ENGRAVED COLT OPEN TOP SINGLE ACTION REVOLVER.

ENGRAVED COLT OPEN TOP SINGLE ACTION REVOLVER. SN 2713. Cal. 44 RF Henry. Silver finish with 7-1/2″ bbl, full front sight and fixed rear sight at the forcing cone end and a 1-line block letter address. It has usual 6-shot unfluted cyl with Ormsby Naval battle scene roll marking and is mounted with checkered 1-pc ivory grip. Left side of frame has 2-line patent dates and left shoulder of trigger guard has the caliber marking. Revolver is beautifully engraved in Cuno Helfricht style with about full coverage on frame of fine foliate arabesque patterns with fine punch dot background. Engraving extends over both sides of bbl, with border & geometric patterns around address on top and short foliate arabesque patterns on each side of muzzle. Ejector rod housing is engraved with rectangle & dot pattern and chip & dot borders. Right side of bbl lug is engraved in a diamond & dot pattern. Top of back strap is engraved with Mr. Helfrict’s trademark fan pattern with chip & dot border and geometric patterns down the back strap and on the butt strap with foliate arabesque patterns and chip & dot borders on trigger guard. Altogether this is a beautiful after market engraved revolver. Accompanied by a Colt factory letter identifying this revolver in caliber 44 RF with 7-1/2″ bbl, blue finish and type of stocks not listed, shipped to Joseph C. Grubb & Co., Phila., PA, on Sept. 6, 1873 in a shipment of 70 same type revolvers. Also accompanied by three orig 44 RF Henry flat nose cartridges and two 44 RF blanks. The open top revolvers were a great innovation in the evolution of the Colt Single Action Army. Unfortunately by the time they reached the market the 44 RF cartridge no longer was popular on the American market. However several other regions of the world were still using the 44 RF cartridges in the Henry & Winchester Model 1866 rifles. Colt very actively pursued these markets and the majority of the open top revolvers were sold to markets in South American and other areas. Today it is rare to find an open top in orig configuration without the bbl having been cut. Examining the bore of this revolver shows chatter marks in the grooves at about mid-point leading to the speculation that this bbl may have been stretched. CONDITION: Very fine. Overall retains most of its fine custom finish with some slight dulling on the bbl. Frame and grip frame retain about all of their fine custom finish. Cyl is slightly dulled and overall retains about 98% of the Ormsby Naval battle scene roll marking which appears to have been re-rolled. Grip is sound showing light wear & soil and retains about all of an artificially aged patina. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore. Ammunition is fine. 4-41860 JR137 (4,000-7,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2011

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
	2225	$9,200.00	ENGRAVED COLT OPEN TOP SINGLE ACTION REVOLVER. SN 2713. Cal. 44 RF Henry. Silver finish with 7-1/2″ bbl, full front sight and fixed rear sight at the forcing cone end and a 1-line block letter address. It has usual 6-shot unfluted cyl with Ormsby Naval battle scene roll marking and is mounted with checkered 1-pc ivory grip. Left side of frame has 2-line patent dates and left shoulder of trigger guard has the caliber marking. Revolver is beautifully engraved in Cuno Helfricht style with about full coverage on frame of fine foliate arabesque patterns with fine punch dot background. Engraving extends over both sides of bbl, with border & geometric patterns around address on top and short foliate arabesque patterns on each side of muzzle. Ejector rod housing is engraved with rectangle & dot pattern and chip & dot borders. Right side of bbl lug is engraved in a diamond & dot pattern. Top of back strap is engraved with Mr. Helfrict’s trademark fan pattern with chip & dot border and geometric patterns down the back strap and on the butt strap with foliate arabesque patterns and chip & dot borders on trigger guard. Altogether this is a beautiful after market engraved revolver. Accompanied by a Colt factory letter identifying this revolver in caliber 44 RF with 7-1/2″ bbl, blue finish and type of stocks not listed, shipped to Joseph C. Grubb & Co., Phila., PA, on Sept. 6, 1873 in a shipment of 70 same type revolvers. Also accompanied by three orig 44 RF Henry flat nose cartridges and two 44 RF blanks. The open top revolvers were a great innovation in the evolution of the Colt Single Action Army. Unfortunately by the time they reached the market the 44 RF cartridge no longer was popular on the American market. However several other regions of the world were still using the 44 RF cartridges in the Henry & Winchester Model 1866 rifles. Colt very actively pursued these markets and the majority of the open top revolvers were sold to markets in South American and other areas. Today it is rare to find an open top in orig configuration without the bbl having been cut. Examining the bore of this revolver shows chatter marks in the grooves at about mid-point leading to the speculation that this bbl may have been stretched. CONDITION: Very fine. Overall retains most of its fine custom finish with some slight dulling on the bbl. Frame and grip frame retain about all of their fine custom finish. Cyl is slightly dulled and overall retains about 98% of the Ormsby Naval battle scene roll marking which appears to have been re-rolled. Grip is sound showing light wear & soil and retains about all of an artificially aged patina. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore. Ammunition is fine. 4-41860 JR137 (4,000-7,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2011 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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