ENGRAVED COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER.

ENGRAVED COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER. SN 155296. Cal. 45 Colt. Silver finish with 5-1/2″ bbl, full front sight and 1-line block letter address with cal marking on left side. Left side of frame has 2-line 3-patent dates and Rampant Colt in circle. Mounted with 2-pc pearl grips with deep relief carved Mexican eagle on right side. Revolver is engraved by Cuno Helfricht in his usual foliate arabesque patterns with punch dot backgrounds. Recoil shield and loading gate are engraved in his trademark sunburst patterns. Top strap and each side of the hammer slot are engraved in snake and dot patterns. Foliate arabesque patterns extend up both sides of bbl with snake and dot patterns around address. Ejector rod housing also is engraved with snake and dot patterns in top gullet and on the outer radius with a flower blossom in the center. Top strap is engraved with Mr. Helfricht’s trademark fan pattern with a geometric panel on the backstrap engraved in period block letters “F.H. LANCASTER” with the date “18” near the top of the backstrap and “90” at the heel. Buttstrap and trigger guard are engraved in geometric patterns. Cyl is engraved in Mr. Helfricht’s trademark alternating sunburst and foliate arabesque patterns on the lands between the flutes with wavy and snake & dot patterns. Bottom of bbl, under base pin, is marked “W 45”. Accompanied by a copy of a Colt Factory Letter identifying this revolver in cal 45 with 5-1/2″ bbl, nickel finish and type of stock not listed, sold to Charles Hummel & Son, San Antonio, Texas, and shipped March 19, 1894. Special features are listed as “engraved”. No mention is made of the backstrap inscription or grips. The Mexican eagle motif grips were extremely popular in Texas during this period and it is likely they were supplied by the Hummel Company. It is also likely that the inscription was applied by a local San Antonio jeweler. Fred H. Lancaster was a famous Texas lawman of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries and may be the only lawman who, at various times throughout his career, held the positions of Deputy Sheriff, Deputy Federal Marshall, Chief of Police of San Antonio, Texas, and Texas Ranger. Also accompanying are copies of pp. 458-460 of A 20th Century History of Southwest Texas, Volume 1, Lewis Publishing, dated 1907. Page 458 begins a biography of Fred H. Lancaster, who was born in Stone County, Arkansas, March 30, 1862. In 1881 Fred H. Lancaster moved to Colorado City, Texas where he engaged in the cattle business, working for the Champion Cattle Company, an extremely large ranch in that area with about 60,000 head of cattle. Shortly afterwards he was appointed Deputy Sheriff under the famous Sheriff Dick Ware who is the Sheriff that killed desperado Sam Bass. During his service as Deputy Sheriff well early 1890’s Mr. Lancaster was involved in and usually was instrumental in the capture of numerous dangerous outlaws and fugitives, many of which culminated in bloody shootouts. In 1893 Sheriff Ware was appointed United States Marshall for the Western District of Texas, headquartered at San Antonio. He brought along Mr. Lancaster as his Deputy. During his tenure he was instrumental in capturing a famous counterfeiting ring and numerous other outlaws, desperadoes and prison escapees, many of which resulted in bloody shootouts. Another of his exploits involved the arrests of many members of the Garza Revolutionaries, a gang of Spanish-Americans from Texas who attempted to invade Mexico. Mr. Lancaster remained in that office under two successive U.S. Marshalls, until he was appointed Chief of Police of San Antonio in 1912, a position he held until May 1919. After leaving the office of Chief of Police, Mr. Lancaster served as a Special Investigator to the San Antonio’s Mayor’s Office into the 1920’s. Also accompanying is a letter from noted Colt authority and dealer Tommy Rholes who speaks of Mr. Lancaster’s exploits and authenticates this revolver. Additionally accompanying is a copy of “ENLISTMENT, OATH OF SERVICE AND DESCRIPTION RANGER FORCE” dated 21, April, 1934 appointing Mr. Lancaster, at age 72, a Private in the Texas Rangers. Mr. Lancaster died at age 74 in 1936. Also accompanying is a copy of a photograph of the “Patrol Platoon of the San Antonio Police Department. Circa 1914” with Chief Lancaster center front. It is unknown why Mr. Lancaster had the date “1890” engraved on his revolver since it was not manufactured until 1894. It can only be speculated that 1890 was the date he went to work for Sheriff Ware or some other momentous date in his storied career. PROVENANCE: Robert Howard Estate Collection. CONDITION: Fine, all matching except cyl and grips which are unnumbered. Overall retains most of a fine restored silver finish with holster wear on left edge of muzzle and tip of ejector housing. Cyl shows heavy holster wear. Trigger guard and backstrap retain about 50% silver plating with the balance metal patina. Grips have a chipped right toe and slightly chipped heels, otherwise they are sound, showing great fire and color. Mechanics are fine, strong bore with scattered fine pitting. 4-45275 JR21 (15,000-20,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 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
