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LOT 3460
Excellent and Extremely Rare Factory Engraved
Colt Army Model
1903 Double Action Revolver with U.S.
Holster - Serial no. 219750, 38 LC cal., 6 inch round bbl., blue finish, antique ivory grips. This
is an extremely rare and unusual offering of early 20th century Colt artistry: a U.S. marked factory engraved Army Model 1903 DA revolver. This model of Colt revolver is nearly impossible to find factory engraved. This example, no. 219750, falls in sequential serial number order with two other known factory engraved Army Model 1903s: nos. 219751 and 219752. These three Model 1903s share nearly identical engraving and checkered grips made from the same material. The most notable difference is found in the sight configuration: Nos. 219750 and 219751 feature standard half moon front sights, while no. 21952 features a factory adjustable target sight. The engraving covers 70% of the surface and consists mostly of fine floral scrollwork on a punch dot background along with stylized motifs using a variety of patterns such as dots, zig-zag
the work of the famed Cuno Helfricht Shop, possibly by Helfricht himself as the quality of engraving is extremely high. Unfortunately, there is no factory record for this gun. The known existence of nos. 219751 and 219752 suggests this revolver was pulled from a specific serial number batch. These three revolvers fall just outside the accepted serial number range (200000-212500) of the 12,500 Model 1903s delivered to the U.S. Army and were likely left
over revolvers initially made for the U.S. contract when they were engraved by Colt, possibly for factory display or shooting prizes. Factory engraved Model 1903s are known to have been used as prizes such as no. 201070,
a Model 1903 “attributed to Cuno Helfricht’s own hand” which is factory documented as shipped on August 1903 “for Government competitive prize” to Capt. Thompson believed to be inventor of the submachine gun, John T. Thompson (see R.L Willson’s “Colt Engraving,” page 324). This revolver is certainly an exceptional work of Colt
lines and scallops which decorate the top strap, left side of the frame under the cylinder, crane, and front of the right side of the frame. The engraving is consistent with
artistry that would have made for a fine shooting prize.