RARE EARLY FACTORY ENGRAVED COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER.

RARE EARLY FACTORY ENGRAVED COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER. SN 117617. Cal. 45 Colt. Nickel finish with 4-3/4″ bbl, full front sight and 2-line address. Left side of frame has 3-line patent dates with cal marking on left front web of trigger guard. Mounted with 2-pc smooth pearl grips. Revolver is engraved by Cuno Helfricht in his deluxe coverage. Engraving consists of foliate arabesque patterns with punch dot background on sides of frame with zig zag border at rear edges and around recoil shields. Left recoil shield & loading gate are engraved in Mr. Helfricht’s trademark fan patterns with snake & dot patterns over top straps. Each side of bbl boss is engraved in a foliate spray with snake & dot patterns on the base pin boss and ejector rod housing boss. Bottom front gullets are engraved with zig-zag & dot patterns. Foliate arabesque patterns extend to even with the front sight on each side with snake & dot patterns on each side of bbl address which terminate in a geometric pattern. Ejector rod housing has snake & dot patterns in top gullet & outer radius. Top of back strap has a simple foliate spray with geometric patterns down back strap, on butt strap & trigger bow. Cylinder is engraved with foliate sprays on the lands between the flutes with the front edge engraved in an elliptical pattern and five 6-pointed stars in each panel surrounding a simple arched pattern of five fine lines. This is the only time that this exact pattern has been observed by this cataloger. Rear edge of cylinder is engraved in a continuous snake & dot pattern. Screws are all fire blued and show little or no evidence of screwdriver contact. Accompanied by a Colt factory letter identifying this revolver in caliber 45 Colt with 4-3/4″ bbl, nickel finish, wood stocks, factory engraved and shipped to Hartley & Graham, New York, NY on Aug. 21, 1886 in a shipment of 12 same type revolvers. Although the letter indicates this revolver was shipped with wood grip, which at that time would have been a 1-pc grip and the front strap would have been without grip locator pin that is apparently a mistake in the records as the grip locator pin. That entry is currently installed in this revolver is nickel finished and appears correct in all respects. Pearl grips may have been supplied by Hartley & Graham but also could have been supplied by Colt. CONDITION: Very fine to extremely fine. Overall retains 96-97% strong orig nickel finish with minor losses around the muzzle and face of the cyl from firing. Balance of nickel finish is strong & bright with a couple of minor dings on the top edge of the front sight and some minor losses in the bottom front gullets of the frame. Screws retain about all of their bright fire blue finish. Grips are sound with great fire & color. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore. This is one of the finest early engraved single actions come to market in recent history. 4-40138 JR332 (125,000-175,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2010

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
	2137	$0.00	RARE EARLY FACTORY ENGRAVED COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER. SN 117617. Cal. 45 Colt. Nickel finish with 4-3/4″ bbl, full front sight and 2-line address. Left side of frame has 3-line patent dates with cal marking on left front web of trigger guard. Mounted with 2-pc smooth pearl grips. Revolver is engraved by Cuno Helfricht in his deluxe coverage. Engraving consists of foliate arabesque patterns with punch dot background on sides of frame with zig zag border at rear edges and around recoil shields. Left recoil shield & loading gate are engraved in Mr. Helfricht’s trademark fan patterns with snake & dot patterns over top straps. Each side of bbl boss is engraved in a foliate spray with snake & dot patterns on the base pin boss and ejector rod housing boss. Bottom front gullets are engraved with zig-zag & dot patterns. Foliate arabesque patterns extend to even with the front sight on each side with snake & dot patterns on each side of bbl address which terminate in a geometric pattern. Ejector rod housing has snake & dot patterns in top gullet & outer radius. Top of back strap has a simple foliate spray with geometric patterns down back strap, on butt strap & trigger bow. Cylinder is engraved with foliate sprays on the lands between the flutes with the front edge engraved in an elliptical pattern and five 6-pointed stars in each panel surrounding a simple arched pattern of five fine lines. This is the only time that this exact pattern has been observed by this cataloger. Rear edge of cylinder is engraved in a continuous snake & dot pattern. Screws are all fire blued and show little or no evidence of screwdriver contact. Accompanied by a Colt factory letter identifying this revolver in caliber 45 Colt with 4-3/4″ bbl, nickel finish, wood stocks, factory engraved and shipped to Hartley & Graham, New York, NY on Aug. 21, 1886 in a shipment of 12 same type revolvers. Although the letter indicates this revolver was shipped with wood grip, which at that time would have been a 1-pc grip and the front strap would have been without grip locator pin that is apparently a mistake in the records as the grip locator pin. That entry is currently installed in this revolver is nickel finished and appears correct in all respects. Pearl grips may have been supplied by Hartley & Graham but also could have been supplied by Colt. CONDITION: Very fine to extremely fine. Overall retains 96-97% strong orig nickel finish with minor losses around the muzzle and face of the cyl from firing. Balance of nickel finish is strong & bright with a couple of minor dings on the top edge of the front sight and some minor losses in the bottom front gullets of the frame. Screws retain about all of their bright fire blue finish. Grips are sound with great fire & color. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore. This is one of the finest early engraved single actions come to market in recent history. 4-40138 JR332 (125,000-175,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2010 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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