Page 126 - 4092-BOOK1-FLIPBOOK
P. 126
124
LOT 115
Extraordinary “Loan Account” Shipped Cuno Helfricht Factory Master Deluxe Engraved Colt First Generation Single Action Army Revolver with Steer Head Carved Grip and Factory Letter - Serial no. 311401, 45 Colt cal., 5 1/2 inch round bbl., nickel finish, antique ivory grips. While many famous figures carried factory engraved Colt Single Action Revolvers in the late 19th century and early 20th century, by even the most liberal estimates, only 4,500 out of 357,859 or around 1.26% of the total First Generation Colt Single Action Army Revolvers manufactured were engraved. They are among the most desirable of all collectible firearms, especially examples executed personally by Colt Master Engraver Cuno Helfricht such as this high condition example with additional special order features such as the beautiful steer head carved grip on this revolver. The factory letter lists this beautiful Colt Single Action Army Revolver in .45 caliber with a 5 1/2 inch barrel, nickel finish, factory engraving, and the antique ivory grip. The revolver was the sole gun of this type in a shipment on the Loan Account sent to Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co. in Chicago, Illinois, on February 28, 1910. The revolver was returned on April 14, 1910, and the final disposition of the revolver and the carving were not mentioned in the records. The revolver was clearly sent to Chicago for promotional purposes given it was shipped on the Loan Account and returned to the factory. At the time, Chicago was the second largest city in the country and fifth largest in the entire world and was growing fast, and Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co. were among the largest hardware retailers. They trademarked the True Value brand still widely seen across the country today.