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LOT 83
Desirable Documented Factory Engraved Abercrombie & Fitch Shipped
Pre-World War II Colt Single Action Army Revolver with Ivory Grips and
Factory Letter, Photographed in “A Study of the Colt Single Action Army”
- Serial no. 348033, 38-40 WCF cal., 7 1/2 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened
finish, ivory grips. Manufactured in 1925. The included factory letter states the
revolver was shipped to Abercrombie & Fitch Co. of New York City on January 4,
1926 with a 7 1/2 inch barrel in .38-40 caliber, and blue finish. This was a single
gun shipment. An unusual variation of Colt’s factory engraving. Only the barrel,
cylinder and backstrap are factory engraved. There are several known instances
where the renowned firm of Abercrombie & Fitch, upon customer request at
the time of purchase, returned Single Actions from their new revolver inventory
to Colt’s to be engraved. Colt naturally honored these requests, but the Single
Action frames being previously casehardened permitted only blued areas of those
revolvers to be engraved. Serial number 348033 was reshipped, this time factory
engraved, to Abercrombie and Fitch on June 4, 1926. This sparse engraving,
disregarding the lack of frame coverage, is Colt’s “A” style pattern. This particular
Colt is photographed in a full color spread in the well known “A study of the Colt
Single Action Revolver” by Graham, Kopec and Moore, (see color plate XI). The
authors’ description mentions factory engraving at time of re-shipment on June
4, 1926, also that there are several known Abercrombie & Fitch shipped Colts that
were returned and engraved on blued parts only. The casehardened frames were
left un-engraved due to their hardened state. Formerly in the Mel Torme Collection
and a Fine Collector’s Grade Colt featured in the major work on single actions.
The top of the barrel is marked with the one line Hartford address, the left side is
marked “38 W.C.F.” and the left side of the frame is marked with the two line, three
patent dates followed by the Rampant Colt, blade front and “v” notch rear sights,
the serial number is marked on the bottom of the frame and twice under the right
grip, 7 1/2 inch barrel, blue and casehardened finish, factory ivory grips with inlaid
silver Colt medallions. The rear face of the cylinder is stamped “38” which is five
numbers away from the revolver.
As pictured and described in A Study
of the Colt Single Action Revolver by
Graham, Kopec, & Moore