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LOT 362
Excellent Pre-World War II Production
Colt Government Model Semi-
Automatic Pistol - Serial no. C159797,
45 ACP cal., 5 inch round bbl., blue finish, checkered walnut grips.
Manufactured in 1931, as one of 1,999 Colt Government Model semi-automatic pistols
manufactured that year with a serial number range of 159,000 to 160,999. Features
fixed oval blade front and square notch rear sights, a polished chamber hood on the
unmarked blued barrel, the two-line Colt address and patent dates roll-marked on the left
side of the slide with the caliber designation on the right and a matching “159/797” serial
number behind the firing pin stop, along with a checkered slide catch, short milled trigger,
thumb safety, wide-spur hammer, and arched mainspring housing with a lanyard loop on
the base. The right side of the frame is roll-marked with the model designation and “C”
prefix serial number, with “1” over “triangle/VP” marked on the left of the trigger guard and
“60” on the right side. Fitted with a pair of checkered walnut grips and an unmarked two-tone blued magazine.
Includes a generic hard case.
CONDITION: Excellent, retaining 97% original bright blue finish with some minor holster pattern edge wear
on the front portions of the frame and slide, some limited minor cycling wear on the chamber hood, a few
scattered minor scratches and handling marks, a single speck of freckling on the left side of the slide, along with
crisp roll marks and otherwise limited minor handling evidence. The grips are also excellent with a few small
minor handling marks in the otherwise mostly crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent. Overall a very attractive
example of a Pre-World War II production Colt Government Model pistol!
Estimate: 3,500 - 5,500
LOT 361
Very Fine Pre-World War II Colt Model 1908
Vest Pocket Semi-Automatic Pistol with Box
- Serial no. 397653, 25 ACP cal., 2 inch round bbl.,
blue finish, walnut grips. Manufactured in 1933
with standard two-line address/patent dates
and Rampant Colt on the left of the slide, caliber
marking on the right, serial number on the left of
the frame, “W”, “VP”, and “99” marked trigger guard,
and standard features. Includes correct Colt maroon
box that appears to have previously been numbered
to a different gun.
CONDITION: Very fine, retains 95% plus of the
original blue finish and case colors with some light
edge wear and a few cold blue touch up spots,
most noticeably on the upper left of the edge of the
slide. The grips are excellent with only the slightest
handling marks and crisp checkering. Mechanically
excellent. The box is very good with some mild wear.
Estimate: 1,600 - 2,250
LOT 363
Exceptional Colt Model 1902 Military Semi-Automatic
Pistol - Serial no. 41647, 38 ACP cal., 6 inch round bbl., blue
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, “1” over “triangle/VP” 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 blued magazine marked “MIL./COLT/38 CAL.” on the base.
CONDITION: Excellent, retaining 90% plus original bright blue finish and 70% original
case colors with some scattered minor edge wear, some darkened to the case colored
hammer, a few small patches of scattered spotting/freckling, and some minor thinning on the balance
of the grips straps with some brown patina, and minor handling wear. The grips are also excellent with minor
handling wear to the well-defined logos. Mechanically excellent.
Provenance: The Charles Marx Collection.
Estimate: 1,800 - 2,750
LOT 360
Pre-World War I Factory
Engraved Colt Model 1903
Pocket Hammerless Semi-
Automatic Pistol with Pearl Grips
and Factory Letter - Serial no.
121970, 32 ACP cal., 3 3/4 inch round bbl., blue
finish, pearl grips. Manufactured in 1912, with
the included factory letter confirming the pistol’s
configuration, including a 3 3/4 inch long barrel
chambered for .32 caliber, blue finish, grips not
listed, and factory engraved, when included in a
shipment of 50 pistols sent to Norvell Shapleigh
Hardware Company in St. Louis, Missouri, on
October 1, 1912. Features fixed oval blade front
and rounded notch rear sights, the two-line, two-
block patent dates and Colt address roll-marked
on the left of the slide with the two-line
caliber designation on the right,
serial number on the left of the
frame, along with “triangle/
VP” and “R” on the left side
of the trigger guard. Also
features around 60%
punch-dot backdropped
floral scroll and New York
style border engraving across
the frame and slide in a theme
similar to that of famed 19th Century
Colt engraver L. D. Nimschke, along
with the Gothic script initials “G P R”
scribed onto the left side of the dust
cover. Fitted with a pair of smooth
pearl grips and an unmarked
blued magazine.
CONDITION: Fine, retaining 40% plus original blue finish with the balanced thinned to a mostly smooth grey
patina with some patches of brown, an impact mark/dent in the left side of the slide under “COLT’S”, scattered
mild edge wear, scattered light handling wear, along with clear roll-marks and crisp/detailed engraving. The grips
are exceptionally fine with some stained age cracks on the fronts. Mechanically excellent. Overall an attractively
fine example of a pre-World War I production factory engraved Colt Model 1903 pocket pistol!
Provenance: The Charles Marx Collection.
Estimate: 2,500 - 4,000