	1540	$40,250.00	ENGRAVED COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER. SN 155296. Cal. 45 Colt. Silver finish with 5-1/2″ bbl, full front sight and 1-line block letter address with cal marking on left side. Left side of frame has 2-line 3-patent dates and Rampant Colt in circle. Mounted with 2-pc pearl grips with deep relief carved Mexican eagle on right side. Revolver is engraved by Cuno Helfricht in his usual foliate arabesque patterns with punch dot backgrounds. Recoil shield and loading gate are engraved in his trademark sunburst patterns. Top strap and each side of the hammer slot are engraved in snake and dot patterns. Foliate arabesque patterns extend up both sides of bbl with snake and dot patterns around address. Ejector rod housing also is engraved with snake and dot patterns in top gullet and on the outer radius with a flower blossom in the center. Top strap is engraved with Mr. Helfricht’s trademark fan pattern with a geometric panel on the backstrap engraved in period block letters “F.H. LANCASTER” with the date “18” near the top of the backstrap and “90” at the heel. Buttstrap and trigger guard are engraved in geometric patterns. Cyl is engraved in Mr. Helfricht’s trademark alternating sunburst and foliate arabesque patterns on the lands between the flutes with wavy and snake & dot patterns. Bottom of bbl, under base pin, is marked “W 45”. Accompanied by a copy of a Colt Factory Letter identifying this revolver in cal 45 with 5-1/2″ bbl, nickel finish and type of stock not listed, sold to Charles Hummel & Son, San Antonio, Texas, and shipped March 19, 1894. Special features are listed as “engraved”. No mention is made of the backstrap inscription or grips. The Mexican eagle motif grips were extremely popular in Texas during this period and it is likely they were supplied by the Hummel Company. It is also likely that the inscription was applied by a local San Antonio jeweler. Fred H. Lancaster was a famous Texas lawman of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries and may be the only lawman who, at various times throughout his career, held the positions of Deputy Sheriff, Deputy Federal Marshall, Chief of Police of San Antonio, Texas, and Texas Ranger. Also accompanying are copies of pp. 458-460 of A 20th Century History of Southwest Texas, Volume 1, Lewis Publishing, dated 1907. Page 458 begins a biography of Fred H. Lancaster, who was born in Stone County, Arkansas, March 30, 1862. In 1881 Fred H. Lancaster moved to Colorado City, Texas where he engaged in the cattle business, working for the Champion Cattle Company, an extremely large ranch in that area with about 60,000 head of cattle. Shortly afterwards he was appointed Deputy Sheriff under the famous Sheriff Dick Ware who is the Sheriff that killed desperado Sam Bass. During his service as Deputy Sheriff well early 1890’s Mr. Lancaster was involved in and usually was instrumental in the capture of numerous dangerous outlaws and fugitives, many of which culminated in bloody shootouts. In 1893 Sheriff Ware was appointed United States Marshall for the Western District of Texas, headquartered at San Antonio. He brought along Mr. Lancaster as his Deputy. During his tenure he was instrumental in capturing a famous counterfeiting ring and numerous other outlaws, desperadoes and prison escapees, many of which resulted in bloody shootouts. Another of his exploits involved the arrests of many members of the Garza Revolutionaries, a gang of Spanish-Americans from Texas who attempted to invade Mexico. Mr. Lancaster remained in that office under two successive U.S. Marshalls, until he was appointed Chief of Police of San Antonio in 1912, a position he held until May 1919. After leaving the office of Chief of Police, Mr. Lancaster served as a Special Investigator to the San Antonio’s Mayor’s Office into the 1920’s. Also accompanying is a letter from noted Colt authority and dealer Tommy Rholes who speaks of Mr. Lancaster’s exploits and authenticates this revolver. Additionally accompanying is a copy of “ENLISTMENT, OATH OF SERVICE AND DESCRIPTION RANGER FORCE” dated 21, April, 1934 appointing Mr. Lancaster, at age 72, a Private in the Texas Rangers. Mr. Lancaster died at age 74 in 1936. Also accompanying is a copy of a photograph of the “Patrol Platoon of the San Antonio Police Department. Circa 1914” with Chief Lancaster center front. It is unknown why Mr. Lancaster had the date “1890” engraved on his revolver since it was not manufactured until 1894. It can only be speculated that 1890 was the date he went to work for Sheriff Ware or some other momentous date in his storied career. PROVENANCE: Robert Howard Estate Collection. CONDITION: Fine, all matching except cyl and grips which are unnumbered. Overall retains most of a fine restored silver finish with holster wear on left edge of muzzle and tip of ejector housing. Cyl shows heavy holster wear. Trigger guard and backstrap retain about 50% silver plating with the balance metal patina. Grips have a chipped right toe and slightly chipped heels, otherwise they are sound, showing great fire and color. Mechanics are fine, strong bore with scattered fine pitting. 4-45275 JR21 (15,000-20,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 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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