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Wallace was a staunch Southern Democrat all of his life and was born in Clio,
AS PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK COLT COMMEMORATIVE FIREARMS BY WILSON
LOT 540
Cased Documented “One-of-A-Kind” Colt Special Order Serial Number 1 Alabama Sesquicentennial “Governor George Wallace” Single Action Army .45 LC Presentation Revolver - Serial no. ALA-1-P, 45 LC cal., 5 1/2 inch round bbl., gold/nickel finish, plastic grips. This
is a outstanding special order cased Colt Second Generation SAA revolver, Serial Number 1 Alabama Sesquicentennial in “45/LC”. This is a very rare opportunity to own a “One-of-a-Kind” Colt SAA revolver with documented Political History. This revolver is very unique in that it is chambered in “45 LC” while the remaining commemoratives were all chambered in “22LR”. This revolver has a gold plated highlight finish on the barrel, frame back strap and trigger guard with a nickel plated finish on the cylinder, hammer, trigger, ejector housing assembly and various action screws and fitted with smooth grips. It has a standard one-line Colt barrel address with a two-line patent dates on the frame. It is stamped with a unique “one-of-a-kind” serial number of “ALA-1-P” for presentation. The left
side of the barrel is roll stamped, “1819-ALABAMA SESQUICENTENNIAL-1969”, with the right side marked “COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY .45”. This revolver was commissioned and presented by
the Alabama Peace Officers Association in 1973,
to then Governor George C. Wallace. During the
presentation he jokingly commented, “I’m glad
that fellow didn’t have one like this that shot
me!”. Governor George C. Wallace was a fiery and
controversial individual throughout his entire
political career, he served four terms as Governor
of Alabama and unsuccessfully ran for the U.S.
Presidency four times, never receiving a full
Democratic endorsement or nomination. George C.
Alabama in August 1919, a very small town south of Montgomery Alabama. He was very active in sports both in high school and also while in college, he was a two-time Golden Gloves boxing champion in high school. He entered the University of Alabama in 1937, was captain of the boxing and football teams, he was also president of his freshman class and he boxed semi-professionally while in college to help pay for his tuition. He graduated with a Law Degree in 1942. He entered the U.S. Army Air Forces during WWII, however was later medically discharged. He entered politics shortly thereafter, serving as Assistant Attorney General and was elected to the Alabama State Legislature, eventually being elected to the 3rd Judicial Circuit court in 1953, which he held
until 1957. In 1958 he ran for the Governor of Alabama, was defeated after refusing the support of the KKK, but accepting the endorsement of the NAACP. He eventually won that position which he held in 1962, 70, 74 and 82. Throughout most of his life
and political career, he was a staunch supporter of “segregation” with his most controversial time being during his first term in 1962, in which all of America witnessed the large racial riots and demonstrations in Birmingham and Montgomery, that made national news, which showed demonstrators being held at bay by “Water Hoses” and “Barking German Shepherd” dogs. His most controversial time came in June of 1963 where he made his famous “Stand in the Door” speech at the University of Alabama, where he openly and blatantly attempted to defy a Federal Court order to desegregate Southern schools. However when confronted
by Federal Marshalls that day he stepped aside, which helped pave the way for desecration throughout the south. In 1970 he became a Born-Again Christian and renounced by earlier segregationist views as being wrong and appointed a record number of African Americans to various state positions in Alabama. In May 1972 he was shot five times during his third Presidential campaign which effectively ended his bid for the Presidency and left him paralyzed from the waist down. During his final term as Governor
of Alabama he suffered numerous health issues and died in Montgomery Alabama in Sept. 1998. This unique one-of-a-kind presentation revolver is accompanied by a unique Colt factory presentation pistol case, with a red leather exterior cover with a white felt covered interior. Both the interior and exterior are covered with the Rampant Colt. This revolver is pictured and described in the book “Colt Commemorative Firearms” by R.L. Wilson, on pages 117-118, along with various copies of documents showing this revolver being presented to Governor Wallace by the Police Association.
CONDITION: Excellent with 99% of the original finish, showing only a very minor drag line where the cylinder was turned, however the pistol shows no signs of being fired. Mechanically excellent. The case is very good with only some very slight handling marks and some material missing on the 2 front corners. An excellent example of a very unique and “one-of-a-kind” Presentation Colt Single Action revolver owned by Governor George C. Wallace.
Provenance: George C. Wallace; The Joe Marlin Hilliard Collection.
Estimate: 20,000 - 40,000
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