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LOT 3118
Excellent Colt Frontier Six Shooter Bisley Model Single Action Army Revolver with Factory Letter and “The
Stranglers” Inscription - Serial no. 223944, 44-40 WCF cal., 7 1/2 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened finish, hard rubber
grips. The factory letter lists this revolver in .44 caliber with a 7 1/2 inch barrel, blue finish, and type of grips not listed when
it was part of a shipment of 3 guns of this type to M. Hartley & Co. in New York City on March 26, 1902. The revolver features
a fixed blade front sight, the one-line Hartford address on top of barrel and “(BISLEY MODEL)/COLT FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER”
roll engraved on left, the two-line, three-date patent marking followed by the circled Rampant Colt on the left side of the frame and,
“982” assembly number marked on the loading gate. Matching serial numbers are marked on the frame, trigger guard, and back strap. It is fitted with the classic checkered hard rubber grips with Rampant Colt in an oval at the top. The inside of the left panel has “Cleaned & oiled /4-7-1939 FM” marked inside. The back strap is inscribed “THE STRANGLERS”. The inscription is cut through the blue finish. Included with the revolver are pages from “With Coats Of Arms On Rawhide” about the “The Stranglers” (aka Stuart’s Stranglers or The Montana Stranglers) vigilante group led by Granville Stuart in Montana in the 1880s to combat livestock rustlers. The revolver post-dates the group’s activities but may have been inscribed to commemorate them or perhaps the UK rock group of the same name.
CONDITION: Excellent. The revolver retains 90% plus bright original high polish blue finish with some barely noticeable high point wear. The frame and hammer retain 95% bright and vivid original case colors. The grips are also excellent and have very crisp checkering. The markings remain crisp and clear. Mechanically excellent. This is a very attractive and high condition Colt
Frontier Six Shooter Bisley Model revolver with an interesting inscription.
Provenance: The Gateway Collection, The Joe Marlin Hilliard Collection.
Estimate: 14,000 - 22,500
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