RARE ENGRAVED COLT MODEL 1877 THUNDERER DA REVOLVER THAT BELONGED TO NEW MEXICO AND EL PASO TEXAS BUSINESSMAN AND POLITICIAN FELIX MARTINEZ.

SN 99319. Cal 41 Colt. Nickel finish with 4-1/2″ bbl, full front sight, 2-line address and marked on left side “COLT. D.A. 41”. Left side of frame has 3-line patent dates & the Rampant Colt logo in a circle. Mounted with 2-pc smooth pearl grips. Revolver is beautifully engraved by Cuno Helfricht with deluxe coverage of about 75-80% of the surface. Engraving consists of flowing foliate arabesque patterns that have fine pearled background. Recoil shield & loading gate have Mr. Helfricht’s trademark sunburst patterns. Top of the backstrap is engraved in an elaborate fan pattern with geometric patterns down the backstrap, on the trigger bow & trigger guard. Top strap is engraved in feather patterns with snake & dot edges. Top of the bbl is engraved, full length with geometric & snake & dot patterns. Ejector housing is engraved full length on the outer radius with snake & dot patterns and a flower blossom in the center with additional snake & dot pattern in the top gullet. Cylinder is engraved in Mr. Helfricht’s traditional alternating patterns on the lands between the flutes with geometric patterns toward the rear and snake & dot patterns around the rear edge. There are corresponding snake & dot patterns on the front edges of the recoil shield & loading gate. This is one of the most elaborately engraved Model 1877 revolvers ever examined by this cataloger. According to consignor’s family legend this revolver was the property of his great grandfather, Felix Martinez (March 1857-March 1916).El Palacio, the history magazineof New Mexico, in a feature article described him as “the most prominent Hispanic of his time”. Mr. Martinez was born in Taos County New Mexico and received his education in New Mexico. In 1876 Mr. Martinez was employed in a store in Colorado, later becoming part owner of a mercantile business there. In 1879 he moved to Las Vegas New Mexico where he opened his own mercantile business and bought & sold cattle, all at about the same time that the Santa Fe Railway reached that point. He sold out in 1886 and was elected Territorial Representative in 1888. In 1890 he purchased a Santa Fe newspaper and moved it to Las Vegas. Mr. Martinez became more involved in politics and in 1893 was appointed clerk of the U.S. Territorial Court for the fourth district of New Mexico. In 1897 he moved with his family to El Paso, TX where he owned and published a newspaper from 1899-1909, founded a Realty company, organized the Portland Cement Co. there and a small railroad that serviced the El Paso area. He continued involvement in politics serving on the Board of Directors for several banks and was instrumental in the construction of the Elephant Butte Dam in New Mexico, at that time the world’s largest irrigation project. Mr. Martinez served as liaison & advisor for the 1909 meeting between Presidents Porfirio Diaz & William Howard Taft. In April 1911 Mr. Martinez acted as an intermediary to prevent Francisco Madero’s revolutionary forces from sacking Cuidad Juarez. He was successful but only temporarily as a month later General Pancho Villa attacked Juarez and executed those he considered to be enemies. In 1912 when New Mexico was to become a state Mr. Martinez ran as a candidate for the U.S. Senate, but was finally defeated on the 8th ballot. In 1913 Mr. Martinez was appointed President of the Panama-Pacific Commission and along with other dignitaries toured much of South America and in 1915 participated in the Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco. Mr. Martinez died on March 22, 1916 after a bout of pneumonia. He is buried on his ranch in New Mexico near the Colorado line.He has been the subject of feature articles in The Password, the publication of the El Paso Historical Society; and is the subject of an exhibit in the El Paso History Museum.With Colt Factory letter documenting serial number 99319 Cal, 41/c Barrel length illegible finish nickel stocks Pearl Factory engraved Yes , Sold to Ketelson & Degeau El Paso Texas Shipped to E.Alvarez Mexico City Mexico Jan 18 1895 in a 2 gun shppment. CONDITION: Extremely fine plus, all matching. Overall retains about 99& crisp orig nickel finish. Screw heads retain most of their orig bright fire blue. Hammer has polished sides with bright fire blue rear edge. Trigger retains about 60% bright fire blue. Left grip has a small chip at the frame and a couple of age lines in the right grip, otherwise the grips are sound showing great fire & color. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore. Appears to have been fired, probably no more than one cylinder load. 51595-1 JRL (7,500-15,000) – Lot 1157

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Auction: Firearms - April 2017

