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LOT 1156
Colt Model 1877 Lightning Double Action Revolver
with Pearl Grips, Factory Letter and Case - Serial
no. 111989, 38 Long Colt cal., 6 inch round bbl., blue/
casehardened finish, pearl grips. The accompanying
factory letter states this revolver was shipped on March
20, 1899, to Hartley & Graham in New York City, in .38
caliber, with a 6 inch barrel, blue finish, and type of stocks
not listed. This was a 2 gun shipment. It is fitted with a pair
of attractive period pearl grips. Blade front sight, groove
top strap rear sight. The top of the barrel is marked with
the two-line Hartford address, with “COLT D.A. 38” on the
left side. The left of the frame has the three-line patent
date markings. Matching visible serial numbers on the
frame, trigger guard, and back strap, with matching
“989” on the rear face of the cylinder, and assembly number “352” on the loading
gate. Includes a relined hardwood case with green felt lined fitted interior with a Von
Lengerke & Detmold New York retailer label on the underside of the lid, seven .41 Long
Colt cartridges, two .38 Long Colt cartridges, key, oiler, cleaning rod, and a consignor
supplied data sheet.
CONDITION: Very fine as professionally restored, retains 97% blue finish, 95% case
colors, a few small patches of minor surface oxidation on the cylinder, and absolutely
sharp markings and edges in the metal overall. Grips are excellent, with highly attractive fiery colors, tight fitment, and defined edges. Trigger occasionally does not reset, slightly out
of time, otherwise mechanically functions. Case is fine, with some light scratches, and a few small cracks on the lid.
Provenance: The Brig & Louise Pemberton Collection.
Estimate: 1,500 - 2,250
LOT 1155
Documented London Agency Shipped Antique Colt Model 1878
Double Action Revolver in .455 with Factory Letter - Serial no. 6275, 455 cal., 7
1/2 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. The factory letter states this revolver was shipped in a 56 gun shipment on June 30,
1881, to Colt’s London Agency in London, England, in .455 caliber, with blue finish, the barrel length and type of grips not listed, and
an additional “Special Notation: ‘for New .455 Cal. Eng. Govt. pistol ctge.’” This cartridge is also referred to as the .455 Enfield or .455 Eley.
Reportedly, only 223 standard Model 1878 revolvers were shipped in .455 caliber with a 7 1/2 inch barrel and blue finish out of a total
of 1,732 in .455 caliber according to figures on page 359 of “Colt’s Double-Action Revolver, Model of 1878” by Wilkerson. The revolver has the
Colt London address, British proofs, and “45 CAL/B” on the left of the trigger guard. Page 358 of Wilkerson’s book states, “Colt, anticipating
continuing orders for revolvers in .450 Boxer, had in stock a large number of frames already stamped with ‘45 Cal’ over ‘B’ on the left forward
trigger guard bow. As a result, many early Model 1878 revolvers in .455 caliber were assembled on frames stamped with this mark. Cylinders for the
.455 caliber were slightly larger in diameter so existing frames were milled to accept .455 cylinders.”
CONDITION: Fine with 70% original bright high polish blue finish, areas flaking to smooth brown patina, a few small patches of minor flash pitting and
dings on the cylinder, a few replacement pins in the frame, and distinct markings in the metal. Grips are very good with tight fit, scratches, dents, nicks,
and otherwise defined checkering. Mechanically excellent.
Provenance: The Charles Marx Collection.
Estimate: 2,500 - 4,000
Collector’s Fact
According to "Colt's Double-
Action Revolver, Model of
1878" by Wilkerson, only 223
standard model Colt 1878
Double Action revolvers were
shipped in this configuration.
LOT 1154
Colt First Generation Single
Action Army Revolver in Very
Scarce .38 Special with Factory Letter - Serial
no. 355952, 38 Special cal., 5 1/2 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened finish, hard rubber grips. The factory letter lists
this revolver in .38 Special with a 5 1/2 inch barrel, blue finish, and type of stocks not listed when it was sold to William H.
Hoegee Co. of Los Angeles, California, and shipped as the sole gun of this type to Buell Brothers of Santa Barbara, California,
on November 15, 1937. These .38 Special revolvers were made only on special order and saw extremely limited production. Records
between 1933-1944 are believed to have been lost, so the fact that this example has a factory provided shipping record is rare in itself. According
to Graham, Kopec, and Moore on page 170 of “A Study of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver”, “Laxity of Colts’ shipping clerks (laxity may be an
unfair remark, because to them there was no practical difference in the chamberings) in not completely describing .38 caliber Single Actions in the
shipping records has created research problems. In John Parsons’ very thorough searching of those records, he found where clerks had recorded only eighty-two .38 Colt Special,
and twenty-five .38 S&W Special, standard Single Actions. In our examinations of existing SAs, over sixty have been recorded which were fitted with cylinders having .38 S&W
Special chambers, and the exact number of revolvers so fitted will probably never be known.” The two mentioned caliber designations are considered interchangeable. The
revolver features the one-line Hartford barrel address on top, “COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY .38 SPECIAL” on the left side of the barrel, the two-line patent dates marking followed
by a Rampant Colt on the left side of the frame, “4” and triangle “VP” proof on the trigger guard, checkered hard rubber grips with the Rampant Colt at the top, the matching partial serial
number “52” on the rear cylinder face, and the assembly number “629” on the loading gate.
CONDITION: Very fine as professionally restored with 97% blue finish, 90% case colors, some minor leading edge wear, a minor cylinder drag line, and sharp markings. Grips are also very fine, with a brown appearance on the right
panel and crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent.
Provenance: The Charles Marx Collection.
Estimate: 2,750 - 4,250