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LOT 234
Extraordinary Documented Camp Perry National Matches Twice Shipped Factory Class “C” Engraved Colt Single Action Army Revolver with Factory Letter - Serial no. 354308, 45 Long Colt cal., 5 1/2 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened finish, carved grips. This Single Action Army revolver is a phenomenal work of 20th century Colt artistry. Factory engraved SAAs are among the most desirable of all American firearms. Out of the 357,800 manufactured prior to World War II, only an estimated 4,500 were factory engraved. As a firearm shipped twice to the National Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio, this SAA is in a league of its own, a one-of-a-kind historically significant piece of Colt legacy.
The accompanying Colt factory letter (copy) states the revolver was shipped on August 15, 1930 to famed National Matches, Camp Perry, Ohio for Colt’s Patent Fire-Arms Mfg. Co. on order number 18438/1. This was a single gun shipment. The factory letter confirms the 5 1⁄2 inch barrel in .45 caliber, blue finish, grip material, and factory engraving. The letter also notes, “The records further indicate subject revolver was returned on September 19, 1930. It was subsequently reshipped to the National Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio, on August 17, 1931 where the records note it was sold. At this time, the records indicate the revolver had Class ‘C’ engraving.” In our Premier Firearms Auction #85 held in May 2022 we had the pleasure of cataloging another Glahn masterpiece that was shipped to Camp Perry: a Colt Officers Model Heavy Barrel Target DA revolver (lot 1294, price realized $55,813.00). It was shipped to Camp Perry on August 17, 1936, and this rarely engraved Colt DA revolver also featured a factory class “C” engraving.
Since 1907 Camp Perry has hosted the National Matches. Considered America’s “World Series of the Shooting Sports,” the National Matches are held each summer and attract the finest civilian and military marksmen and women to compete in a variety of rifle and handgun competitions. The National Matches were held from August 17 to September 14, 1930 and from August 24 to September 13 in 1931. As confirmed by the factory letter, this SAA left the
Colt factory in plenty of time to arrive at Camp Perry for the beginning of the National Matches in 1930 and 1931. This highly embellished revolver would certainly have garnered a lot of attention at Camp Perry. Highly embellished arms made for grand shooting match prizes, but, as confirmed in the factory letter, was sold at the National Matches in 1931.
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