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LOT 3088
Excellent and Highly Desirable First Generation Colt Single Action Army Revolver in Very Scarce
.44 Special with Pearl Grips, Original Matching Box, and Factory Letter - Serial no. 357054, 44
special cal., 5 1/2 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened finish, pearl grips. This pre-World War II Colt SAA
is chambered in highly sought after .44 Special and was manufactured in 1940. Per Colt expert and
author David Brown, only 506 standard First Generation SAAs were chambered in .44 Special (see “The
36 Calibers of the Colt Single Action Army,” page 100). The barrel has the correct markings for a .44
Special SAA manufactured after 1931: the one-line Hartford address on top and “COLT SINGLE ACTION
ARMY .44 SPECIAL” on the left side. The left side of the frame carries the two-line patent dates marking
followed by a Rampant Colt. The matching full serial number appears on the frame, trigger guard, and
back strap. The matching assembly number “796” appears on the loading gate and rear of the frame. The
revolver wears a set of period silver Rampant Colt medallion pearl grips. The original Colt factory box is
numbered to the gun as well as features a handwritten notation in pencil below the serial number on
the underside: “Joe/Wood/Slip in/Drawer.” Presumably Joe Wood was the original owner. The box has the
standard Colt label listing the following: 5 1/2 inch barrel, .44 caliber, blue finish, and “rubber” stocks. A
second end label records the caliber as “SPECIAL.” The box contains a “Shooting Suggestions” pamphlet.
The accompanying factory letter states that the revolver was shipped on January 22, 1941 and sold and
delivered to Iver Johnson Sporting Goods Co. of Boston, Massachusetts with a 5 1/2 inch barrel in .44
Special, blue finish, and type of stocks not listed. This was a single gun shipment. Famed firearms expert
John Henry Fitzgerald was well acquainted with the Boston retailer. Noting in his book “Shooting,” “I went
to Boston and spent many pleasant years with the Iver Johnson Sporting Goods Company in the revolver
department” (page 125). Active with Colt from 1918-1944, John Henry Fitzgerald, aka “Fitz” was an arms
tester, published author, expert witness and one of Colt’s top pitch men. Additionally, he would be the
originator of the “FitzGerald Special” style revolver. Our consignor, the late Brig Pemberton, purchased
this highly sought after pre-World War II SAA .44 Special revolver in 1965 from Eric Vaule of
Needham, Massachusetts.
CONDITION: Excellent, retaining 98% plus original blue and casehardened finishes, with minimal
handling marks and a very faint cylinder drag line. The grips are also excellent with highly attractive fiery
colors. Mechanically excellent. The box is fine with a couple repairable split lid corners.
Provenance: Eric Vaule; The Brig & Louise Pemberton Collection.
Estimate: 15,000 - 25,000
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