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LOT 3373
Historic Documented World War II U.S. Property
Marked Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless
Semi-Automatic General Officer’s Pistol Issued to
U.S. Army Major General Henry K. Kellogg with
Factory Letter - Serial no. 570708, 32 ACP cal., 3 7/8
inch round bbl., parkerized finish, walnut grips. The factory letter
lists this pistol in .32 caliber with a 3 3/4 inch barrel and blue
finish and has the type of stocks not listed. It indicates it was
one of 1,000 guns of this type sold to the U.S. Governmetnt and
shipped to the Transportation Officer at Springfield Armory for the
Commanding Officer on January 30, 1945, in factory order 4711.
This pistol is listed by serial number on page 69 of “The Colt U.S.
General Officer’s Pistol” by Greeley as issued in 1955, as well as on
page 152 of “The Colt Pocket Hammerless Automatic Pistols” by
Brunner further detailing the pistol as issued to “BG H. K. Kellogg”
on November 22, 1955. Retired as a Major General, Henry Kirksey
Kellogg (1900-1981) was a U.S. Army veteran officer of both World
War II and the Korean War, and was laid to rest at the Golden Gate
National Cemetery. Features fixed blade front and notch rear sights,
unmarked blued barrel with polished chamber hood, standard
two-line Colt address and patent dates on the left side of the slide
with caliber marking on the right side and matching serial number
on the interior, “U.S. PROPERTY” marking on the right of the frame
with “57” on the trigger guard, and the serial number on the left
of the frame with “triangle VP” and “X” marked on that side of the trigger guard. Fitted with a pair of
checkered walnut grips with silver Colt medallions and a blued magazine with “CAL.32/COLT” marked on
the underside of the floor plate. Includes an extra blued magazine with “CAL.32/COLT” on the underside
of the floor plate and a period photograph of Gen. Henry K. Kellogg.
CONDITION: Excellent as an issued General Officer’s pistol, retaining 97% plus original parkerized finish with limited minor edge wear, some
minor cycling wear, and limited handling marks. The grips are also excellent with well defined checkering.
Mechanically excellent. A benchmark example of a World War II production U.S. Colt General Officer’s pistol as
issued to a former U.S. Army Major General.
Estimate: 5,500 - 8,500
LOT 3372
Desirable and Very Scarce John S. Begley Inspected World War II Production U.S. Colt Model 1911A1
Semi-Automatic Pistol - Serial no. 2342471, 45 ACP cal., 5 inch round bbl., parkerized/blue finish, plastic grips.
Manufactured c. June to July 1945, after Brig. Gen. Guy H. Drewry was reassigned to Washington D.C. and John
S. Begley became the new District Chief and Army Inspector of Ordnance, with the last few thousand Colt M1911A1
pistols manufactured from then to the end of World War II in September 1945 bearing the scarce Begley “J.S.B.” inspector stamp on the frames. These pistols
fall into some of the last shipments of M1911A1 pistols sent out in the final months of the war, and are a difficult to find variation for the completionist collector
of Colt Model 1911 pistols. Features fixed blade front and notch rear sights, a replacement blued barrel marked “COLT 45 AUTO” on the left of the chamber with “P”
and squared “C” on the recoil lug, standard two-line, two-block address and patent dates and Rampant Colt on the
left of the slide with “P” on top, along with a checkered thumb safety, replacement slide stop, wide spur hammer,
short trigger, and a seven-rib serrated arched mainspring housing with lanyard loop at the bottom. The left of the
frame bears the John S. Begley “J.S.B.” inspector mark and “P” stamp, while the right side bears the serial number,
model, U.S. property markings, and “ordnance wheel” acceptance stamp. The left of the trigger guard is marked with
“1” over “triangle/VP” and “13” on the right side. Fitted with a pair of brown checkered plastic “Coltwood” grips and a
blued magazine marked “L” on top of the base and “C-L” on the underside.
CONDITION: Excellent, retaining 95% original parkerized and 80% plus original blue finish on the replacement barrel
with light cycling wear, some limited light holster type edge wear, some limited tiny patches of visible brown patina, a few light handling marks,
and clear markings. The grips are exceptionally fine with a few minor handling marks in the otherwise crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent.
Provenance: The Thomas Whiteman Collection.
Estimate: 9,500 - 16,000
Listed by serial number in the
book The Colt Pocket Hammerless
Automatic Pistols by Brunner