INSCRIBED & IDENTIFIED COLT BISLEY SINGLE ACTION REVOLVER WITH ORIGINAL BOX.

INSCRIBED & IDENTIFIED COLT BISLEY SINGLE ACTION REVOLVER WITH ORIGINAL BOX. SN 177889. Cal. 45 Colt. Blue & color case hardened with 5-1/2″ bbl, full front sight and 1-line Hartford address with “(BISLEY MODEL) 45 COLT” on left side. Left side of frame has 2-line 3-patent dates with rampant Colt in a circle. Backstrap is inscribed “Joseph MacDonald”. Mounted with smooth 2-pc pearl grips that are matching numbered to this revolver. Accompanied by an orig Bisley Model hinged lid box with pink & white top label. Box has paper tape around the bottom edges which has obscured the end label and any SN that might have been on the bottom. Also accompanied by a copy of a Colt factory letter which identifies this revolver in caliber 45 Colt with 5-1/2″ bbl, blue finish, pearl grips, inscribed on backstrap “JOSEPH MACDONALD” and shipped to Ware Bros., Spokane, WA on April 12, 1898 in a 1-gun shipment. Also accompanied by a copy of a letter from renowned Colt collector, Kurt House, dated May 5, 2006 wherein he discusses this revolver and its box. Mr. House has extrapolated figures from The Colt Peacemaker Encyclopedia, Cochran, which shows that there were only about 44,350 standard frame Bisley revolvers produced in the period 1895-1912 when this model was discontinued. He states that “Black powder standard models are somewhat scarce, as they were only produced about three years and one in an orig box may be considered very rare.” He also states that a factory inscribed Bisley is very unusual. Mr. House provides census information of Joseph MacDonald from 1910 which lists him as “Race: Indian”, born in either 1866 or 1867 and living near Flathead, MT. The 1920 census lists him in St. Ignatius County, MT and lists his father as being from Scotland and his mother being native Indian from Idaho. It further shows that he could read & write. He does not appear in the 1930 census. Mr. House also reports that the MacDonald lineage is well known in the Spokane area from the patriarch Capt. Angus MacDonald who was with the Hudson Bay Company and settled in the Spokane area. He states that there are many published works about Capt. MacDonald and speculates that Joseph MacDonald’s father was perhaps a relative of Capt. MacDonald. CONDITION: Extremely fine. Bbl & ejector housing retain about 96-97% strong orig blue with feathers on each side of the front sight and ejector housing stud; frame retains about all of its orig case colors, lightly to moderately faded, brilliant in sheltered areas; hammer retains strong bright case colors; cyl retains 92-93% glossy orig blue with a series of light scratches and a drag line and retains about all of its orig blue in chambers; trigger guard & backstrap retain about all of their orig blue, thinned on backstrap. Grips are sound, fit extremely well and show great fire & color; screws retain about all of their bright blue. Hammer is not solid in safety or half cock notches, otherwise mechanics are fine, brilliant shiny bore. Box has a very faded top label with light soil and repaired corners and edges. Bottom is repaired with paper tape. 4-46128 JR185 (20,000-30,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2012

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
	1406	$17,250.00	INSCRIBED & IDENTIFIED COLT BISLEY SINGLE ACTION REVOLVER WITH ORIGINAL BOX. SN 177889. Cal. 45 Colt. Blue & color case hardened with 5-1/2″ bbl, full front sight and 1-line Hartford address with “(BISLEY MODEL) 45 COLT” on left side. Left side of frame has 2-line 3-patent dates with rampant Colt in a circle. Backstrap is inscribed “Joseph MacDonald”. Mounted with smooth 2-pc pearl grips that are matching numbered to this revolver. Accompanied by an orig Bisley Model hinged lid box with pink & white top label. Box has paper tape around the bottom edges which has obscured the end label and any SN that might have been on the bottom. Also accompanied by a copy of a Colt factory letter which identifies this revolver in caliber 45 Colt with 5-1/2″ bbl, blue finish, pearl grips, inscribed on backstrap “JOSEPH MACDONALD” and shipped to Ware Bros., Spokane, WA on April 12, 1898 in a 1-gun shipment. Also accompanied by a copy of a letter from renowned Colt collector, Kurt House, dated May 5, 2006 wherein he discusses this revolver and its box. Mr. House has extrapolated figures from The Colt Peacemaker Encyclopedia, Cochran, which shows that there were only about 44,350 standard frame Bisley revolvers produced in the period 1895-1912 when this model was discontinued. He states that “Black powder standard models are somewhat scarce, as they were only produced about three years and one in an orig box may be considered very rare.” He also states that a factory inscribed Bisley is very unusual. Mr. House provides census information of Joseph MacDonald from 1910 which lists him as “Race: Indian”, born in either 1866 or 1867 and living near Flathead, MT. The 1920 census lists him in St. Ignatius County, MT and lists his father as being from Scotland and his mother being native Indian from Idaho. It further shows that he could read & write. He does not appear in the 1930 census. Mr. House also reports that the MacDonald lineage is well known in the Spokane area from the patriarch Capt. Angus MacDonald who was with the Hudson Bay Company and settled in the Spokane area. He states that there are many published works about Capt. MacDonald and speculates that Joseph MacDonald’s father was perhaps a relative of Capt. MacDonald. CONDITION: Extremely fine. Bbl & ejector housing retain about 96-97% strong orig blue with feathers on each side of the front sight and ejector housing stud; frame retains about all of its orig case colors, lightly to moderately faded, brilliant in sheltered areas; hammer retains strong bright case colors; cyl retains 92-93% glossy orig blue with a series of light scratches and a drag line and retains about all of its orig blue in chambers; trigger guard & backstrap retain about all of their orig blue, thinned on backstrap. Grips are sound, fit extremely well and show great fire & color; screws retain about all of their bright blue. Hammer is not solid in safety or half cock notches, otherwise mechanics are fine, brilliant shiny bore. Box has a very faded top label with light soil and repaired corners and edges. Bottom is repaired with paper tape. 4-46128 JR185 (20,000-30,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2012 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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