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Brig Pemberton purchased this revolver from Peter Harvey in December 1985. The 1988 factory letter lists this revolver in .38/40 with a
4 3/4 inch barrel, nickel finish, factory engraving, and the type of stock not listed when shipped to Wolf & Klar in Fort Worth, Texas,
on April 15, 1922, as the only gun of this type in the shipment. The revolver features highly attractive factory scroll and floral
engraving without backgrounds creating a lighter feel to the engraving. The engraving was likely performedby Wilbur
Glahn who was the master factory engraver at Colt in 1919-1950. The engraving has similarities with other
Glahn engraved Colts. The revolver features a blade front sight, the one-line barrel address, “38 W.C.F.” on
the left side of the barrel at the breech, the two-line patent marking and Rampant Colt trademark
on the left side of the frame, “3” and the “VP” proof on the left side of the trigger guard, the
matching serial number on the bottom of the frame and the right side of the grip straps, the
partial matching serial number “3042” on the back of the cylinder, assembly number “933”
on the loading gate, and a pair of dots on the right rear of the frame. The grips are pearl and
have “VIII” on the back and a carved long horn steer head on the right panel with inlaid eyes.
The back strap is inscribed “RALPH V. HITCHCOCK/A FRIEND YOU CAN HITCH TO” along the back
and “FROM WALTER B. SCOTT/FORT WORTH TEXAS” on the butt, and the front strap is inscribed
“MARCH 10 1933 COME AGAIN.” The revolver is featured on page 563 of
“The Colt Engraving Book Volume Two” by Wilson who notes
“Single Action number 343042 shipped in April of 1922; given
on March 10th 1933 by Walter B. Scott, an attorney with an
office on the 12th floor of the Sinclair Building, Fifth and Main
Streets, in downtown Fort Worth, Texas, to Ralph V. Hitchcock...”
Ralph Vincent Hitchcock was the son of Dr. Charles F. Hitchcock of Sodus,
New York, and first married Isabelle Mary Betts, the only daughter of Charles
H. and Albertine Rogers Betts, in 1926. Her father worked to compile the
Betts-Roosevelt Letters from his correspondence with Theodore Roosevelt
prior to his suicide in 1929. Hitchcock studied at the University of Michigan in
1922-1924 and then worked as an account executive at Albert Frank & Company
where he worked with Elliott Roosevelt. Hitchcock received the position of
manager of the commercial department in Kelly, Nason & Roosevelt, Inc. in
1931. The company, formerly Tucker Agency, Inc. reformed that year with John
C. Kelly as president, Elliott Roosevelt as vice president, and James R.P. Nason
as treasurer. The two friends were thus well enmeshed prior to heading to the
West following Franklin Roosevelt’s first inauguration on March 4.
As the son of the president, Roosevelt’s travels received considerable press
attention, including rumors of his romantic ties to “society girl” Ruth Googins
of Fort Worth. As his companion, Hitchcock naturally also received his share
of attention in many of the articles. The press coverage of their adventures
provides insight into the circumstances of the presentation of the
revolver to Hitchcock. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram provided the
best coverage. On Saturday March 11, 1933, the paper noted that
Elliott Roosevelt and Hitchcock had left Washington at 11 a.m. on
Wednesday and drove in a small coupe non-stop to Little Rock.
Eleanor Roosevelt’s diary recorded their departure: “8:30 a.m.
breakfast & saw Elliott & Ralph Hitchcock off for the West in
a Plymouth roadster packed with bags so the top couldn’t
close! What a gamble it is, I wish I felt
surer of Elliott.”
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