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LOT 3085
Documented One and Only Factory Nickel and Pearl Stocked Antique Black Powder Colt Single Action Army Revolver in Highly Desirable .44 Henry Rimfire with Holster and Factory Letter - Serial no. 1638, 44 rimfire cal., 7 1/2 inch round bbl., nickel finish, pearl grips. Offered here is a highly sought after Colt Single Action Army Revolver chambered for the .44 Rimfire cartridge that is becoming increasing difficult to find no matter the condition. This SAA is one of only 1,863 Colt chambered in .44 Rimfire, making it a highly prized collectible of legendary Colt heritage. Adding to its rarity and desirability is that it is the only .44 Rimfire SAA to leave the Colt factory with nickel finish and pearl grips. Colt introduced its SAA .44 Rimfire series in 1875. These revolvers were serial numbered in their own range from 1 to 1863 and were manufactured for approximately five years. Colt sold most of the .44 RF production to South and Central America due to a limited acceptance on the American market where they saw hard and abusive use. Moreover, the 7 1/2 inch barrel was not well received, and most specimens that have found their way back to the United States generally have a shortened barrel. From about 1888 to 1890 the Colt factory converted 107 of the .44 Rimfire revolvers to .22 Rimfire. Finding a SAA in original 7 1/2 inch barrel, .44 RF configuration in any condition is rarely encountered. Finding the only one in a certain configuration is nearly impossible.
The accompanying factory letter states the revolver was shipped to
A. Baldwin & Co. of New Orleans, Louisiana, on January 29, 1887 and
confirms the one-of-a-kind features of a 7 1/2 inch barrel in .44 Rimfire,
nickel finish, and pearl grips. This was a single gun shipment. In “The
Official Record of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver, 1873-1895”
the authors accounted for only one factory nickel plated, 7 1/2 inch barrel,
pearl stocked SAA in .44 Rimfire (page 385 and 386). Their research is recounted in the
article “Colt’s Single Action Army Revolvers Serial Numbered in the Rim Fire Series” presented
in the fall 2000 issue of The Rampant Colt (issue included) on pages 6-12 where this revolver
is cited as the only factory example in this configuration on page 9.
The revolver has the original and distinctive hammer with rimfire firing pin secured by two
pins and a rectangular hammer slot in the frame. The barrel has the one-line Hartford address
on top, the frame has the three-line patent dates marking on the left side, and the trigger guard has “44 CAL” stamped on the left side. The ejector rod has a bullseye head. Matching serial numbers are on the frame, trigger guard, back strap, cylinder (“638”), barrel (“638”), and both grip panels (full serial number in pencil). Includes an attractive tooled leather slim Jim holster.
CONDITION: Very good as a one-of-a-kind Colt SAA displaying a gray patina associated with a well traveled sidearm with 20% original nickel plating remaining in and around the sheltered areas. The grips are fine with slight surface chipping and attractive appearance. Mechanically excellent. The holster is fine. A true rarity in Colt collecting this one and only factory nickel and pearl stocked .44 RF SAA is well deserving of the finest collection. A must have for the serious Colt collector! Provenance: The TTT Collection.
Estimate: 18,000 - 25,000
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