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
	1157	$24,150.00	RARE ENGRAVED COLT MODEL 1877 THUNDERER DA REVOLVER THAT BELONGED TO NEW MEXICO AND EL PASO TEXAS BUSINESSMAN AND POLITICIAN FELIX MARTINEZ. SN 99319. Cal 41 Colt. Nickel finish with 4-1/2″ bbl, full front sight, 2-line address and marked on left side “COLT. D.A. 41”. Left side of frame has 3-line patent dates & the Rampant Colt logo in a circle. Mounted with 2-pc smooth pearl grips. Revolver is beautifully engraved by Cuno Helfricht with deluxe coverage of about 75-80% of the surface. Engraving consists of flowing foliate arabesque patterns that have fine pearled background. Recoil shield & loading gate have Mr. Helfricht’s trademark sunburst patterns. Top of the backstrap is engraved in an elaborate fan pattern with geometric patterns down the backstrap, on the trigger bow & trigger guard. Top strap is engraved in feather patterns with snake & dot edges. Top of the bbl is engraved, full length with geometric & snake & dot patterns. Ejector housing is engraved full length on the outer radius with snake & dot patterns and a flower blossom in the center with additional snake & dot pattern in the top gullet. Cylinder is engraved in Mr. Helfricht’s traditional alternating patterns on the lands between the flutes with geometric patterns toward the rear and snake & dot patterns around the rear edge. There are corresponding snake & dot patterns on the front edges of the recoil shield & loading gate. This is one of the most elaborately engraved Model 1877 revolvers ever examined by this cataloger. According to consignor’s family legend this revolver was the property of his great grandfather, Felix Martinez (March 1857-March 1916).El Palacio, the history magazineof New Mexico, in a feature article described him as “the most prominent Hispanic of his time”. Mr. Martinez was born in Taos County New Mexico and received his education in New Mexico. In 1876 Mr. Martinez was employed in a store in Colorado, later becoming part owner of a mercantile business there. In 1879 he moved to Las Vegas New Mexico where he opened his own mercantile business and bought & sold cattle, all at about the same time that the Santa Fe Railway reached that point. He sold out in 1886 and was elected Territorial Representative in 1888. In 1890 he purchased a Santa Fe newspaper and moved it to Las Vegas. Mr. Martinez became more involved in politics and in 1893 was appointed clerk of the U.S. Territorial Court for the fourth district of New Mexico. In 1897 he moved with his family to El Paso, TX where he owned and published a newspaper from 1899-1909, founded a Realty company, organized the Portland Cement Co. there and a small railroad that serviced the El Paso area. He continued involvement in politics serving on the Board of Directors for several banks and was instrumental in the construction of the Elephant Butte Dam in New Mexico, at that time the world’s largest irrigation project. Mr. Martinez served as liaison & advisor for the 1909 meeting between Presidents Porfirio Diaz & William Howard Taft. In April 1911 Mr. Martinez acted as an intermediary to prevent Francisco Madero’s revolutionary forces from sacking Cuidad Juarez. He was successful but only temporarily as a month later General Pancho Villa attacked Juarez and executed those he considered to be enemies. In 1912 when New Mexico was to become a state Mr. Martinez ran as a candidate for the U.S. Senate, but was finally defeated on the 8th ballot. In 1913 Mr. Martinez was appointed President of the Panama-Pacific Commission and along with other dignitaries toured much of South America and in 1915 participated in the Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco. Mr. Martinez died on March 22, 1916 after a bout of pneumonia. He is buried on his ranch in New Mexico near the Colorado line.He has been the subject of feature articles in The Password, the publication of the El Paso Historical Society; and is the subject of an exhibit in the El Paso History Museum.With Colt Factory letter documenting serial number 99319 Cal, 41/c Barrel length illegible finish nickel stocks Pearl Factory engraved Yes , Sold to Ketelson & Degeau El Paso Texas Shipped to E.Alvarez Mexico City Mexico Jan 18 1895 in a 2 gun shppment. CONDITION: Extremely fine plus, all matching. Overall retains about 99& crisp orig nickel finish. Screw heads retain most of their orig bright fire blue. Hammer has polished sides with bright fire blue rear edge. Trigger retains about 60% bright fire blue. Left grip has a small chip at the frame and a couple of age lines in the right grip, otherwise the grips are sound showing great fire & color. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore. Appears to have been fired, probably no more than one cylinder load. 51595-1 JRL (7,500-15,000) – Lot 1157 Click here to view provenance Auction: Firearms - April 2017 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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RARE ENGRAVED COLT MODEL 1877 THUNDERER DA REVOLVER THAT BELONGED TO NEW MEXICO AND EL PASO TEXAS BUSINESSMAN AND POLITICIAN FELIX MARTINEZ.