Page 136 - 87-BOOK1

Estimate: 9,500 - 16,000
Collector’s Fact
According to The 36 Calibers of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver, only 154 Colt Single Actions were produced in .44 Russian.
LOT 136
Documented Antique Colt Black Powder Single Action
Revolver in Rare .32 Colt with
Factory Letter - Serial no. 126394, 32 Colt cal., 7 1/2 inch round
bbl., blue/casehardened finish, hard rubber grips. Offered here is an extreme rarity
in Colt SAA collecting as it is one of only an estimated 192 standard frame SAAs chambered in .32 Colt (see David Brown’s “The 36 Calibers of the Colt Single Action
Army,” page 202). The accompanying factory record for this revolver confirms the 7 1/2 inch barrel in .32 Colt and blue finish with type of stocks not listed. The letter also states the revolver was
shipped on April 15, 1891 to Montgomery Ward & Co. of Chicago, Illinois, as part of the 3 gun shipment. The factory records also indicate the revolver was returned to the factory on May 21, 1891, and then shipped to
Hartley & Graham of New York City for E.H. Hotchkins on November 10, 1893. Based on research published in “The Official Record of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver 1873-1895” this revolver is only one of 38 SAAs in
AS PICTURED AND
DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER BY THE WILKERSONS AND HOYT
Collector’s Fact
According to The 36 Calibers of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver, only 192 Colt Single Actions were produced in .32 Colt.
134
LOT 135
Fine Documented Colt First Generation Single Action Army Revolver in Very Scarce .44 Russian Cartridge with Factory Letter - Serial no. 307815, 44
Russian cal., 7 1/2 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened finish, hard rubber grips. Manufactured in 1908 and chambered in the rare and desirable .44 Russian
cartridge. Only an estimated 154 standard frame SAAs were manufactured for the
.44 Russian cartridge upon which the .44 Special was based (see David Brown’s “The 36 Calibers of the Colt
Single Action Army Revolver,” page 112). Brown explained the rarity of the .44 Russian SAA: “The .44 Russian cartridge had become popular in several competitive
revolvers, so Colt made it also in the Single Action. They were not mass produced, were made on special orders only, so this caliber also is considered rare.” This example
has a period replacement beaded blade front sight which fits over the shaved down original blade sight. The period sight is held in place by a pin. The included factory
letter confirms the 7 1/2 inch barrel in .44 Russian and blue finish with type of stocks not listed. The letter also states the revolver was shipped to John M. Smyth Co. of Chicago, Illinois, on December 5, 1908. This shipment was for a single gun. The barrel has the one-line Hartford address on top and is marked “44 RUSSIAN CTG” on the left side. The left side of the frame is marked with the two-line patent dates marking along with a circled Rampant Colt, and the left side of the trigger guard is marked with the number “6” and a Colt “VP” proof. The matching serial number appears on the frame, trigger guard, and back strap. The revolver wears a set of checkered Rampant Colt hard rubber grips.
CONDITION: Fine. The barrel, ejector rod housing and the cylinder retain 50% original blue finish with the balance a smooth gray patina, and the grip straps retain 20% original blue finish with the balance a smooth brown patina. 30% original case colors remain on the hammer and frame. The grips are very good with heavily worn checkering. Mechanically fine.
A first generation SAA in scarce .44 Russian that is missing from even the most advanced Colt collections.
this configuration in the 1-164100 serial number range or prior to the cylinder pin retaining screw being changed to the spring loaded
system (page 365). The authors note “that in reality there are less revolvers chambered for the .32 Colt cartridge than indicated” in their
book as the count includes factory records listing either“.32/c”or“.32 Colt.”The authors explained,“Further study indicates that a number
of revolvers recorded as .32/c were actually chambered for the S&W target cartridge. A lesser number listed as .32/c were chambered for the S&W
revolver cartridge.” While there are likely less revolvers chambered for .32 Colt in the official count there are more revolvers chambered for one of the .32
S&W cartridges. This revolver certainly makes for an extremely rare and interesting antique SAA! The revolver is pictured and identified in “The Official Record
of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver 1873-1895” on pages 294 and 364 where it is noted that the frame used for the revolver was stamped with the serial number
in 1888, three years before it was first shipped from the factory in 1891 and five years when it again shipped from the factory in 1893. The barrel is stamped with the one- line Hartford address on top and “32 COLT” stamped on the left side. The frame has the three-line patent dates marking on the left side. “32 CAL” is stamped on the left side of the trigger guard. The revolver wears a set of checkered Rampant Colt/eagle hard rubber grips.
CONDITION: Very good plus. The barrel and ejector rod housing retain 40% original blue finish, the grip straps retain 20% original blue finish, and the cylinder retains slight traces of original blue in the protected areas with a mottled brown-gray patina on the balance. Slight traces of original case colors remain on the frame and hammer. The front sight has been trimmed down. The grips are very good with some wear. Mechanically excellent. An antique black powder SAA in rare .32 Colt that is usually missing from even the most advanced collections.
Provenance: The Bob Bostwick Collection; The Richard Atkinson Collection; The Property of a Gentleman.
Estimate: 6,500 - 9,500