RARE SPANDAU ARSENAL EARLY COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER.

RARE SPANDAU ARSENAL EARLY COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER. SN 1468. Cal. 45 Colt. Blue & case colored with 7-1/2″ bbl, full front sight and slanted address on top that has broken “O” in “CO” and broken “A” in “HARTFORD”. Left side of frame has 2-line 2-patent dates and a small “U.S.”. Left shoulder of trigger guard is marked “45 CAL”. Mounted with 1-pc varnished walnut grip. Bottom of bbl has the exposed serial number just forward of base pin. Serial number was observed on all usual places including bottom of bbl, cylinder & in the back strap channel of the grip. It has first type ejector rod housing with orig bull’s eye ejector rod head. This revolver was part of a shipment of forty same type revolvers shipped to Spandau Arsenal in Prussia probably on Nov. 18, 1873. They were shipped in caliber 45 Colt as this one is found today and upon receipt by the Prussians were immediately returned because of the large caliber. At that time German handguns were using an 11 mm or 44 caliber cartridge. The entire forty gun shipment was returned to Baron Von Oppen Colt’s London Agency where they apparently remained for a number of years with the majority probably being sold in Europe, thereby explaining their relative rarity on the market today. There is also a possibility that after a sojourn in England, in 1885 the shipment may have been returned to the Colt Plant in Hartford where they were “upgraded” with the modification to the thicker cylinder stop and corresponding wider cylinder stop notches and longer leads as well as replacing the orig military oil finished grips with civilian varnished grips as is found on this revolver. They also had the caliber marking stamped on the trigger guard shoulder and then were sold commercially. According to a letter from noted Colt single action author & historian, John Kopec, this revolver is listed in the book Single Action Army Revolvers and The London Agency, Moore, as one of the forty of the Spandau shipment. Mr. Kopec also explains in his accompanying letter that the “US” marked frame, in this instance, does not indicate that it was U.S. issued but that the frame was pulled from the production line for the special order to one of America’s allies with the “US” already stamped. According to Mr. Kopec, this is the only example from this shipment that he has encountered. Also accompanied by a Colt Factory letter which identifies this revolver as having been part of a shipment, six same type gun sent to Browning Bros., Ogden & Salt Lake City, Utah on Aug. 3, 1887. CONDITION: Very good to fine, all matching including grip. Bbl retains glossy bright blue under the ejector rod housing with flaked blue around & on the sides of the front sight. Balance of bbl is a smooth brown patina with some pin prick pitting near the muzzle. Ejector rod housing retains glossy orig blue with some flaking in gullets and is a brown patina on outer radius. Frame retains traces of case colors in most sheltered areas. Trigger guard & back strap retain blue in sheltered areas being mostly a blue/brown patina. Hammer retains strong case colors on sides, dark on edges. Cylinder is a brown patina. Screws retain traces of orig blue with no evidence of battering. Grip is sound with a gouge on the left side and light handling & use marks elsewhere, showing moderate use and retaining about 90% orig varnish. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore with some pin prick pitting. 4-35271 JR207 (17,500-27,500)

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
	2139	$0.00	RARE SPANDAU ARSENAL EARLY COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER. SN 1468. Cal. 45 Colt. Blue & case colored with 7-1/2″ bbl, full front sight and slanted address on top that has broken “O” in “CO” and broken “A” in “HARTFORD”. Left side of frame has 2-line 2-patent dates and a small “U.S.”. Left shoulder of trigger guard is marked “45 CAL”. Mounted with 1-pc varnished walnut grip. Bottom of bbl has the exposed serial number just forward of base pin. Serial number was observed on all usual places including bottom of bbl, cylinder & in the back strap channel of the grip. It has first type ejector rod housing with orig bull’s eye ejector rod head. This revolver was part of a shipment of forty same type revolvers shipped to Spandau Arsenal in Prussia probably on Nov. 18, 1873. They were shipped in caliber 45 Colt as this one is found today and upon receipt by the Prussians were immediately returned because of the large caliber. At that time German handguns were using an 11 mm or 44 caliber cartridge. The entire forty gun shipment was returned to Baron Von Oppen Colt’s London Agency where they apparently remained for a number of years with the majority probably being sold in Europe, thereby explaining their relative rarity on the market today. There is also a possibility that after a sojourn in England, in 1885 the shipment may have been returned to the Colt Plant in Hartford where they were “upgraded” with the modification to the thicker cylinder stop and corresponding wider cylinder stop notches and longer leads as well as replacing the orig military oil finished grips with civilian varnished grips as is found on this revolver. They also had the caliber marking stamped on the trigger guard shoulder and then were sold commercially. According to a letter from noted Colt single action author & historian, John Kopec, this revolver is listed in the book Single Action Army Revolvers and The London Agency, Moore, as one of the forty of the Spandau shipment. Mr. Kopec also explains in his accompanying letter that the “US” marked frame, in this instance, does not indicate that it was U.S. issued but that the frame was pulled from the production line for the special order to one of America’s allies with the “US” already stamped. According to Mr. Kopec, this is the only example from this shipment that he has encountered. Also accompanied by a Colt Factory letter which identifies this revolver as having been part of a shipment, six same type gun sent to Browning Bros., Ogden & Salt Lake City, Utah on Aug. 3, 1887. CONDITION: Very good to fine, all matching including grip. Bbl retains glossy bright blue under the ejector rod housing with flaked blue around & on the sides of the front sight. Balance of bbl is a smooth brown patina with some pin prick pitting near the muzzle. Ejector rod housing retains glossy orig blue with some flaking in gullets and is a brown patina on outer radius. Frame retains traces of case colors in most sheltered areas. Trigger guard & back strap retain blue in sheltered areas being mostly a blue/brown patina. Hammer retains strong case colors on sides, dark on edges. Cylinder is a brown patina. Screws retain traces of orig blue with no evidence of battering. Grip is sound with a gouge on the left side and light handling & use marks elsewhere, showing moderate use and retaining about 90% orig varnish. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore with some pin prick pitting. 4-35271 JR207 (17,500-27,500) 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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