FINE 1880 COLT CAVALRY SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER.

FINE 1880 COLT CAVALRY SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER. SN 55365. Cal. 45 Colt. Blue & color case hardened with 7-1/2″ bbl, full front sight and 1-line block letter address. It has second type ejector housing with bull’s eye ejector rod head. Left side of frame has 3-line patent dates and a small “U.S.”. Mounted with 1-pc walnut grip with crisp “DAL” (Lt. David A. Lyle) cartouche on left side below the date “1880”. Right side has a crisp “DFC” (David F. Clark) sub-inspector cartouche. Bottom of bbl, under ejector rod housing has last four digits of SN which also appear on the cyl and are found in backstrap channel of grip. Bottom of bbl, bottom of frame, cyl & bottom right edge of grip also have the “DFC” initials. Accompanied by a Colt factory letter identifying this revolver, as found, with delivery to the U.S. Government Inspector at the Colt plant on April 21, 1880 in a shipment of 150 same type revolvers. Single actions in this serial range are rarely found with high orig finish as in orig configuration. They were produced during the height of the Indian Wars and were generally issued to front line cavalry units where they saw hard & continuous service under adverse conditions. Then in the 1890s and early 20th century a majority of the cavalry revolvers were recalled and altered to artillery length. The fact that this revolver survived the recall with such high orig finish attests to the fact that it was either issued to and remained in a militia unit or belonged to a high ranking officer who rarely carried it. Regardless it is an exceptional example of an Indian Wars Colt Single Action. Accompanied by a 2-page letter from renowned Colt historian, author & collector, John Kopec, wherein he certifies the complete originality of this revolver with the exception of the trigger which he states is a replacement and the ejector spring which is also a replacement. PROVENANCE: Wes Adams Estate Collection. CONDITION: Extremely fine, all matching. Overall retains about 98% crisp orig factory finish with strong bright blue on the bbl, ejector housing, cyl & grip frame and brilliant case colors on the frame & hammer; there are some minor pin pricks of rust on left side of bbl near muzzle and some very minor pin prick pitting on very edge of muzzle and on trigger bow; left edge of top strap has some very minor flaking of the case colors; bbl retains strong feathers on each side of the front sight and ejector housing lug with some minor flaking and light wear at the muzzle; ejector housing is lightly thinned on front end, otherwise retains about all of its orig blue; frame & hammer show faint sharp edge wear, otherwise colors are brilliant; grip frame also shows faint sharp edge wear with the beginning of a candy stripe on backstrap; cyl also has light sharp edge wear and a light cyl line and retains virtually all of its orig factory blue on front face and in the chambers; grip is sound with one small nick and two or three tiny bruises on left side, otherwise is near perfect. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore retaining virtually all of its orig factory blue, probably unfired; trigger has light edge wear and retains about all of its orig fire blue. This is one of the finest Lyle inspected cavalry Colts extant. 4-44681 JR204 (60,000-100,000)

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
	2164	$66,125.00	FINE 1880 COLT CAVALRY SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER. SN 55365. Cal. 45 Colt. Blue & color case hardened with 7-1/2″ bbl, full front sight and 1-line block letter address. It has second type ejector housing with bull’s eye ejector rod head. Left side of frame has 3-line patent dates and a small “U.S.”. Mounted with 1-pc walnut grip with crisp “DAL” (Lt. David A. Lyle) cartouche on left side below the date “1880”. Right side has a crisp “DFC” (David F. Clark) sub-inspector cartouche. Bottom of bbl, under ejector rod housing has last four digits of SN which also appear on the cyl and are found in backstrap channel of grip. Bottom of bbl, bottom of frame, cyl & bottom right edge of grip also have the “DFC” initials. Accompanied by a Colt factory letter identifying this revolver, as found, with delivery to the U.S. Government Inspector at the Colt plant on April 21, 1880 in a shipment of 150 same type revolvers. Single actions in this serial range are rarely found with high orig finish as in orig configuration. They were produced during the height of the Indian Wars and were generally issued to front line cavalry units where they saw hard & continuous service under adverse conditions. Then in the 1890s and early 20th century a majority of the cavalry revolvers were recalled and altered to artillery length. The fact that this revolver survived the recall with such high orig finish attests to the fact that it was either issued to and remained in a militia unit or belonged to a high ranking officer who rarely carried it. Regardless it is an exceptional example of an Indian Wars Colt Single Action. Accompanied by a 2-page letter from renowned Colt historian, author & collector, John Kopec, wherein he certifies the complete originality of this revolver with the exception of the trigger which he states is a replacement and the ejector spring which is also a replacement. PROVENANCE: Wes Adams Estate Collection. CONDITION: Extremely fine, all matching. Overall retains about 98% crisp orig factory finish with strong bright blue on the bbl, ejector housing, cyl & grip frame and brilliant case colors on the frame & hammer; there are some minor pin pricks of rust on left side of bbl near muzzle and some very minor pin prick pitting on very edge of muzzle and on trigger bow; left edge of top strap has some very minor flaking of the case colors; bbl retains strong feathers on each side of the front sight and ejector housing lug with some minor flaking and light wear at the muzzle; ejector housing is lightly thinned on front end, otherwise retains about all of its orig blue; frame & hammer show faint sharp edge wear, otherwise colors are brilliant; grip frame also shows faint sharp edge wear with the beginning of a candy stripe on backstrap; cyl also has light sharp edge wear and a light cyl line and retains virtually all of its orig factory blue on front face and in the chambers; grip is sound with one small nick and two or three tiny bruises on left side, otherwise is near perfect. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore retaining virtually all of its orig factory blue, probably unfired; trigger has light edge wear and retains about all of its orig fire blue. This is one of the finest Lyle inspected cavalry Colts extant. 4-44681 JR204 (60,000-100,000) 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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