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LOT 1287
Exceptional U.S. Navy
Contract Colt Model 1900
Sight Safety Semi-Automatic
Pistol - Serial no. 1138, 38 Colt
auto cal., 6 inch round bbl., blue
finish, walnut grips. Shipped on
22 October 1900, this pistol falls in the middle shipment of Model 1900 “sight safety” pistols sent from Colt to the
U.S. government general storekeeper at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Colt produced only 250 of these scarce pistols under
contract for the United States Navy, all of which were shipped in the fall of 1900. These automatic pistols were the
pinnacle of firearms technology at the time and were ordered by the navy to test the feasibility of the automatic pistol
as a seafaring weapon. The left side of the slide carries the two-line “BROWNING’S PATENT” marking and the two-line Colt
address arranged in two blocks, with the circled Rampant Colt following behind the serrations, which are at the rear of the
slide. The right side of the slide is marked with the “AUTOMATIC COLT/CALIBRE 38 RIMLESS SMOKELESS” caliber designation.
The right side of the frame is marked with Colt’s production serial number, which ran from 1001 to 1250 for the contract. The
left side of the frame bears the U.S. Navy inventory number “U.S.N. 138”, these numbers corresponding to the serial numbers,
ran from U.S.N. 1 to U.S.N. 250. The left side of the trigger guard has the “B” inside a triangle proof and the right side has the
iconic trident navy inspection mark. The pistol is fitted with a blade front sight and notch rear sight in its original “sight safety”
configuration, a checkered spur hammer, a pair of smooth walnut grips, and a full nickel magazine marked “PAT’D SEPT.9.1884”
on the base.
CONDITION: Excellent, retains 95% plus of the bright, original, high polish blue finish, 95% of the vivid original case colors,
and 90% of the original nitre blue with some light scratches and dings scattered throughout. The grips are very fine with
numerous scattered minor dings and scratches throughout. Mechanically excellent.
Provenance: The Dr. Robert Azar Collection; Property of a Gentleman.
Estimate: 20,000 - 30,000
According to "U.S. Military Automatic
Pistols 1894-1920" by Meadows, only
250 Colt Model 1900 "Sight Safety"
Semi-Automatic pistols were produced
for U.S. Navy contract.
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