed integral leg strap. This storied revolver has been the subject of numerous articles over the last 80 years. More recently on the cover of the May, 2003 edition of Guns & Ammo magazine. Special Note: This item contains or is made of ivory. Do not bid on this lot unless you have read and agreed to our “Ivory Position Statement” and the “Waiver of Legal and Financial Risk to James D. Julia in regards to your Purchase of an Ivory Object”. This information is located in our catalog on pages 30 and 31. PROVENANCE: The Elmer Keith Estate Collection. CONDITION: Very fine. Overall retains 96-97% strong custom blue showing holster wear & sharp edge wear. Grips are sound showing light wear on eagle and retain light ivory patina. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore. Holster is crisp showing only very light wear & retains about all of its orig brown finish. This is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity to own handgun history, the iconic “Last Word” from Elmer Keith. 4-47801 JR244 (30,000-50,000) – Lot 1005 \| Click here to view provenance Auction: Firearms - March 2015 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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*THE MOST FAMOUS OF ALL ELMER KEITH’S HANDGUNS, COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER, “THE LAST WORD – OLD NO. 5”, CUSTOM DESIGNED BY MR. KEITH & HAROLD CROFT.