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SERIAL NUMBER LISTED IN THE BOOK COLT POCKET HAMMERLESS AUTOMATIC PISTOLS BY BRUNNER
288
Documented U.S. General Officer Shipped Firearms
LOT 424
Historic Documented General Matthew B. Ridgway’s Colt Nevada Centennial Single Action Army Revolver with Factory Letter, Letter of Provenance, Photographs and Display Case - Serial no. 2449NC, 45 Long Colt cal., 5 1/2 inch round bbl., royal blue/nickel finish, pearlite grips. This revolver was originally owned by the well-respected General Matthew B. Ridgway (March 3rd, 1895-July 26th, 1993). Ridgway helped plan the airborne operations of Operation Overlord, codename for the Allied invasion of Normandy, where he argued, successfully, for the 82nd and 101st Airborne
to be increased in strength from two parachute regiments and a single glider regiment
to three parachute regiments and for the glider regiment to have a strength of three battalions. In the Battle of Normandy, he
jumped with his troops, who fought for 33 days in advancing to Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte near Cherbourg which was liberated n June 14, 1944. During the Korean War, after General MacArthur was relieved of command by President Harry S. Truman in April 1951, Ridgway was promoted to full general, assuming command of all United Nations forces in Korea. As commanding general in Korea, Ridgway earned the nickname “Tin Tits” or “Old Iron Tits” for his habit of wearing hand grenades attached to his chest. Directly after the Korean War, on August 17, 1953, Ridgway became the Chief of Staff of the United States Army. The included Colt factory letter verifies the caliber, barrel length, royal blue/nickel finish, pearlite grips and that it was charged to the “General & Administrative Expense Account” as shipped to General Matthew B. Ridgway on December 10th, 1965. The top of the barrel is marked “COLT’S PT.F.A. MFG. Co. HARTFORD CT. U.S.A.”, and the right of the barrel is marked “1864-NEVADA CENTENNIAL-1964”. The left of the frame is marked with the two-line patent dates. The included July 7th, 2012, dated letter of provenance written by Eric M. Lundgren states how his “non-biological uncle” (friend of his father), Herbert Meacham, a Chief Warrant Officer in the U.S. Army, was assigned as a “bodyguard” to General Ridgway right after World War II and became lifelong friends with him, visiting him once or twice a year at his home. The provenance letter states, “As recounted by Meacham, it was during one of those visits that the General showed him his collection of firearms and offered him his choice of any of them. Meacham chose this Colt Nevada Centennial 1864- 1964, Serial 2449NC.” In the mid-1980s, this revolver was gifted by Meacham to the father, an Army Officer, of Eric M. Lundgren, who owned it from the mid-1990s through the time of writing the letter of provenance. The revolver also includes two Korean War era photographs of General Ridgway, a hanging wood display case with glass window, and a brass plaque inscribed “GENERAL MATTHEW B RIDGWAY, USA”. CONDITION: Excellent, retains 99% original royal blue finish, 99% original nickel finish, and some light handling marks. Grips are also excellent. Mechanically excellent. A beautiful Colt Single Action Army revolver with strong provenance to one of America’s greatest generals, Matthew B. Ridgway, that would make a fine addition to any Colt collection! Estimate: 7,000 - 10,000 LOT 425 Historic U.S. Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless Semi-Automatic General Officer’s Pistol Issued to Brigadier General Chauncey D. Merrill with General Officer Holster - Serial no. 570999, 32 ACP cal., 3 3/4 inch round bbl., parkerized finish, walnut grips. Manufactured in 1944, this Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless pistol was subsequently issued to Brigadier General Chauncey D. Merrill on 10 July 1956 (p. 153 “The Colt Pocket Hammerless Automatic Pistols” by Brunner). Merrill began his military career in 1918 and is said to have held every rank in the army starting from private until his retirement in 1960. In 1957, he became commander of the 94th Infantry Division. The slide has the standard two-line address and patent dates on the left followed by the Rampant Colt and the two-line caliber marking on the right. The right of the frame is marked “U.S. PROPERTY”, and the left
has the serial number. The left of the trigger guard has faint “VP” and “4” markings, while the right is marked “66”. It is fitted with blade and notch sights and a pair of checkered walnut grips with Colt medallions. Includes an unmarked black leather holster. CONDITION: Very fine, retains 95% plus of the arsenal refurbished parkerized finish with some light holster type edge wear and a few scattered light handling marks. The grips are fine with a few minor flat spots and blemishes in the otherwise well-defined checkering. Mechanically excellent. The holster is very good with some mild wear. Estimate: 3,000 - 5,000