*EXTREMELY RARE ENGRAVED COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER WITH LONG FLUTE CYLINDER.

SN 331474. Cal. 44 Russian and S&W Special. Nickel finish with 4-3/4″ bbl, full front sight and 2-line address with dual caliber marking on left side. Left side of frame has 2-line 3-patent dates and rampant Colt. Mounted with deep medallion, left & right, fleur-de-lis & diamond checkered walnut grips. Cylinder is long flute style found on only a few Single Action revolvers in the 330000 & 331000 serial range. In 1913 Colt produced 1,379 single action revolvers with the long flute cylinder. When Colt ceased production of the Model 1878 Double Action Frontier revolver they had a residual quantity of cylinders for that revolver. Those cylinders were dimensionally the same as the Single Action cylinder, just with the longer flutes and no externally visible stop notches. The 1878 model utilized stop notches on rear face of their cylinders which, in this case, had not yet been machined. Colt simply machined Single Action style stop notches and installed them on these few revolvers in six different calibers. Extremely few of them are known to be factory engraved. This revolver is engraved in New York style, probably from the Helfricht shop with about 60% coverage foliate arabesque patterns on the frame, snake & dot patterns on top strap and a hunter’s star on the ejector boss. Foliate arabesque patterns extend a little over half way up the bbl with a large hunter’s star on top of the bbl. Top gullet of ejector housing is engraved in snake & dot patterns. Top of back strap has a small sunburst with zig-zag geometric patterns down the back strap, on the butt strap & trigger guard. Cylinder is engraved in zig-zag geometric patterns on the lands between the flutes and a snake pattern around rear edge. Rear face of cylinder has last four digits of matching SN. Accompanied by a Colt factory letter which identifies this revolver in caliber 44 S&W Special with 4-3/4″ bbl, nickel finish, checkered walnut stocks, factory engraved, special features: “furnished with double action cylinder of long flute configuration and a 3 lb. trigger pull” and shipped to Birmingham Arms & Cycle Co., Birmingham, AL, on Sept. 11, 1915 in a 1-gun shipment. While long flute Single Actions are occasionally encountered, a factory lettered engraved model is an extreme rarity. PROVENANCE: Tommy Rholes Estate Collection. CONDITION: Very fine to extremely fine. Overall retains 96-97% strong, orig factory nickel with only light muzzle edge wear and slight holster wear on tip of ejector housing. Grips are sound showing light diamond point wear and retain most of their orig factory varnish. Hammer is not solid in half cock notch, otherwise mechanics are fine; strong bore with fine pitting. 4-50677 JR78 (35,000-50,000) – Lot 1262

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2014

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
	1262	$43,125.00	EXTREMELY RARE ENGRAVED COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER WITH LONG FLUTE CYLINDER. SN 331474. Cal. 44 Russian and S&W Special. Nickel finish with 4-3/4″ bbl, full front sight and 2-line address with dual caliber marking on left side. Left side of frame has 2-line 3-patent dates and rampant Colt. Mounted with deep medallion, left & right, fleur-de-lis & diamond checkered walnut grips. Cylinder is long flute style found on only a few Single Action revolvers in the 330000 & 331000 serial range. In 1913 Colt produced 1,379 single action revolvers with the long flute cylinder. When Colt ceased production of the Model 1878 Double Action Frontier revolver they had a residual quantity of cylinders for that revolver. Those cylinders were dimensionally the same as the Single Action cylinder, just with the longer flutes and no externally visible stop notches. The 1878 model utilized stop notches on rear face of their cylinders which, in this case, had not yet been machined. Colt simply machined Single Action style stop notches and installed them on these few revolvers in six different calibers. Extremely few of them are known to be factory engraved. This revolver is engraved in New York style, probably from the Helfricht shop with about 60% coverage foliate arabesque patterns on the frame, snake & dot patterns on top strap and a hunter’s star on the ejector boss. Foliate arabesque patterns extend a little over half way up the bbl with a large hunter’s star on top of the bbl. Top gullet of ejector housing is engraved in snake & dot patterns. Top of back strap has a small sunburst with zig-zag geometric patterns down the back strap, on the butt strap & trigger guard. Cylinder is engraved in zig-zag geometric patterns on the lands between the flutes and a snake pattern around rear edge. Rear face of cylinder has last four digits of matching SN. Accompanied by a Colt factory letter which identifies this revolver in caliber 44 S&W Special with 4-3/4″ bbl, nickel finish, checkered walnut stocks, factory engraved, special features: “furnished with double action cylinder of long flute configuration and a 3 lb. trigger pull” and shipped to Birmingham Arms & Cycle Co., Birmingham, AL, on Sept. 11, 1915 in a 1-gun shipment. While long flute Single Actions are occasionally encountered, a factory lettered engraved model is an extreme rarity. PROVENANCE: Tommy Rholes Estate Collection. CONDITION: Very fine to extremely fine. Overall retains 96-97% strong, orig factory nickel with only light muzzle edge wear and slight holster wear on tip of ejector housing. Grips are sound showing light diamond point wear and retain most of their orig factory varnish. Hammer is not solid in half cock notch, otherwise mechanics are fine; strong bore with fine pitting. 4-50677 JR78 (35,000-50,000) – Lot 1262 Auction: Firearms - Spring 2014 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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*EXTREMELY RARE ENGRAVED COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER WITH LONG FLUTE CYLINDER.