2049

RARE EXTREMELY EARLY ENGRAVED RIMFIRE COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER.

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:13,750.00 USD Estimated At:27,500.00 - 37,500.00 USD
RARE EXTREMELY EARLY ENGRAVED RIMFIRE COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER.
SN 1891. Cal .44 RF Henry. Nickel finish with 7-1/2" bbl, altered front sight and 1-line block letter address. Left side of frame has 3-line patent dates and left front web of trigger guard is marked "44 CAL". It is mounted with wonderful, old 1-pc ivory grip that has a raised, carved Mexican eagle on the right side. Revolver is engraved in New York style with about 50% coverage foliate arabesque patterns that have fine pearled background. Top strap is engraved in light foliate patterns with diamond and dot patterns on each side of the bbl boss. Left side of the base pin boss and right side of the ejector boss along with the trigger bow are engraved in fine hunters stars. Foliate arabesque patterns extend up both sides of the bbls with geometric patterns on both sides of address and towards front sight, terminating in a fluer-de-lis. The first type ejector housing has been converted to 2nd type, has bull's eye ejector rod head and is engraved in a snake pattern in the top gullet and leaf patterns on the outer radius. Top of the back strap is engraved in a starburst pattern and had a light zig-zag pattern down the backstrap and buttstrap with also a small fleur-de-lis at the heel pan & the buttstrap. Cylinder is engraved with foliate arabesque patterns on the lands between the flutes. Base pin is orig type with dimpled ends. Bottom of bbl, under ejector housing has last three digits of matching serial number, also added text. This revolver is pictured on p. 277 of Colt Engraving, Wilson, accompanied by a wonderful studded period dbl loop holster. The caption states that it was shipped March 1880 to Hartley & Graham, New York, NY, bbl length & stocks not listed. Mr. Wilson states that it was engraved & finished on Hartley & Graham order and fitted with the Mexican eagle grips. He was unable to specifically identify the engraver. Caption credits the Tom Seymour Collection. According to various publications including The Book of Colt Firearms, Wilson and Colt Peacemaker Encyclopedia, Cochran there were 1,863 Colt Single Action revolvers produced in 44 rimfire caliber in which case this revolver is 28 numbers higher than the last one listed, making it possibly the last 44 rimfire produced. Accompanied by a Colt factory letter which identifies this revolver in 44 rimfire with 7-1/2" bbl, blue finish, type of stocks not listed and shipped to Hartley & Graham, New York, NY on March 20, 1880 in a 10-gun shipment. When the 44 rimfire was introduced in 1875 the cartridge was already obsolete and was not pursued by the buying public. Colt, being the enterprising company they were, made arraignments to ship the majority of the production run to Mexico and South America where the Henry and Winchester Model 1866 rifles and carbines were still in active use. The vast majority of those revolvers returned from Mexico and South America have usually been found to be in less than desirable condition with a majority of them having had their bbls cut. Very few are known to be engraved. PROVENANCE: The Tom Seymour Collection. CONDITION: Fair and all matching. Overall retains traces of orig nickel finish, approximately 20% being mostly a very worn dark, plummy brown patina with scattered rust spotting. Both sides of the muzzle edge shows long & hard wear. Most of the screws are fine and may be old replacements. Cylinder shows equal hard wear and matching patina. Grip has losses on the left front and right rear edges that correspond to heavy rust on the front and back straps. Grip shows heavy wear and retains a wonderful golden ivory patina. Hammer is not solid in safety or half cock notches, otherwise mechanics are fine. Dark bore with god rifling with moderate to heavy pitting. 4-49407 JR312