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Important Colt Single Action with Wild West History

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:10,000.00 USD Estimated At:20,000.00 - 30,000.00 USD
Important Colt Single Action with Wild West History
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Factory letter states that this Colt left the factory as a .44 Russian caliber revolver with a 5 ?” barrel, blue finish, stocks: not listed, shipped to Iver Johnson Sporting Goods, Boston, Massachusetts. Shipped in a shipment of 1 gun on April 3, 1905. Included with this revolver is an important and very detailed letter from famed Colt historian, author and expert R.L. Wilson. Mr. Wilson’s letter states “the author has carefully and thoroughly examined Single Action Army number 257802, and in his opinion, the original factory finish is the same as on the gun at present: silver-plated, with gold plated hammer, cylinder, trigger and cylinder pin. Further, the mother-of-pearl grips are perfectly fitted, and appear also to be of the original date of manufacture. The writer has occasionally observed instances in which the Colt factory ledgers had an erroneous entry, and this certainly appears to be the case with number 257802.” It goes on to explain that there are only 154 Colt Single Actions made in the highly desirable caliber of .44 Russian. The author also regards the holster and cartridge belt to be original to the weapon. The Colt’s lineage includes a stint with a performer with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West with traceable ownership to G.H. Howatt of Winthrop, Mass who obtained the Colt from the reported Wild West performer in the early 1920s. The gun shows heavy use but being well cared for, and has retained approximately 70% silver finish with gold in protected areas. The 2 pc. Ivory grips do appear to be later replacements and have Colt medallions. The flashy frontier style rig is adorned with brass studs, mother-of-pearl and bone rings of varying sizes, leather and braided horsehair tassels and fringe.