EXTREMELY RARE COLT PRE-WAR SERVICE MODEL ACE CONVERSION UNIT WITH ORIGINAL BOX & EXTREMELY RARE FACTORY LETTER.

EXTREMELY RARE COLT PRE-WAR SERVICE MODEL ACE CONVERSION UNIT WITH ORIGINAL BOX & EXTREMELY RARE FACTORY LETTER. SN U1334. Cal. 22 LR. This complete set consists of the orig dark maroon hinged lid cardboard box with top & end labels identifying the contents. Inside the lid is printed with an inventory of all the contents. Interior is compartmented in separate boxes for the slide, which contains the floating chamber bbl and bushing. The recoil spring, spring guide & spring cap are in a separate box as is the slide lock. Also accompanying in a separate compartment is a rare orig 2-tone Service Model Ace magazine. Additionally accompanying is an L-shaped Colt automatic screwdriver. Slide is mounted with a Stevens adjustable rear sight and thick front sight that has a serrated rear edge. Sides of slide have usual company & patent markings with rampant Colt on left side and right side is marked “COLT SERVICE MODEL ACE CONVERSION” and “22 LONG RIFLE UNIT .22-.45”. Left side of bbl is electric pencil marked with matching SN. Accompanied by a very rare Colt factory letter for a conversion unit which identifies it as follows: Caliber 22-45, 5″ bbl, blue finish, sold to Barbera Sporting Goods Co., San Antonio, TX and shipped to Shapleigh Hardware Co., St. Louis, MO, shipped Oct. 10, 1940 in a shipment of one item. From past experience, it seems likely that this unit was likely sold to Shapleigh Hardware Co. & shipped to Barbera Sporting Goods Co. Shapleigh Hardware was a very large company & Colt distributor. This conversion unit was purchased along with a government model National Match pistol, SN C181032, that was shipped to the Topperwein Hardware Co., San Antonio, Texas, being sold elsewhere in this auction. The Topperwein Hardware Co. was apparently directly related to the world famous trick shooting artist, Adolph (Ad) Topperwein, who was born in Boerne, TX which is just outside San Antonio. CONDITION: Extremely fine plus, all matching. Slide retains virtually all of its crisp orig charcoal blue finish with only faint sharp edge wear. Exposed area of the bbl shows very little use. Brilliant shiny bore. Magazine has some slight discoloration on rear edge from long term storage contact with the box. Other parts are fine. Box shows worn edges with yellowed labels that have minor chipped edges but are all completely legible. All corners are intact. Altogether a very rare & desirable set. 4-41996 JR164 (2,500-4,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2011

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
	1057	$1,150.00	EXTREMELY RARE COLT PRE-WAR SERVICE MODEL ACE CONVERSION UNIT WITH ORIGINAL BOX & EXTREMELY RARE FACTORY LETTER. SN U1334. Cal. 22 LR. This complete set consists of the orig dark maroon hinged lid cardboard box with top & end labels identifying the contents. Inside the lid is printed with an inventory of all the contents. Interior is compartmented in separate boxes for the slide, which contains the floating chamber bbl and bushing. The recoil spring, spring guide & spring cap are in a separate box as is the slide lock. Also accompanying in a separate compartment is a rare orig 2-tone Service Model Ace magazine. Additionally accompanying is an L-shaped Colt automatic screwdriver. Slide is mounted with a Stevens adjustable rear sight and thick front sight that has a serrated rear edge. Sides of slide have usual company & patent markings with rampant Colt on left side and right side is marked “COLT SERVICE MODEL ACE CONVERSION” and “22 LONG RIFLE UNIT .22-.45”. Left side of bbl is electric pencil marked with matching SN. Accompanied by a very rare Colt factory letter for a conversion unit which identifies it as follows: Caliber 22-45, 5″ bbl, blue finish, sold to Barbera Sporting Goods Co., San Antonio, TX and shipped to Shapleigh Hardware Co., St. Louis, MO, shipped Oct. 10, 1940 in a shipment of one item. From past experience, it seems likely that this unit was likely sold to Shapleigh Hardware Co. & shipped to Barbera Sporting Goods Co. Shapleigh Hardware was a very large company & Colt distributor. This conversion unit was purchased along with a government model National Match pistol, SN C181032, that was shipped to the Topperwein Hardware Co., San Antonio, Texas, being sold elsewhere in this auction. The Topperwein Hardware Co. was apparently directly related to the world famous trick shooting artist, Adolph (Ad) Topperwein, who was born in Boerne, TX which is just outside San Antonio. CONDITION: Extremely fine plus, all matching. Slide retains virtually all of its crisp orig charcoal blue finish with only faint sharp edge wear. Exposed area of the bbl shows very little use. Brilliant shiny bore. Magazine has some slight discoloration on rear edge from long term storage contact with the box. Other parts are fine. Box shows worn edges with yellowed labels that have minor chipped edges but are all completely legible. All corners are intact. Altogether a very rare & desirable set. 4-41996 JR164 (2,500-4,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2011 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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