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LOT 1221
Near New Pre-War/Post-War Colt Single Action Army Revolver with Original Black Box, Test Target, Factory Invoice, and Factory Letter - Serial no. 357653, 38 special cal., 5 1/2 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened finish, hard rubber grips. This highly sought after Colt “Pre-War/Post-War” Single Action Army revolver was assembled c.
1947-48 using pre-war manufactured parts. According to “Colt’s Single Action Army Revolver Pre-War Post-War Model” by Don Wilkerson on page 19, there were only 338 Pre-World War II manufactured Colt Single Action revolvers assembled after World War II, which comprise the group of revolvers
referred to as Pre-War/Post-War by collectors. This revolver is one of only one hundred sixty-three produced in this configuration (see page 28). The revolver is accompanied by copies of a Colt “Interoffice Correspondence” memo and Colt Factory Invoice. The September 21, 1964, correspondence states that Colt President
P.A. Benke approved the “no-charges” sale of “serial#0002-SA Postwar Single Action Army .45 and Serial #2 Python” to Herb Glass and also notes the Glass requested the purchase of this revolver along with four others and would receive them at dealer prices. The October 1964 invoice also confirms the revolver was sold to Glass in “.38/C 5 1/2[inch]” as “Approved by P.A. Benke (President) per D. E. Shorb’s memo of 9-21-64”. Also included is a factory letter that further confirms the revolver’s configuration with type of stocks not listed and that it was shipped to noted firearms expert and dealer Herb Glass on October 5, 1964. This was a two gun shipment which included the consecutively serialized SAA no. 357652 featured in the previous lot. The revolver has the Colt pre-war commercial blue
finish on the barrel, cylinder, trigger guard and back strap. The frame and loading gate are casehardened and display
vivid case colors. The trigger and top of the hammer are blued, and the sides of the hammer are polished bright. The checkered hard rubber grips have the Rampant Colt trademark embossed in an oval at the top. The left side of the barrel is roll-stamped: “COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY.38 SPECIAL”. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped: “COLT’S PT.F.A.
MFG. Co. HARTFORD CT. U.S.A.”The left side of the frame is roll-stamped with the Colt two-line/three-date patent markings followed by the Rampant Colt trademark. The left front of the trigger guard bow is stamped with the Colt triangle “VP in triangle” proof mark, and the left rear trigger guard bow is stamped with an “F” assembly mark. According to author Don Wilkerson, the “F” stamp on the trigger guard bow identifies revolvers wither directly assembled or supervised by Colt master gunsmith Harry St. John. The face of the cylinder is stamped with a five-pointed star that denotes the use of special grade steel. The assembly number “408” is stamped on the inside of the loading gate. The full serial number is stamped on the bottom of the frame and on the right side of the back strap and trigger guard underneath the grip. It is also lightly scratched on the bottom of both grip panels. The rear face of the cylinder is stamped with the partial serial number “53” between the chambers. All of the visible serial numbers match. The revolver is complete with a Colt box with a navy blue and white label marked “5 1/2 Colt’s Army S.A. Revolver .38/RUBBER BLUE”. The revolver serial number is written in grease pencil and pencil on the bottom of the box. The box is complete with a wire and fiber cleaning brush and a test target numbered to the gun. CONDITION: Near new. The revolver retains 99% of the original blue finish and vivid color colors. The cylinder shows only traces of turn marks between the stops. The ejector housing, frame, trigger guard,
back strap and grip screws are in perfect condition. The grips are as new. Mechanically excellent. The carton is in excellent condition; wear is limited to some very minor scuff marks on the corners and a water stain on the inside of the bottom. This is an outstanding example of a very rare documented Pre-War/Post-
War Colt Single Action Army revolver with original box and test target.
Provenance: Herb Glass, Sr.; The Joe Marlin Hilliard Collection.
Estimate: 18,000 - 27,500
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CONFIGURATION IS LISTED IN COLT'S SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER PRE- WAR POST-WAR MODEL BY WILKERSON