EXTRAORDINARY CASED REPRODUCTION OF THE LEGENDARY SEARS & ROEBUCK COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER, MADE FOR SINGER/ACTOR MEL TORME.

EXTRAORDINARY CASED REPRODUCTION OF THE LEGENDARY SEARS & ROEBUCK COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER, MADE FOR SINGER/ACTOR MEL TORME. SN MT172485. Cal. 45 Colt. Absolutely fantastic mirror image reproduction of the fabulous and legendary the Colt Sears & Roebuck “Cow Boy” Special Single Action Army revolver, made for singer, actor, song writer and a myriad of other talents, Mel Torme. Mr. Torme had owned the original Cow Boy Special, having purchased it in 1954 in Chicago after it had been rediscovered and sold or brokered by Klein’s Sporting Goods of North Chicago. The Cow Boy Special was the centerpiece of Mr. Torme’s collection for nearly twenty years when he was tempted into selling it for the astronomical sum of $100,000. He frequently stated that he always regretted selling that Colt and, in hindsight, wished to have it back but could not bring himself to pay the even more stupendous prices that it subsequently sold for. In 1985 Mr. Torme was asked by renowned author & historical researcher R.L. Wilson what he would charge to perform at the Benefit Auction Preview for the Metropolitan Museum of Art Department of Arms & Armor. Mr. Torme reportedly jokingly replied “The Sears & Roebuck Cow Boy Special”, knowing that it would be impossible to have that dream become reality. Mr. Wilson asked if a clone would be acceptable to which Mr. Torme readily agreed. Mr. Wilson then approached the intrepid restoration artist, Tom Haas, and presented him with the project. Mr. Haas obtained a Colt Single Action Army revolver of the approx. same production range and in the same configuration. After carefully reviewing the original and taking numerous measurements, returned to his shop in Indiana and recreated the Sears Cow Boy Special. He polished all the metal surfaces to mirror finish, re-rolled the bbl address and frame patent dates along with the rampant Colt and re-stamped the frame, trigger guard & butt strap with serial number of the orig Sears & Roebuck Cow Boy Special. The prepped revolver was then delivered to Mr. Leonard Francolini for engraving. Mr. Francolini masterfully recreated the entire engraving patterns from the original which was engraved by the master Cuno Helfrecht and added the deep “MT” to the frame serial number. Once the engraving was complete the revolver was taken to master gunsmith & engraver, Dan Cullity, for finishing, which in virtually all ways duplicated the original, including the blued frame. It was then mounted with superb 2-pc pearl grips that have the relief carved figure of Columbia on the right side. These grips were carved & fitted by Colt master engraver, Alvin White. The revolver was then taken to master book binder, Arno Werner, where he created a fantastic casing befitting such a memorable arm and occasion. The case is covered in fine gray leather with gold embossed tooling border on top, inside which has the inscription “TO MEL TORME / IN APPRECIATION / OF HIS SPECIAL PERFORMANCE / AT THE BENEFIT AUCTION PREVIEW / FOR / THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART / DEPARTMENT OF ARMS & ARMOR / ST. REGIS SHERATON HOTEL / OCTOBER 3RD 1985 / NEW YORK CITY / THE ARMOR & ARMS CLUB OF NEW YORK / COLT IDUSTRIES FIREARMS DIVISION / CHRISTIE’S * STURM RUGER & CO.” The interior is lined in gathered & pleated purple cotton in the lid and French fitted in purple velvet in the bottom with a gray leather plaque in the right front, identically inscribed as the top. Also accompanying is a gold plated brass plaque engraved with a large “M” at the top and inscribed “TO MEL TORME / IN APPRECIATION / M BENEFIT AUCTION PERFORMANCE / OCTR. 3RD 1985 NYC”. This wonderful revolver, as previously noted is engraved identically to the original Sears & Roebuck Cow Boy Special. It has about D+ coverage of fantastic foliate arabesque patterns with some scrolls terminating in flower blossoms on frame. Top strap has a braided rope pattern on each side. The bbl has nearly full coverage engraving with fan & foliate panels on each end of a dot & diamond checkerboard pattern on each side. Bbl address has multiple borders on each side with chip & dot straight line & feather patterns which blend into a figure-8 pattern around front sight. Ejector rod housing has foliate & arabesque patterns at each end with a vine & leaf pattern on outer radius and a snake pattern in top gullet with zig zag borders. Cylinder is wonderfully engraved with four different patterns on the lands between the flutes with three panels of foliate arabesque designs and three distinctly different foliate & floral patterns