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The best of the best firearms engravers hold a special place in
the hearts of collectors of fine arms in the same way other artists
captivate the fine art world. In the mid to late 19th century Gustave
Young and L. D. Nimschke come to mind, and in the early 20th
century, there was no one more talented than Rudolph J. Kornbrath
(1877-1946). He remains among the most highly respected
firearms engravers in history thanks to both his own incredible
work and his influence on the following generation of engravers.
He was born in the famous gunmaker town of Ferlach, Austria,
and trained in Europe before settling in Hartford, Connecticut, in
1910. He quickly earned a reputation for excellence, cutting both
exceptional scrollwork and detailed game scenes, monograms,
and more. The scrollwork on this revolver demonstrates his talents
beautifully, featuring complex foliate scrollwork with textured
backgrounds. He was an independent engraver commissioned by
Colt, Griffin & Howe, and other firms. Joseph Fugger worked for
Kornbrath after emigrating in 1924, and his work as well as Winston
Churchill’s exhibit clear influences from Kornbrath, and he remains
an inspiration to many of the artists working today. Unfortunately,
his career was cut short when he suffered from a stroke in 1937,
and very few Colt Single Action Army revolvers were engraved by
Kornbrath making the few available particularly valuable.
The revolver is expertly decorated in Kornbrath’s characteristic
scrollwork in style “C” coverage. The scrollwork overlaps from
the frame onto the grip straps. Even the screws are engraved.
Noted firearms collector Jonathan Peck purchased this revolver
from a friend at a TGCA show in Dallas. It was Peck’s friend who
commissioned Alvin A. White to carve the pearl grips with a Texas
star, a fitting tribute to a Peacemaker originally shipped to the Lone
Star State. In the center of the raised relief star is a gold medallion
that reads “STATE OF TEXAS” with a star in the center. These grips
have remained on the gun ever since. A set of non-matching period
hard rubber grips, the type of stocks called out in the factory letter,
are included. Matching serial numbers are marked on the frame
and under the right grip. The assembly number “92” is marked on
the loading gate and on the rear of the frame. The barrel has the
standard blade front sight, the two-line Hartford address on top,
and “COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY .45” on the left. The frame has
the two-line patent marking and Rampant Colt trademark on the
left. The left side of the trigger guard has a “4” and the “VP” proof.
The restored period correct Colt factory box lacks a visible serial
number. The end label is correct for a 4 3/4 inch Single Action Army.
The box also features an additional “ENGRAVED” end label, and
contains a spare pair of checkered hard rubber grips.