1361

SCARCE ETCHED PANEL COLT FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER.

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:12,500.00 USD Estimated At:25,000.00 - 40,000.00 USD
SCARCE ETCHED PANEL COLT FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER.
PLEASE NOTE (3/1/13): Condition should read bbl 70% cyl 50%. SN 115797. Cal. 44 WCF (44-40). Nickel finish with 7-1/2" bbl, slightly thinned front sight, 1-line block letter address and a faint but legible etched panel on the left side. Bottom of the bbl has a tiny "44" just forward of the base pin. Left side of the frame has 3-line patent dates and is marked "44 CAL" on left front web of the trigger guard. Mounted with an old, orig style Colt 1-pc ivory grip constructed of two slabs of ivory attached to wooden spacers. Revolver is engraved by Cuno Helfricht with about 70% coverage foliate arabesque patterns on sides of the frame, a flower blossom on left recoil shield with a smaller version on the loading gate. Top strap is engraved in snake & dot patterns with sunbursts on each side of the bbl boss and geometric patterns in the gullets. Engraving extends up each side of the bbl with geometric patterns around the address. Ejector housing is engraved with snake & dot pattern in the top gullet with sunbursts at each end of the outer radius. Cyl is engraved with sunbursts on the lands between the flutes and a snake & star pattern around the rear edge. Back strap, butt strap & trigger guard are engraved in zig zag geometric patterns. Accompanied by a Colt Factory letter which identifies this revolver in cal 44-40, with 7-1/2" bbl, nickel finish type of stock ot listed, factory engraved and shipped to E.C. Meacham Arms Co. St. Louis, MO on Nov 12, 1885 in a 5 gun shipment. It is well established that the Meacham company was a distributor for all types of firearms to smaller operations throughout the west from Texas to Montana.Etched panel single actions are in and of themselves somewhat rare, engraved examples very rare. CONDITION: Very good to fine. Bbl retains 60-65% orig nickel with the loss areas gray metal patina, with fine pinprick pitting around the muzzle area; ejector housing retains traces of orig nickel, being mostly a gray metal patina; frame retains traces of nickel in sheltered areas being mostly a cleaned gray metal patina; screws are all fine; trigger guard & back strap also retain traces of orig nickel with moderate pitting on back strap; cyl retains about 40% orig nickel with a couple of areas of light to moderate pitting. Grip has several age lines at the bottom edges, otherwise is completely sound and retains a beautiful golden ivory patina. Mechanics are fine, strong bore with scattered fine pitting. 4-48203 JR318