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RARE EARLY NIMSCHKE ENGRAVED COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER.

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:25,000.00 USD Estimated At:50,000.00 - 75,000.00 USD
RARE EARLY NIMSCHKE ENGRAVED COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER.
SN 87320. Cal. 45 Colt. Nickel finish with 7-1/2" bbl, full front sight and 1-line block letter address. Left side of the frame has 3-line patent dates and the left front web of the trigger guard is marked with the caliber. Mounted with smooth 2-pc pearl grips. Revolver is engraved by L.D. Nimschke with foliate arabesque patterns on sides of frame, a large flower blossom on left recoil shield and a smaller version on the loading gate. Sides of the ejector housing boss and base pin boss are engraved in hunter's stars with snake & dot patterns in the front gullets. Top strap is engraved in a leaf & vine pattern. Matching foliate arabesque patterns extend about half way up the sides of the bbl with the forward half engraved in snake & dot patterns and geometric patterns around the address. Top gullet of the ejector housing is engraved in snake & dot pattern. Back strap, butt strap & trigger guard are engraved in zig zag geometric patterns with a fan pattern at the top of the back strap. Cyl is engraved with foliate arabesque patterns on the lands between the flutes and zig zag patterns in the flutes with a snake & chip border pattern around the rear edge. Base pin is first type with dimpled ends and screws are fire-blued. Accompanied by a Colt factory letter which identifies this revolver in caliber 45, bbl length not listed, nickel finish, type of stocks not listed, factory engraved and shipped to Wexell & DeGress, Mexico City, Mexico on Feb. 7, 1883 in a 6-gun shipment. Undoubtedly this revolver would have been intended for presentation to a high ranking official in Mexico or was purchased by a wealthy ranch owner down there. It is very rare to find any firearm returning from Mexico with high orig finish such as this one. PROVENANCE: John Stewart Collection. CONDITION: Very fine. Bbl & ejector housing retain 90-92% strong orig nickel with a dark area on right side of front sight at the muzzle and some wear on the outer radius of the ejector housing; frame retains virtually all of its strong orig nickel with the loading gate showing a gray metal patina; hammer retains virtually all of its orig nickel; cyl also retains about all of its orig nickel turned a little milky; trigger guard retains about all of its orig nickel with some dulling on the front of the trigger plate & trigger bow; back strap is mostly a light gray metal patina with bright nickel at the top. Right grip has a repaired heel, otherwise grips are sound and retain great fire & iridescent color. Mechanics are crisp, sharp bore with good shine and scattered pitting that may clean much better. 4-48149 JR306