SCARCE COLT MODEL 1871/72 OPEN TOP SINGLE ACTION REVOLVER WITH WESTERN ASSOCIATION.

SCARCE COLT MODEL 1871/72 OPEN TOP SINGLE ACTION REVOLVER WITH WESTERN ASSOCIATION. SN 3208. Cal. 44 RF Henry. Blue & color case hardened with 7-1/2″ bbl, German silver front sight and 1-line “NEW-YORK U.S. AMERICA” address with dashes. Left side of frame has the “1871” and “1872” patent dates and firing pin is affixed to left side of hammer nose with two rivets. Bbl has the Richards-Mason style integral “V”-notch rear sight at the breech end. Cylinder is not rebated and the frame is of the orig manufactured type without recoil plate. Fitted with an external spring loading gate. Blued steel trigger guard & back strap are mounted with an old 1-pc ivory grip with raised relief-carved Mexican eagle on left side. Grip is probably an old replacement very likely supplied by the retailer in the 1870’s. Accompanied by a Colt factory letter identifying this revolver as found with type of stocks not listed, shipped to C. Gove & Co., Denver Colorado Territory, Jan. 10, 1874 in a shipment of 50 same type revolvers. This was Colt’s first successful production of a large bore self-contained cartridge revolver and was immediately successful, gaining great acceptance on the American frontier on both sides of the law and common cowboys & citizens. Majority of these revolvers saw continuous & hard service but were quickly succeeded by the Model 1873 Single Action Army and relegated to the dust bin of American western lore. The vast majority of these rimfire revolvers then found new life in Mexico & South America where the Henry & Winchester Model 1866 rifles & carbines were still popular and in extended service. Again these fine revolvers were subjected to hard frontier service with, at best, minimal maintenance and frequently were dramatically altered, usually by having bbls reduced in length. They usually are found with no orig finish and in sad state of repair. This fine revolver undoubtedly saw service in Mexico given that it has well worn Mexican grips, however the owner apparently carefully maintained his property. Carlos Gove was one of the premier gunsmith/gunmakers on the American frontier throughout the latter 1/3 of the 19th century, located in Denver, Colorado. His shop & the Freund Brothers, also of Denver & Cheyenne, were the primary arms, ammunition & equipment suppliers to the Southern Rocky Mountain Region. Mr. Gove was known to have supplied arms, ammunition & equipment to customers in Mexico, which by the volume of this single shipment, well after the advent of the Model 1873 Single Action Army, leads one to believe that this shipment was destined for Mexico. PROVENANCE: David Crocker Estate Collection. CONDITION: Fine, all matching with spindle & loading gate having assembly number “377”. Wedge & grip are unnumbered. Bbl retains 65-70% glossy orig blue with balance flaked & lightly worn to a medium patina. Outside radius of ejector rod housing is a thin gray patina with strong blue in sheltered areas. Frame & hammer retain about all of their strong, orig case colors, bright on sides, dark on left recoil shield and turned silver on loading gate. Cyl retains 35-40% thin orig blue and about 80% Ormsby Naval battle scene with several small dings in the decorated area. Front strap, butt strap & back strap appear to have been polished and had touch-up blue applied. The trigger guard area retains strong blue in sheltered areas with balance flaked & worn. Grip shows heavy wear to edges & eagle carving with numerous age lines, a chip by the butt strap and a repair in left toe. Mechanics are fine, strong bright bore with moderate pitting. 4-36841 (9,000-12,000)

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
	2242	$9,775.00	SCARCE COLT MODEL 1871/72 OPEN TOP SINGLE ACTION REVOLVER WITH WESTERN ASSOCIATION. SN 3208. Cal. 44 RF Henry. Blue & color case hardened with 7-1/2″ bbl, German silver front sight and 1-line “NEW-YORK U.S. AMERICA” address with dashes. Left side of frame has the “1871” and “1872” patent dates and firing pin is affixed to left side of hammer nose with two rivets. Bbl has the Richards-Mason style integral “V”-notch rear sight at the breech end. Cylinder is not rebated and the frame is of the orig manufactured type without recoil plate. Fitted with an external spring loading gate. Blued steel trigger guard & back strap are mounted with an old 1-pc ivory grip with raised relief-carved Mexican eagle on left side. Grip is probably an old replacement very likely supplied by the retailer in the 1870’s. Accompanied by a Colt factory letter identifying this revolver as found with type of stocks not listed, shipped to C. Gove & Co., Denver Colorado Territory, Jan. 10, 1874 in a shipment of 50 same type revolvers. This was Colt’s first successful production of a large bore self-contained cartridge revolver and was immediately successful, gaining great acceptance on the American frontier on both sides of the law and common cowboys & citizens. Majority of these revolvers saw continuous & hard service but were quickly succeeded by the Model 1873 Single Action Army and relegated to the dust bin of American western lore. The vast majority of these rimfire revolvers then found new life in Mexico & South America where the Henry & Winchester Model 1866 rifles & carbines were still popular and in extended service. Again these fine revolvers were subjected to hard frontier service with, at best, minimal maintenance and frequently were dramatically altered, usually by having bbls reduced in length. They usually are found with no orig finish and in sad state of repair. This fine revolver undoubtedly saw service in Mexico given that it has well worn Mexican grips, however the owner apparently carefully maintained his property. Carlos Gove was one of the premier gunsmith/gunmakers on the American frontier throughout the latter 1/3 of the 19th century, located in Denver, Colorado. His shop & the Freund Brothers, also of Denver & Cheyenne, were the primary arms, ammunition & equipment suppliers to the Southern Rocky Mountain Region. Mr. Gove was known to have supplied arms, ammunition & equipment to customers in Mexico, which by the volume of this single shipment, well after the advent of the Model 1873 Single Action Army, leads one to believe that this shipment was destined for Mexico. PROVENANCE: David Crocker Estate Collection. CONDITION: Fine, all matching with spindle & loading gate having assembly number “377”. Wedge & grip are unnumbered. Bbl retains 65-70% glossy orig blue with balance flaked & lightly worn to a medium patina. Outside radius of ejector rod housing is a thin gray patina with strong blue in sheltered areas. Frame & hammer retain about all of their strong, orig case colors, bright on sides, dark on left recoil shield and turned silver on loading gate. Cyl retains 35-40% thin orig blue and about 80% Ormsby Naval battle scene with several small dings in the decorated area. Front strap, butt strap & back strap appear to have been polished and had touch-up blue applied. The trigger guard area retains strong blue in sheltered areas with balance flaked & worn. Grip shows heavy wear to edges & eagle carving with numerous age lines, a chip by the butt strap and a repair in left toe. Mechanics are fine, strong bright bore with moderate pitting. 4-36841 (9,000-12,000) 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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