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Serial Number 1 Firearms from the Jim Supica Collection
LOT 1626
Extremely Well Documented Serial Number 1 Al Herbert Exhibition Quality Engraved and Gold Inlaid Charter Arms Undercover Double
Action Revolver - Serial no. 1, 38 Special cal., 2 inch solid rib bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. Offered here is the first revolver manufactured by Charter
Arms. In an included letter Charter Arms founder Douglas. S. McClenahan states that he built this revolver, including shaping and finishing the stocks,
in July of 1965 after he left Sturm, Ruger, and Co. This pistol is the first of fifty pilot run pistols used to start the company. The revolver was part of a
Serial Number One Guns display in the NRA’s National Sporting Arms Museum from 2013-2022, as well as being featured on season 4 episode 16 of
Outdoor Channel’s “Gun stories” on serial number one guns. It is also pictured on page 201 of “Guns of the NRA National Sporting Arms Museum”, page 263
of “ The Illustrated History of Firearms: Second Edition”, and the cover story of the December, 1967 issue of Guns and Hunting magazine. The revolver features
blade front and frame notch rear sights. The revolver features near full coverage floral scroll engraving with “DESIGNED BY DOUGLAS S. McCLENAHAN” inscribed on
the backstrap. Gold inlays include a band at the muzzle, gold inlaid scroll accents, dots on the frame and cylinder, “#1” on the front of the right side of the frame, and band at the rear of the cylinder. There is a single platinum dot at the center of both sides of the topstrap. The engraving and inlay were executed in 1966 by Colt Master Engraver Al Herbert. This revolver was also part of the Charter Arms display for the 2018 SHOT Show. Also included is a January, 1991 notarized letter from McClenahan for the sale of the revolver to author Jim Supica as well as giving some history of how McClenahan came to start Charter Arms.
CONDITION: Excellent as masterfully engraved and inlaid by Al Herbert, retaining 99% plus original blue finish with limited handling marks and crisp engraving. Mechanically excellent. This is your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own the first Charter Arms revolver ever made.
Provenance: The Supica Collection.
Estimate: 5,000 - 8,000
AS PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK GUNS OF THE NRA NATIONAL SPORTING ARMS MUSEUM BY SUPICA