RARE SILVER PLATED NIMSCHKE ENGRAVED COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER.

RARE SILVER PLATED NIMSCHKE ENGRAVED COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER. SN 27881. Cal. 45 Colt. Silver finish with 7-1/2″ bbl, orig front sight and 1-line bbl address. Last four digits of the serial number are on bottom of the bbl, under the ejector rod housing and on the cylinder behind one flute. It has second type ejector rod housing with bull’s eye ejector rod head and its orig cylinder pin with a dimple in each end. Left side of the frame has 2-line, 2-patent dates and is mounted with checkered 1-pc ivory grip. Frame, bbl, back strap, butt strap & trigger guard, along with the cylinder are beautifully engraved by L.D. Nimschke in beautiful New York style, consisting of fine foliate arabesque patterns with punch dot background. Shoulders of trigger guard are engraved to match. Bottom front edges of the frame are engraved with feather patterns as are both sides of top strap. Left side of the frame bbl boss is engraved with a large 4-petal flower reminiscent of the engraved patterns Nimschke applied to cartridge carriers on 1866 rifles he engraved. Right side of the ejector rod housing boss and left side of the cylinder pin boss have hunter’s stars. About 2/3 of both sides of bbl are engraved to match with short patterns on each side of the muzzle with a band of scalloped pattern engraving around the muzzle. Back strap is engraved with a beautiful fan pattern that has a diamond & dot center. Shoulders of back strap are engraved to match and the tips of shoulders are engraved with tiny flower blossoms that overlap onto the frame. Top & heel of the back strap, butt strap & trigger bow are engraved with foliate arabesque patterns. The flat of the frame around the serial number is engraved similarly to the fan pattern on back strap. Cylinder is engraved with foliate arabesque patterns on the lands between the flutes with a small sunburst at the back of each flute. Back edge of the cylinder has a chip & dash border. Accompanied by a Colt Factory letter which identifies this revolver in caliber 45 Colt, bbl length not listed, blue finish and type of stocks not listed showing shipment to B. Kittredge & Co., Cincinnati, Ohio on Oct. 31, 1876 in a shipment of fifty same type guns. Also accompanied by a 6-page hand written letter from noted single action authority, researcher & author, Ron Graham, wherein he states that this revolver is authentic & original as found. He debunks the factory letter as being in error regarding the finish. He identifies the engraving as “New York style with L.D. Nimschke influence”. He theorizes that Oct. 31, 1876 was an “end of the month Tuesday” and, like most any other company there was likely a big rush to get the shipments out before close of business on the last day of the month. He states that there are three other known revolvers in the same serial range that are shown as having been in shipments of fifty “blue” revolvers with one being blue, another nickel and a third one silver engraved with all having been certified by various Colt authorities as being factory original. He states unequivocally that this revolver “was not blue and case hardened when it left the factory. It was engraved, probably at the request of B. Kittredge & Co. soon after leaving Colt’s, and its silver plating appears contemporary”. These statements from such a noted authority leave little doubt that this is indeed, an authentic factory engraved single action. CONDITION: Fine to very fine, all matching, grips were not checked. Bbl retains 65-70% strong orig silver plating with some of the losses a dark patina. Frame & hammer retain most all of their orig silver plating with a thin spot on the right side of the frame and part of the top strap. Back & front straps are mostly gray patina with strong silver at top of back strap, on butt strap and around the trigger guard. Cylinder retains about 70% orig silver. Hammer is not solid in safety notch, otherwise mechanics are fine. Strong bore with moderate pitting. 4-38084 JR325 (20,000-30,000)

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
	2127	$20,125.00	RARE SILVER PLATED NIMSCHKE ENGRAVED COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER. SN 27881. Cal. 45 Colt. Silver finish with 7-1/2″ bbl, orig front sight and 1-line bbl address. Last four digits of the serial number are on bottom of the bbl, under the ejector rod housing and on the cylinder behind one flute. It has second type ejector rod housing with bull’s eye ejector rod head and its orig cylinder pin with a dimple in each end. Left side of the frame has 2-line, 2-patent dates and is mounted with checkered 1-pc ivory grip. Frame, bbl, back strap, butt strap & trigger guard, along with the cylinder are beautifully engraved by L.D. Nimschke in beautiful New York style, consisting of fine foliate arabesque patterns with punch dot background. Shoulders of trigger guard are engraved to match. Bottom front edges of the frame are engraved with feather patterns as are both sides of top strap. Left side of the frame bbl boss is engraved with a large 4-petal flower reminiscent of the engraved patterns Nimschke applied to cartridge carriers on 1866 rifles he engraved. Right side of the ejector rod housing boss and left side of the cylinder pin boss have hunter’s stars. About 2/3 of both sides of bbl are engraved to match with short patterns on each side of the muzzle with a band of scalloped pattern engraving around the muzzle. Back strap is engraved with a beautiful fan pattern that has a diamond & dot center. Shoulders of back strap are engraved to match and the tips of shoulders are engraved with tiny flower blossoms that overlap onto the frame. Top & heel of the back strap, butt strap & trigger bow are engraved with foliate arabesque patterns. The flat of the frame around the serial number is engraved similarly to the fan pattern on back strap. Cylinder is engraved with foliate arabesque patterns on the lands between the flutes with a small sunburst at the back of each flute. Back edge of the cylinder has a chip & dash border. Accompanied by a Colt Factory letter which identifies this revolver in caliber 45 Colt, bbl length not listed, blue finish and type of stocks not listed showing shipment to B. Kittredge & Co., Cincinnati, Ohio on Oct. 31, 1876 in a shipment of fifty same type guns. Also accompanied by a 6-page hand written letter from noted single action authority, researcher & author, Ron Graham, wherein he states that this revolver is authentic & original as found. He debunks the factory letter as being in error regarding the finish. He identifies the engraving as “New York style with L.D. Nimschke influence”. He theorizes that Oct. 31, 1876 was an “end of the month Tuesday” and, like most any other company there was likely a big rush to get the shipments out before close of business on the last day of the month. He states that there are three other known revolvers in the same serial range that are shown as having been in shipments of fifty “blue” revolvers with one being blue, another nickel and a third one silver engraved with all having been certified by various Colt authorities as being factory original. He states unequivocally that this revolver “was not blue and case hardened when it left the factory. It was engraved, probably at the request of B. Kittredge & Co. soon after leaving Colt’s, and its silver plating appears contemporary”. These statements from such a noted authority leave little doubt that this is indeed, an authentic factory engraved single action. CONDITION: Fine to very fine, all matching, grips were not checked. Bbl retains 65-70% strong orig silver plating with some of the losses a dark patina. Frame & hammer retain most all of their orig silver plating with a thin spot on the right side of the frame and part of the top strap. Back & front straps are mostly gray patina with strong silver at top of back strap, on butt strap and around the trigger guard. Cylinder retains about 70% orig silver. Hammer is not solid in safety notch, otherwise mechanics are fine. Strong bore with moderate pitting. 4-38084 JR325 (20,000-30,000) 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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