Page 225 - 89-FLIPBOOK2

LOT 1240
Documented Puerto Rico Shipped Colt Lightning Large Frame “Express” Slide Action Rifle with Factory Letter - Serial no. 6055, 45-85-285 cal., 28 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. The factory letter lists the rifle in .45-85 with a
round barrel, blue finish, and wood stock. The barrel length is not listed.
The rifle was sold to V. Kindler and shipped to A. Schuck & Son in Ponce, Puerto Rico, on September 8, 1893. It was the sole gun of its type in the shipment. In 1893, Puerto Rico was still Spanish territory, and the Schuck family were wealthy landowners, merchants, and bankers in Ponce, the largest city on the island at the time. The city was captured during the U.S. invasion in 1898. The rifle has a nickel silver blade front sight, the two-line address and patent
marking on top ahead of the adjustable sporting rear sight, “45-85-285.” on the upper left, the Rampant Colt trademark on the left side of the frame, the serial number on the lower tang, checkered slide handle, and smooth rifle buttstock with crescent steel buttplate. CONDITION: Very fine with 70% of the bright original high polish blue finish smooth gray and brown patina on the balance, and general light scratches and marks. The wood is fine and has crisp checkering, light scratches and dings, and minor cracks at the toe. Mechanically excellent. Estimate: 4,500 - 7,000
Scarce Documented Costa Rica Government Contract Colt Lightning Medium Frame Slide Action Rifle with Sword Bayonet and Factory Letter - Serial no. 51482, 44-40 cal., 27 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. When you think military rifles in the late 19th century, you might think of powerful single shot breech loaders or the new bolt action rifles, but you probably don’t think of slide action rifles, let alone slide action rifles with over 22 inch long blades on the front. The included factory letter confirms this rifle was part of a shipment of 250 of these rifles shipped to the Government of Costa Rica in Lima in August 1890 and identifies their configuration as in .44 CLMR (.44-40) with a 27 inch round barrels, blue finish, carbine buttstocks, sling swivels, and bayonets. The barrel has a barley corn style front sight and a bayonet stud on the right for the sword bayonet, a notch and ladder rear sight, the standard Colt two-line address and patent marking, and “44 Cal.” on the left. Sling swivels are mounted on the magazine band and bottom of the carbine style buttstock. The slide handle is checkered. The frame has the Rampant Colt trademark on the left, and the serial number is marked on the lower tang. The sword bayonet has a “C” on the spine and an “A [scales] C” mark on the left ricasso. CONDITION: Good with silver-gray patina overall, minor pitting, and moderate overall wear. The wood is also good and has some minor chips at the edges, some small cracks, a few small mounting holes, and general scrapes and dings. Mechanically fine. Aside from an absent latch button, the bayonet is also good and has silver-gray patina and mild pitting on the blade and aged patina on the hilt. Very few of these rifles are known to have survived. They are certainly a very, very scarce Colt Lightning variation missing from nearly all Colt collections! Estimate: 3,500 - 4,750
LOT 1241
LOT 1242 Colt Model 1878 Double Barrel Hammer Shotgun - Serial no. 6084, 12 gauge, 32 inch solid rib bbl., blue/casehardened finish, walnut stock. Manufactured in 1880. Blued Damascus steel barrels with a single bead sight on the smooth solid rib, chambers measured 2 3/4 inch with extractor, and chokes measured .027/.033 inches. The casehardened rebounding hammer action shows light line engraving along with the factory marking on either lockplate. Nicely figured, multi- point checkered splinter forend with ebony tip inlay and round knob pistol grip stock with blank inscription oval and factory horn buttplate. Stock measurements: 1 7/8 inch drop at comb; 3 1/8 inch drop at
heel; 14 7/16 inch length of pull; weight 8 lbs. 10 oz.
CONDITION: Very fine with a mostly smooth brown patina on the barrels which show 75% original Damascus
patterns, 50% original case colors, some oxidation at the muzzles, some scratches in the wood, chipping at the toe of the hard rubber buttplate, and crisp checkering on the very fine wood. Mechanically excellent. Estimate: 2,500 - 4,000
223