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LOT 3459
Exceptional First Year Production U.S. Colt Model 1911
Semi-Automatic Pistol - Serial no.
13602, 45 ACP cal., 5 inch round bbl.,
blue finish, walnut grips. Manufactured
in 1912, the first official year of production for the U.S. contract
Colt Model 1911 pistol. It is listed on p. 514 of “U.S. Military Automatic Pistols: 1894-1920”
by Meadows as being included in a 500 gun shipment to Augusta Arsenal in Georgia on 15 November 1912. The serial number has the “No” (“o” underlined) prefix which began with serial number 4501. The left side of the frame has the U.S.
property marking and the “WGP” inspection mark. The later production replacement slide has the two-line, two-block patent dates (last date1911, making it only one year or less after the frame) and address on the left with the uncircled
Rampant Colt behind the slide serrations and the model and army nomenclature on the right. These early pistols saw heavy use and it is likely that this slide was replaced sometime during its service life. The blued barrel is marked “5” on the bottom and “H” on the rear edge
of the chamber hood. It has blade front and the correct early round-top notch rear sight which was phased out in 1913. It is fitted with a long smooth trigger, checkered slide release and thumb safety, short grip safety, wide checkered hammer, and a smooth straight mainspring housing with a lanyard
loop on the base. The grips are diamond pattern checkered and the two-tone magazine has a lanyard loop on the pinned base.
CONDITION: Extremely fine, retains 85% plus of the original high polish blue finish with a couple small patches thinned to a grey patina on the upper left of the slide showing some light surface pitting, some scattered light handling marks, and a light takedown mark on the left of the frame. The grips are very fine
with a few scattered minor blemishes in the otherwise crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent. Many of these early Colt 1911s saw hard use in World War I, leaving few high condition examples like this available to collectors!
Estimate: 7,500 - 12,000
LOT 3460
Excellent World War II 1941 Production
U.S. Colt Model 1911A1 Semi-Automatic Pistol - Serial no.
731057, 45 ACP cal., 5 inch round bbl., blue finish, plastic grips. Manufactured in 1941, the Robert Sears inspected Colts marked the transition point from Colt’s high polish blue to the parkerization treatment
that would become the standard for the rest of the war, with this example having received the blue finish before the
transition. Clawson’s “Colt .45 Service Pistols: Models of 1911 and 1911A1” lists this pistol in a shipment of 3,150 pistols on 28 June 1941, on p. 396. The left side of the matching numbered slide has the two-line, two-block, patent dates and address
with the Rampant Colt between, and the right side of the slide is correctly devoid of markings. The right side of the frame
has the U.S. property marking, serial number, and model designation, with “60” on the trigger guard. The left side of the frame has the boxed “R.S.” Robert Sears inspection mark, “P” proof, and “W” over “VP” proof on the
trigger guard. The top of the slide also has a “P” proof. The blued barrel is marked “COLT
45 AUTO” on the lower left, “P” on the left of the lug, and “G” on the bottom in front of the
lug. Fitted with blade and notch sights, wide checkered hammer, short checkered trigger,
long grip safety, arched checkered mainspring housing with a lanyard loop, a full blue “C-S” and “S” marked magazine, and a correct pair of “hollow-back” non-reinforced checkered plastic grips.
CONDITION: Excellent, retains 95% of the original blue finish with some very light edge wear and some scattered patches of light surface oxidation. The grips are excellent with a few scattered very light handling marks and crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 6,500 - 9,500
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