Page 273 - 4091-BOOK2

LOT 1342
Very Scarce Factory Engraved Colt New
Pocket .32 Double Action Revolver with Pearl Grips - Serial no. 26973, 32 S&W cal., 3 1/2 inch
round bbl., blue finish, pearl grips. This attractive factory engraved revolver was manufactured in 1905. On p. 370 of “The Book of Colt Firearms”, Sutherland and Wilson note that only 15 New Pocket model revolvers are listed in the factory ledgers as being factory engraved. They go on to note that these
revolvers displayed the typical contemporary engraving designs seen on other Colt revolvers at the time. Cuno A. Helfricht was the main master engraver at the time this revolver
was made. The engraving covers more than 75% of the surfaces including the sides of the frame, cylinder, and barrel, and it features mostly floral scroll on a punchdot background. The top of the barrel is marked with the standard
two-line address and patent dates, and the left side of the barrel is marked “FOR 32 S&W CTG.” in a banner. The left side of the frame is
marked with the Rampant Colt with “COLT’S” and “NEW POCKET” above and below it. The right rear of the trigger guard is marked with a
factory rework stamp. It is fitted with a blade front sight, groove rear sight, and a pair of smooth pearl grips. This revolver is accompanied by a
factory letter that indicates no information was available.
CONDITION: Very fine with 70% plus original blue finish, some fading to smooth gray and brown patina, minor cylinder drag lines, and generally minor handling and storage related wear. The grips are also very fine and have attractive natural colors and mild handling wear. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 4,500 - 6,500
According to Sutherland and Wilson in "The Book of Colt Firearms" only 15 Colt New Pocket Models are listed in the factory ledgers as being factory engraved.
LOT 1343
Documented Factory Engraved Colt Police Positive Special
Double Action Revolver with Pearl Grips and Factory Letter -
Serial no. 27595, 38 Special cal., 5 inch round bbl., blue finish, pearl
grips. The factory letter indicates that while no shipping data was
available for this revolver it was recorded in the production book
as a factory engraved revolver in .38 Special. The engraving is the
classic style used by Colt in this period and includes a reversed “C” shaped design around the “C” and Rampant Colt emblem on the left side of the frame, a flower head around the hammer screw head on the right side, scroll patterns with beaded backgrounds, “burst” style patterns on the front of the cylinder and frame, and wavy lines below the cylinder on the left. It is fitted with pearl grips.
CONDITION: Very fine with 80% plus original blue finish, some patches of brown patina, and
minor overall wear. The replacement grips are good and have mostly minor handling wear aside from some small chips on the right side. Mechanically functions, although stiff.
Estimate: 4,000 - 6,000
271