on other three lands. The areas between cylinder stop notches & approaches are lightly engraved with foliate arabesque patterns and a wavy line border toward the rear. Rear end of cylinder has a complete feather pattern border in between fine gold wire bands. Bbl has wide & narrow gold bands at the cylinder end with a narrow gold band at the muzzle. Each side of frame is outlined in fine gold wire with a gold wire circle around rampant Colt on left side. Top of back strap has a beautiful foliate fan surrounded by a decorative gold wire border. Top of back strap and at the heel along with butt strap have foliate arabesque patterns. Trigger bow & trigger guard are engraved to match. The area above serial number on frame has large relief engraved initials “MT” to distinguish it from the original. Altogether a spectacular and faithful reproduction of the original Sears & Roebuck “Cow Boy” Special. Accompanied by a 7-page letter from noted author & historian, R.L. Wilson, wherein he details most of the above information. Also accompanied by another letter from Mr. Wilson to Mel Torme thanking him for his performance at the Christie’s Metropolitan Museum of Art Auction Project and informing him that almost $350,000 was raised. Additionally accompanying is a letter from Leonard Francolini giving the history of his involvement in the recreation of the Sears & Roebuck Cow Boy Special. This revolver is pictured in full color on pp. 784-785 of The Colt Engraving Book Vol. II, Wilson. The September/October 1988 issue of Man at Arms magazine has a guest editorial by Mel Torme on pp. 26-27. Mr. Torme relates his Colt collecting history and on p. 27 details his reluctant sale of the orig Sears & Roebuck Cow Boy Special and of the recreation & presentation of its clone by Tommy Haas, Leonard Francolini & Dan Cullity. PROVENANCE: Mel Torme Collection; Dr. Joseph A. Murphy Collection. CONDITION: Extremely fine plus. Appears to be unfired since restoration finishing. Overall retains about all of its spectacular Dan Cullity charcoal blue. Grips have an age line on right side, otherwise are extremely fine with extraordinary fire & color. Mechanics are crisp, strong bore with moderate pitting. Case is extremely fine with light soil on exterior, bright & clean on inside. 4-36433 JR80 (15,000-25,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2009

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
	2038	$17,250.00	EXTRAORDINARY CASED REPRODUCTION OF THE LEGENDARY SEARS & ROEBUCK COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER, MADE FOR SINGER/ACTOR MEL TORME. SN MT172485. Cal. 45 Colt. Absolutely fantastic mirror image reproduction of the fabulous and legendary the Colt Sears & Roebuck “Cow Boy” Special Single Action Army revolver, made for singer, actor, song writer and a myriad of other talents, Mel Torme. Mr. Torme had owned the original Cow Boy Special, having purchased it in 1954 in Chicago after it had been rediscovered and sold or brokered by Klein’s Sporting Goods of North Chicago. The Cow Boy Special was the centerpiece of Mr. Torme’s collection for nearly twenty years when he was tempted into selling it for the astronomical sum of $100,000. He frequently stated that he always regretted selling that Colt and, in hindsight, wished to have it back but could not bring himself to pay the even more stupendous prices that it subsequently sold for. In 1985 Mr. Torme was asked by renowned author & historical researcher R.L. Wilson what he would charge to perform at the Benefit Auction Preview for the Metropolitan Museum of Art Department of Arms & Armor. Mr. Torme reportedly jokingly replied “The Sears & Roebuck Cow Boy Special”, knowing that it would be impossible to have that dream become reality. Mr. Wilson asked if a clone would be acceptable to which Mr. Torme readily agreed. Mr. Wilson then approached the intrepid restoration artist, Tom Haas, and presented him with the project. Mr. Haas obtained a Colt Single Action Army revolver of the approx. same production range and in the same configuration. After carefully reviewing the original and taking numerous measurements, returned to his shop in Indiana and recreated the Sears Cow Boy Special. He polished all the metal surfaces to mirror finish, re-rolled the bbl address and frame patent dates along with the rampant Colt and re-stamped the frame, trigger guard & butt strap with serial number of the orig Sears & Roebuck Cow Boy Special. The prepped revolver was then delivered to Mr. Leonard Francolini for engraving. Mr. Francolini masterfully recreated the entire engraving patterns from the original which was engraved by the master Cuno Helfrecht and added the deep “MT” to the frame serial number. Once the engraving was complete