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According to "The 36 Calibers of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver" by Brown, only 122 Colt Single Action Flattop Target revolvers were produced in .38 Colt.
LOT 141
Outstanding, Historic, Documented Albert Foster Jr. Colt New York Office Shipped Antique Black Powder Frame Colt Flattop Target Model Single Action Army Revolver with Factory Letter Photographed in “The Wm. M. Locke Collection” by Sellers - Serial no. 162902, 38 Colt cal., 7 1/2 inch round bbl., blue finish, hard rubber grips. Manufactured in 1895, this revolver was held in the factory warehouse for an extended amount of time before eventually being shipped in 1909.
It is one of approximately only 925 Flattop Target Model Single Action Army revolvers produced. Only 122 of these rare and desirable standard frame, flattop revolvers were chambered in .38 Colt (see David Brown’s “The 36 Calibers of the Colt Single Action Army,” page 170). The included factory letter confirms the Target Model configuration, the serial number, .38 Colt caliber, 7 1/2 inch barrel, blue finish, does not list the grips, and lists shipment to Albert Foster Jr. at the Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Co. New York office on 4 November 1909 as a single gun shipment. Albert Foster Jr. became an executive at Colt around 1909, a position he held until the 1940s, amassing a large collection of firearms during the time. Interestingly, Foster may have acquired at least two other Single Action Army revolvers in this configuration, as we have previously cataloged serial number 162894, which was shipped to him on 9 February 1911 in a two gun shipment. On p. 121 “A Study of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver” by Graham, Kopec, and Moore, they note that three other Flattop Target models in the 316700-317000 serial number range were shipped to Foster in 1911, who appears to have had a preference for the rare model. It is believed that even though many of these revolvers have an antique black powder frame, they were assembled when Foster ordered them in the early 1900s. When Foster died in the late 1940s, his collection of over 1,000 firearms was marketed and sold by James Severn through a Catalogue in 1948. It is believed that
this revolver was acquired by the legendary collector, William M. Locke,
at that time. This specific revolver is pictured and described on p. 175
of “The Wm. M Locke Collection” by Sellers. The revolver itself has the
distinctive flat top strap with dovetail mounted target rear sight and
block mounted front sight with adjustable nickel silver blade. The top of
the barrel is marked with the standard one line address and “38 COLT.”
on the left. The left of the frame has the standard two-line patent marking followed by the circled Rampant Colt. The left of the trigger guard has the Colt verified proof and “W” assembly mark that is believed to indicate early 1900s assembly. Matching serial numbers are visible on the bottom of the frame, trigger guard, and back strap, with “28” assembly number marked inside the loading gate. It is fitted with a pair of checkered hard rubber grips with Rampant Colts at the tops.