2030

U.S. Colt Army Model 1901 Double Action Revolver with Factory Letter, Holster, Belt, and WWI Service

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:600.00 USD Estimated At:1,600.00 - 2,500.00 USD
U.S. Colt Army Model 1901 Double Action Revolver with Factory Letter, Holster, Belt, and WWI Service
The included Colt factory letter confirms the serial number, caliber, and finish, with the type of stocks not listed. The letter states that the revolver was sold to the U..S. Government, shipped to the Commanding Officer, Presidio of San Francisco, California, on November 8, 1901, and was part of a 160 gun shipment. According to the consignor, this revolver belonged to 1st Lieutenant Henry Stewart Price of the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War I and a graduate from Princeton University (1916) and Lehigh University (1917) with a background in civil engineering. Included are scanned copies of Price's service records. Price was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant on July 26, 1917, U.S.R. Signal Corps and called to active service on August 4, 1917. He attended officer training school at Camp Alfred Vail, Little Silver, New Jersey and would become the Adjutant of Divisional Signal School, 81st Division, in charge of Radio Telegraphy training. In August 1918, Price would arrive in France as part of the AEF and would continue teaching courses for the Signal Corps. From October 20 to November 3, 1918, he inspected radio communications at the front (Argonne Sector) and would return to teach for the Signal Corps and to become a student at Sorbonne University where he was enrolled in Signal Corps radio engineering coursework. Price was honorably discharged on July 30, 1919. Also included are a few scanned photographs from Price's collection. The revolver has the two line Hartford address/patent dates (1884-1895) marking with "COLT D.A. 38" on the left side and a "P" and "RAC" on the underside. The left side of the frame is marked with the inspector initials "RAC". The rear cylinder face has "RAC", "C" and "P". The number "9452" is stamped on the frame, crane, and cylinder release, with a four digit number crossed out on the crane and the letter "K" on the cylinder release and crane. The butt with a lanyard ring has the U.S./model marking over "No / 169 / 452". Smooth walnut grips with "6 BY.NY." (double stamped) on the left panel and "122" on the left panel and "RAC" marked on the bottoms. Complete with a Rock Island Arsenal marked and 1909 dated "US" brown leather flap holster (HEK inspector initials) with brown leather belt.
BBL: 6 inch round
Stock:
Gauge: 38 long Colt
Finish: blue
Grips: walnut
Serial Number: 169452
Condition: Excellent. The pistol retains 95% original blue finish with some thinning to a brown patina and some minor edge wear. The grips are very fine with some minor handling marks. The holster and belt and very good with minor handling marks and flex wear. The stitching is tight.