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LOT 157
Exceptional and Scarce Pre-War Colt Single
Action Army Revolver in .38 Colt with Factory Letter - Serial no. 351745, 38 Colt cal., 7 1/2
inch round bbl., blue/casehardened finish, black hard rubber grips. This excellent Colt Single Action
Army revolver manufactured in 1929. The revolver is accompanied by a Colt factory letter that confirms the configuration. The letter states that this revolver was shipped to the L.S. Knoek Company
in Hartford, Connecticut, as a one gun shipment on March 6, 1929. The revolver has the pre-war commercial blue finish on the barrel,
cylinder, trigger guard and back strap. The frame, loading lever and hammer have a color casehardened finish. The two-piece black hard rubber
grips are checkered and have the Rampant Colt trademark in an oval. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped “COLT”S PT.F.A.MFG.Co. HARTFORD CT. U.S.A.” in one line. “38 COLT” is roll-stamped on the left side of the barrel. The left side of the frame is roll-stamped with the “Three-Dates/Two-Line” patent markings followed by the Rampant Colt trademark. The left side of the trigger guard bow is stamped with a “3” assembler’s mark above the
Colt “Triangle/VP” proofmark. The loading gate is stamped with the assembly number “964”. The serial number
is stamped on the bottom of the frame and on the right side of the trigger guard and back strap beneath the
grips. “45” is stamped on the rear face of the matching cylinder. The full serial number is also scratched on the inside of both grips. 1929 was the last year that the Single Action Army revolver was chambered for the .38 Colt cartridge. Only 1,365 Colt Single Action revolvers were chambered for .38 Colt between 1922 and 1929.
CONDITION: Excellent. The revolver retains 97% of the original blue and 90% casehardened finish with only very minor storage wear. The grips are also in excellent condition. The markings are crisp. Mechanically excellent. This is an exceptional example of a scarce .38 Colt caliber Pre-war Colt Single Action Army revolver.
Estimate: 6,500 - 9,500
LOT 158
Excellent Documented
Factory Employee Sold and Shipped Colt Pre-War/ Post-War World War II Single
Action Army Revolver with Original Box and Factory Letter - Serial no. 357666, 38 Special cal., 5 1/2 inch round bbl.,
blue/casehardened finish, plastic grips. A scarce pre-war/post war Single Action Army revolver chambered in .38 Special,
which had its serial number factory applied in 1940 and was assembled and sold after the end of World War II. The pre-
war/post-war SAAs are found in the 356,000 and 357,000 serial number range. Based on
research by author Don Wilkerson presented on page 28 in “Colt’s Single Action Army
Revolver Pre-War Post-War Model”, a total of only 163 pre-war/post-war revolvers were
built in this configuration, with the majority being assembled between 1947 and 1948 in small batches produced two to three days a week only for a few months out of the year. At the time, the revolvers were assembled either directly by or under the supervision of master gunsmith Harry St. John, with those assembled or inspected by him marked with a “F” on
the left rear triggerguard bow as is the case with this example. The included factory letter confirms the current configuration as chambered for .38 Special with 5 1/2 inch barrel, blue finish, and rubber stocks when shipped to Del Shorb of West Hartford, Connecticut, on October 18, 1965. Delburt “Del” E. Shorb was a Navy veteran
of the Korean War, who subsequently worked for Colt and Smith & Wesson over a 28 year career before retiring as vice president of international sales of the latter. Standard marking and features, with assembly number “484” on the loading gate and rear of the frame. Matching serial numbers are on the frame, both grip straps, and the inside of both grip panels. Includes original Colt box with matching test target and factory packing list invoiced to D. E. Shorb.
CONDITION: Excellent plus overall, retaining 99% of original blue and 98% plus original vivid casehardened finishes, with light handling evidence and some fading on
the front of the frame and loading gate. The box is fine with scattered tears, scuffs on exterior, and end label complete. Mechanically excellent. 144 Estimate: 8,500 - 13,000
According to "The Book of Colt Firearms", only 1,365 Colt Single Actions were produced in .38 Colt between 1922 and 1929.