2042

RARE AND EXCEPTIONAL ENGRAVED ETCHED PANEL COLT FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER.

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:25,000.00 USD Estimated At:50,000.00 - 75,000.00 USD
RARE AND EXCEPTIONAL ENGRAVED ETCHED PANEL COLT FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER.
SN 92101. Cal .44 WCF (44-40). Nickel finish with 4-3/4" bbl, nearly full front sight and 2-line address with "COLT. FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER" etched panel on the left side. Left side of frame has 3-line patent dates and left front web of trigger guard is marked "44 CF". Trigger, screws and base pin are fire blued and hammer is color case hardened, which is the normal configuration for early factory, nickeled Single Actions. Accompanied by a Colt Factory letter which identifies this revolver in Cal. 44-40 with 4-3/4" bbl, finish "soft", type of stock not listed, and shipped to Hartley & Graham, NY, NY on March 5, 1883 in a 10 gun shipment. Under remarks the letter states that the word "soft" indicates the frame and gate were not case hardened when shipped from the factory, left in soft condition for engraving outside the factory. Revolver is engraved in New York style from the L. D. Nimschke shop with about 60% coverage foliate arabesque patterns with fine pearled background. Matching engraving patterns extend up both sides of the bbl, surrounding the etched panel and were obviously engraved after the panel was originally applied. Top of the backstrap is engraved in a foliate fan pattern. Cylinder is engraved with matching patterns on lands between the flutes and has a small punch dot fluer-de-lis behind each flute, with a very fine zig-zag border around the rear edge. Mounted with Hartley & Graham supplied thick, 2-pc pearl grips that have a very deep carved ox head on the right side that is fitted with gold bezels around diamond eyes. This is one of the finest engraved black powder, etched panel Single Actions known and certainly the finest this cataloger has ever had the privilege to examine. CONDITION: Very fine, all external serial numbers match. Overall retains most of its strong, bright nickel finish with only slight muzzle end wear and a small spot of pitting on the right front end of the top strap. Cylinder retains approximately 95% strong orig nickel with losses mostly from the front face and front edge with some very fine flaking elsewhere. Screws and base pin retain most of their orig blue. Trigger retains strong fire blue on sides and rear edge and the hammer, strong case colors on the sides and rear edge with the top edge turned silver. Grips are outstanding with no visible flaws and show great fire. Mechanics are crisp, strong bore with sharp rifling, frosty in the grooves. A truly exceptional etched panel Single Action that very likely was special ordered for someone of importance on the American frontier. 4-49402 JR307