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LOT 3348
Very Fine San Francisco,
California, Shipped Colt
Government Model Semi-
Automatic Pistol with Factory
Letter - Serial no. C5237, 45 ACP cal., 5 inch round bbl., blue finish,
checkered walnut grips. Manufactured early in 1913, the second year
of production for Colt’s commercial Government Model pistol with
an approximate serial number range of C1900 to C5399. The included
factory letter confirms the pistol’s configuration, including a five inch barrel
chambered for .45 caliber, blue finish, and types of grips not listed when
included in a shipment of two pistols sent to the Golcher Brothers of San
Francisco, California, on August 29, 1913. Features fixed oval blade front and
rounded notch rear sights, a replacement blued barrel with inspector “P”
stamp visible on the unpolished blued chamber hood, a smooth long trigger,
flat smooth mainspring housing with lanyard loop, along with a niter blued
checkered slide stop, magazine release, thumb safety, and wide hammer. The left side of the
slide bears the two-line, two-block Colt address and patent markings with uncircled Rampant Colt behind the slide
serrations, along with the caliber marking on the right. The frame is marked with “triangle/VP” and “R” on the left of
the trigger guard, along with “GOVERNMENT MODEL” and serial number marked on the right side. Fitted with a pair
of checkered “double diamond” walnut grips and a two-tone magazine with pinned baseplate.
CONDITION: Very fine, retaining 80% plus original blue and 60% plus original niter blue finishes with scattered light
edge wear, light thinning on the grip straps with grey patina, scattered minor spots of spotting/freckling, and minor
handling marks. The grips are fine with minor handling wear in the otherwise crisp checkering. Mechanically fine.
Provenance: The Charles Marx Collection.
Estimate: 2,500 - 4,000
LOT 3347
Scarce Colt Model 1900 Commercial “Sight
Safety” Semi-Automatic Pistol - Serial no. 1470,
38 Colt Auto cal., 6 inch round bbl., blue finish, smooth walnut grips. This is
a unaltered Colt “Sight Safety” Model 1900 semi-automatic pistol that was manufactured
in 1902. The Model 1900 was the very first Colt semi-automatic pistol produced, with
only 3300 “Civilian” models being manufactured from 1900-1903. This pistol employed
a unique mechanism in that the rear sight functioned as the safety. You would have the
rear sight in the up position to fire it and push it down and it would function as a firing pin
block. Although they proved to be a huge success because it demonstrated a very desirable
technological upgrade (semi-automatic functioning), they were not well liked as the cartridge
proved to have marginal stopping power. The right side of the slide is marked “AUTOMATIC
COLT/CALIBER 38 RIMLESS SMOKELESS” and the left side is marked “”BROWNING’S PATENT” COLTS PATENT FIRE
ARMS MFG. CO./PAT’D APRIL 20. 1897. HARTFORD CONN. U.S.A.” with the circled Rampant Colt on the rear portion
of the slide behind the serrations. Casehardened flat spur hammer, niter blued trigger and magazine release. The
magazine is nickel plated and is marked on the floorplate, PAT’D SEPT.91884. It is fitted with the standard Colt
factory smooth walnut grips with the brass escutcheons. Slide number matches the frame.
CONDITION: Fine with 40% of the bright original blue remaining overall, showing an even general wear overall, with
the wear being on the radius of the side of the slides, the front edges, with a larger spot of blue loss visible on the
left side with the overall balance turning a brown patina. The frame shows wear on the back strap and the front grip
strap. The markings are clear and sharp overall. The refurbished grips are very good with a nice even brown finish
showing numerous light handling marks. The case colors have faded to a silvery hue. Mechanically fine.
Estimate: 4,500 - 6,500
LOT 3349
Very Fine Colt Model 1902 Military Semi-
Automatic Pistol - Serial no. 32894, 38 ACP cal.,
6 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened finish, hard
rubber grips. Manufactured in 1909. Features oval blade front and rounded notch
rear sights, early production mirror polish blue finish, a casehardened and checkered
spurred hammer which is consistently found on pistols over serial number 33,000, the
two-line, two block Colt patent dates and address on the left of the slide and caliber
designation on the right, checkered slide stop, the serial number on the left of the frame,
“triangle/VP” and “W” marked on the left of the trigger guard, and a lanyard loop on the
lower left side of the grip frame. Fitted with a pair of Colt banner and circled Rampant
Colt marked checkered hard rubber grips and a later production replacement “MIL/COLT/
CAL.38” marked blued magazine.
CONDITION: Fine, retaining 60% plus bright original high-polish blue finish and 75% case colors on the
hammer with light edge wear, thinning on the grip straps with some visible silvering along with grey and
brown patinas, some minor patches of visible freckling/spotting, and some light handling marks. The grips are
also fine with defined logos and checkering. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 2,750 - 4,250
LOT 3350
Attractive Pre-World War I Colt
Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless
Semi-Automatic Pistol with Box
- Serial no. 142718, 32 ACP cal., 3
13/16 inch round bbl., blue finish,
hard rubber grips. Manufactured in
1913, features fixed oval blade front
and rounded notch rear sights, an
unmarked blued barrel, two-line, two-
block Colt patent dates and address
on the left of the slide with Rampant
Colt behind the serrations, and caliber
designation on the right of the slide.
The left of the frame bears the serial
number, with “triangle/VP” and “R”
marked on the left of the trigger guard.
Fitted with a pair of correct early pattern
Colt banner and Rampant Colt with stylized
“C” marked checkered hard rubber grips
and an unmarked blued magazine. Includes
an un-numbered Colt maroon box with
appropriate end label and a bore brush.
CONDITION: Excellent, retaining 90% plus bright original high polish blue finish with some minor edge wear,
some minor thinning on the grip straps with visible brown patina, and minor handling marks. The grips are
also excellent with crisp logos and defined checkering. Mechanically excellent. The box is fine.
Estimate: 2,000 - 3,500