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LOT 1187
Colt First Generation Single Action Army Revolver in .38
Special with Original Factory Box - Serial no. 354958, 38 Special
cal., 5 1/2 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened finish, hard rubber grips.
Manufactured in 1933, this is an outstanding example of a first generation
Colt Single Action Army revolver chambered in the desirable .38 Special
cartridge. While the frontier had been considered tamed for many decades
prior to this Colt leaving the factory, these Single Action Army revolver remained immensely popular
throughout the country, particularly in the west, much of which remained rugged, open range.
Well into the 20th century, these revolvers were regularly worn holstered on the hip, leaving very few pre-World War II examples
available to collectors in outstanding condition like this one. The top of the barrel is marked with the standard one-line address,
while the model and caliber marking is on the left. The left of the frame is marked with the two-line patent dates followed by the
Rampant Colt. The matching serial number is marked on the bottom of the frame, left side of both the front and back grip straps, rear face of the cylinder (last two digits), and hand scratches inside both of the grip panels. The
assembly number “134” is marked on the inside of the loading gate and rear face of the frame. It is fitted with standard sights and a pair of checkered hard rubber grips with Rampant Colts at the tops. Includes the original factory
box and a copy of a document stating that there are no factory records available for this revolver.
CONDITION: Excellent, retains 95% of the original blue finish and 97% vibrant original case colors with some very light edge wear/cylinder turn lines, a very small patch of light spotting on the left of the muzzle, slightly trimmed
down front sight, and a light ding on the upper left of the back strap. The grips are also excellent with only the slightest handling marks and crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent. The box is excellent showing a maroon/plum
hue and very light handling/storage wear on the corners. This is an outstanding first generation Single Action Army in the desirable .38 Special!
Provenance: The Charles Marx Collection.
Estimate: 5,000 - 8,500
LOT 1186
Spectacular
Pre-War/
Post-War Colt
Single Action Army
Revolver in .44 Special with Original Box, Shipped to
Herb Glass, with Copies of a Factory Invoice and Factory
Letter - Serial no. 357351, 44 special cal., 5 1/2 inch round
bbl., blue/casehardened finish, hard rubber grips. Having
its frame serial number factory applied in 1940, this is a
scarce example of a pre-World War II Colt Single Action
Army revolver that was subsequently factory assembled
and finished after the war and kept at the factory. The
accompanying copy of a factory letter states
the revolver was sold and shipped to the
noted firearms collector and dealer Herb Glass
in Bullville, New York, on October 5, 1964,
with a 5 1/2 inch barrel in .44 Special caliber, blue/casehardened finish, and hard
rubber grips. The revolver is also accompanied by copies of a Colt “Interoffice
Correspondence” memo and Colt Factory Invoice. The September 21, 1964,
correspondence states that Colt President P. A. Benke approved the “no-charges”
sale of “serial#0002-SA Postwar Single Action Army .45 and Serial #2 Python” to
Herb Glass and also notes the Glass requested the purchase of this revolver along
with four others and would receive them at dealer prices. The October 1964
invoice also confirms the revolver was sold to Glass in “.44/C 5 1/2” as “Approved
by P.A. Benke (President) per D. E. Shorb’s memo of 9-21-64”. One of the other
revolvers, 357653, listed in the invoice and correspondence, was previously sold
by Rock Island Auction Company (August 2023 Auction 89, Lot 1221, $26,438 price
realized). The Pre-War/Post-War Single Action Army revolvers are found in the 356000-357000 serial number range, and many were known to have been
used by Colt for advertising and public relations purposes. According to “Colt’s Single Action Army Revolver Pre-War Post-War Model” by Don Wilkerson on
page 19, there were only 338 pre-World War II manufactured Colt Single Action revolvers assembled after World War II, which comprise the group of revolvers referred to as Pre-War/Post-War by collectors. This is one of only 6 of
these Pre-War/Post-War revolvers reportedly manufactured in this specific configuration, being in .44 Special caliber, with a 5 1/2 inch barrel, and blue/casehardened finish, per page 28 of Wilkerson’s aforementioned book. The
production line restarted for the Second Generation Colt Single Action Army revolvers in 1956 and continued until 1974, with the 1964 shipment date of this First Generation revolver being eight years into the timeline of Second
Generation production. The last Pre-War/Post-War revolver was reportedly sold by the factory at auction in 1980. The barrel is marked with the one-line Hartford address on top and “COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY .44 SPECIAL” on the
left side. The left side of the frame has the two-line patent date markings followed by a Rampant Colt. The left side of the trigger guard has the Colt factory triangle “VP” proof and an “X” inspector’s stamp, with an “A” on the right.
Assembly number “123” marked on the loading gate. Includes its matching hand-numbered factory box with the end label confirming the caliber and barrel length.
CONDITION: Excellent plus, near new in box, retains 99% plus original blue and vivid casehardened finishes, with crisp grip checkering. Mechanically excellent. Box is very fine, with light handling marks. This is an outstanding
example of a desirable Pre-War/Post-War Colt Single Action Army revolver with original box.
Provenance: Herb Glass; The Brig & Louise Pemberton Collection.
Estimate: 7,500 - 12,000
Collector’s Fact
According to "Colt's Single Action Army Revolver Pre-
War Post-War Model" by Wilkerson, only 338 pre-World
War II manufactured Colt Single Action revolvers
were assembled after World War II, a group of revolvers
referred to as Pre-War/Post-War by collectors, of which,
only 6 were manufactured in this configuration.