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Presentation Inscribed Cuno Helfricht Masterpiece Colt 1877 Lightning
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LOT 138
Phenomenal and Historic Well- Documented Presentation Cased Cuno
A. Helfricht Master Factory Engraved, Gold and Nickel Plated, Etched Panel Colt Model 1877 Lightning Double Action Revolver with Pearl Grips Inscribed to Hartford, Connecticut, Police Officer Lyman Smith from the Foot Guard Fair 1888 - Serial no. 54334, 38 Long Colt cal., 5 1/2 inch round bbl., nickel/gold finish, pearl grips. This beautiful revolver is an extraordinarily rare look at what some of the finest arms ever created by the Colt factory and its artisans looked like when they were new in the 19th century. It is a remarkable example of firearms high art and also has historic ties to a heroic lawman in the Colt factory’s hometown. The revolver was manufactured in 1886 and was engraved by legendary Colt master engraver Cuno A. Helfricht who worked as the head of Colt’s engraving shop from 1875 to 1921. He previously worked for Colt in the Stocking Department c. 1869 prior to returning to Germany where he studied at the Berlin
Medal & Die Cutting Institute and then worked in Hartford as an engraver in 1871- 1875 before returning to Colt as their primary engraver. Helfricht’s engraving covers the vast majority of the metal surfaces and consists
of stunning Germanic scroll engraving with punched backgrounds, a “Nimschke” star on the ejector housing, fan and shell designs, gadrooning along the top strap, wavy line designs including interlacing patterns, and additional border designs. The revolver is finished primarily in nickel and has a gold plated cylinder and niter blue small parts. It
is fitted with pearl grips. The markings are standard, including matching serial numbers. As the revolver was presented as a prize, the following inscriptions were added after the revolver originally left the factory but may well
have been inscribed at the factory: “Lyman Smith” on the back strap and “Foot Guard Fair/DEC. 1888” on the front strap. It is noted that there was no factory shipping records
for this revolver likely because the revolver was donated by the factory directly to the fair rather than being shipped.
This stunning classic Colt Lightning naturally caught the eye of Colt experts and is pictured on page 456 of “The Colt Engraving Book Volume 1” by R.L. Wilson. Another velvet cased Colt Lightning from 1886 with pearl grips is also featured on page 309 of “Colt Engraving” by Wilson, and a third from 1888 is shown on page 311 demonstrating this style of case was used by the factory for at least a brief period in the late 1880s. In “The Colt Engraving Book Volume 1,” it is incorrectly attributed as related to the General’s Foot Guards in the Canadian Forces Primary Reserve. The revolver was since found to be related to the Foot Guard Fair
in the Colt factory’s hometown of Hartford, Connecticut, from December 3 to December 8, 1888. The First Company Governor’s Foot Guard was organized in 1771 in Hartford
and is the oldest military organization in continuous existence in the United States. Samuel Colt was also involved in the broader Governor’s Guards. The fair in December 1888 was organized to raise funds for furnishing the new armory completed that year for
the Governor’s Foot Guard in Hartford. Over $3,000 in prizes were to be given away to participants in the fair. The hall was advertised to be ready to rent for public events on November 2, and the Foot Guard Armory’s large hall was a popular social event center in Hartford in the late 19th century for hosting boxing matches, art exhibitions, banquets, balls, orchestras, fraternal organization fairs, and more.
Officer Lyman Smith