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LOT 459
Outstanding Pre-World War II Colt Ace Semi- Automatic Pistol with Original Box - Serial no. 2541,
22 LR cal., 5 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. Manufactured in 1931, this is an outstanding original example of a pre-World
War II Colt Ace semi-automatic pistol. Blade front and adjustable notch rear sights, the two-line address and patent dates on the left side of the slide, the Rampant
Colt ahead of the serrations, and the Colt Ace logo and caliber markings on the right. The frame is marked “20” on the right side of the trigger guard, “3/VP”
on the left and fitted with a short checkered trigger, wide checkered hammer, checkered arched mainspring housing, a set of fully checkered grips, and a two-tone
magazine with Colt Ace marked base. Includes the original Colt factory box with original numbered factory test target, instruction manual, and small manual.
CONDITION: Excellent, retains 98% of the original blue finish with some light wear on the leading edges of the slide showing a bright
grey patina, and some scattered light handling marks. The grips are also excellent
with only the slightest handling marks and crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent. The box is fine with some mild wear/flaking on the edges and one of the lid corners separated. A Colt Ace model pistol that would be difficult to improve upon!
Estimate: 6,500 - 9,500
LOT 460
Exceptionally
Fine Documented Early Production World War I
Canadian Government Shipped Colt Government Model Semi-Automatic Pistol with Holster and Factory Letter - Serial no.
C12206, 45 ACP cal., 5 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. Manufactured in 1914, very early in production of the commercial production Government Model, this pistol represented
the cutting edge of firearm technology and was one of the early pistols that established a reputation for striking power and a lineage of dependability that has carried the model through more than a century in military and civilian
hands alike. The included factory letter confirms the current configuration (grips not listed) as well as sale to the Canadian government and shipment to H.W. Brown on 14 November 1914 in a shipment of 1,000 guns. Though this pistol bears no government/ military proofs, it is highly likely that it found its way into the hands of a Canadian officer early in World War I. The slide bears the two-line,
two-block address and patent markings on the left with the Rampant Colt behind the serrations. The right of the slide has the caliber markings. “VP” and “R” are on the trigger guard, and “GOVERNMENT MODEL” is on the right side of the frame. Import marked on butt. Fitted
with blade and flat top notch rear sights, checkered wide hammer, checkered thumb safety and slide catch, the magazine catch, flat smooth mainspring housing, and the long smooth trigger. The blued barrel has a polished chamber and is unmarked. Fitted with a set of
diamond pattern checkered grips and an unmarked two-tone magazine with lanyard loop base. Includes a brown leather holster that appears ready for attachment to a “Sam Brown” belt, as used by Canadian army officers during the First World War.
CONDITION: Exceptionally fine, retains 90% plus of the original blue finish with small spots of surface oxidation on the front gripstrap and forward slide, scattered light handling marks and some light edge wear. The grips are excellent with a few scattered minor
blemishes in the otherwise crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent. The holster is very good with some light handling wear.
Provenance: The Wayne Connor Collection.
Estimate: 7,000 - 10,000
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