the revolver was taken to master gunsmith & engraver, Dan Cullity, for finishing, which in virtually all ways duplicated the original, including the blued frame. It was then mounted with superb 2-pc pearl grips that have the relief carved figure of Columbia on the right side. These grips were carved & fitted by Colt master engraver, Alvin White. The revolver was then taken to master book binder, Arno Werner, where he created a fantastic casing befitting such a memorable arm and occasion. The case is covered in fine gray leather with gold embossed tooling border on top, inside which has the inscription “TO MEL TORME / IN APPRECIATION / OF HIS SPECIAL PERFORMANCE / AT THE BENEFIT AUCTION PREVIEW / FOR / THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART / DEPARTMENT OF ARMS & ARMOR / ST. REGIS SHERATON HOTEL / OCTOBER 3RD 1985 / NEW YORK CITY / THE ARMOR & ARMS CLUB OF NEW YORK / COLT IDUSTRIES FIREARMS DIVISION / CHRISTIE’S * STURM RUGER & CO.” The interior is lined in gathered & pleated purple cotton in the lid and French fitted in purple velvet in the bottom with a gray leather plaque in the right front, identically inscribed as the top. Also accompanying is a gold plated brass plaque engraved with a large “M” at the top and inscribed “TO MEL TORME / IN APPRECIATION / M BENEFIT AUCTION PERFORMANCE / OCTR. 3RD 1985 NYC”. This wonderful revolver, as previously noted is engraved identically to the original Sears & Roebuck Cow Boy Special. It has about D+ coverage of fantastic foliate arabesque patterns with some scrolls terminating in flower blossoms on frame. Top strap has a braided rope pattern on each side. The bbl has nearly full coverage engraving with fan & foliate panels on each end of a dot & diamond checkerboard pattern on each side. Bbl address has multiple borders on each side with chip & dot straight line & feather patterns which blend into a figure-8 pattern around front sight. Ejector rod housing has foliate & arabesque patterns at each end with a vine & leaf pattern on outer radius and a snake pattern in top gullet with zig zag borders. Cylinder is wonderfully engraved with four different patterns on the lands between the flutes with three panels of foliate arabesque designs and three distinctly different foliate & floral patterns on other three lands. The areas between cylinder stop notches & approaches are lightly engraved with foliate arabesque patterns and a wavy line border toward the rear. Rear end of cylinder has a complete feather pattern border in between fine gold wire bands. Bbl has wide & narrow gold bands at the cylinder end with a narrow gold band at the muzzle. Each side of frame is outlined in fine gold wire with a gold wire circle around rampant Colt on left side. Top of back strap has a beautiful foliate fan surrounded by a decorative gold wire border. Top of back strap and at the heel along with butt strap have foliate arabesque patterns. Trigger bow & trigger guard are engraved to match. The area above serial number on frame has large relief engraved initials “MT” to distinguish it from the original. Altogether a spectacular and faithful reproduction of the original Sears & Roebuck “Cow Boy” Special. Accompanied by a 7-page letter from noted author & historian, R.L. Wilson, wherein he details most of the above information. Also accompanied by another letter from Mr. Wilson to Mel Torme thanking him for his performance at the Christie’s Metropolitan Museum of Art Auction Project and informing him that almost $350,000 was raised. Additionally accompanying is a letter from Leonard Francolini giving the history of his involvement in the recreation of the Sears & Roebuck Cow Boy Special. This revolver is pictured in full color on pp. 784-785 of The Colt Engraving Book Vol. II, Wilson. The September/October 1988 issue of Man at Arms magazine has a guest editorial by Mel Torme on pp. 26-27. Mr. Torme relates his Colt collecting history and on p. 27 details his reluctant sale of the orig Sears & Roebuck Cow Boy Special and of the recreation & presentation of its clone by Tommy Haas, Leonard Francolini & Dan Cullity. PROVENANCE: Mel Torme Collection; Dr. Joseph A. Murphy Collection. CONDITION: Extremely fine plus. Appears to be unfired since restoration finishing. Overall retains about all of its spectacular Dan Cullity charcoal blue. Grips have an age line on right side, otherwise are extremely fine with extraordinary fire & color. Mechanics are crisp, strong bore with moderate pitting. Case is extremely fine with light soil on exterior, bright & clean on inside. 4-36433 JR80 (15,000-25,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2009 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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