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LOT 1397
Desirable Early Production Three Digit Serial Number Colt Military Model 1905 Semi-Automatic Pistol -
Serial no. 150, 45 ACP cal., 5
inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. Manufactured in 1906, this is one of only 6,210 Colt “Military Model of 1905” pistols manufactured over a period of six years. These pistols are a very important evolutionary
LOT 1399
Fine Colt Model 1902 Sporting
Semi-Automatic Pistol - Serial no.
7872, 38 Colt auto cal., 6 inch round
bbl., blue finish, hard rubber grips.
Manufactured in early 1905, this is a very fine example of a Colt Model 1902 Sporting
pistol. The closest entries to this one, serial numbers 7849 and 7909, listed on p. 176 of
Goddard’s book, “The Government Models: The Development of the Colt Model of 1911”,
were shipped to W.R. Grace & Co. and Browning Bros. respectively. It has the standard two-line,
two-block patent dates and address on the left of the slide and the standard “AUTOMATIC COLT/CALIBRE
38 RIMLESS SMOKELESS” marking on the right between the ejection port and the slide serrations. The slide is fitted with a blade front and rounded top notch rear sight, early forward slide serrations which were standard until April of 1905, checkered rounded hammer, and a smooth trigger. The hard rubber grips have the “COLT” banners at the top and circled Rampant Colts at the center. The full blue magazine is unmarked.
CONDITION: Fine, retains 70% of the bright original high polish blue finish with the balance having thinned to mostly a smooth grey-brown patina, most noticeably on the leading edges of the slide and the grip straps, and some scattered light scratches throughout. The grips are also fine with some scattered light handling marks and crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 1,800 - 2,750
LOT 1400
Desirable Early Production Three Digit
Serial Number Colt Military Model 1905 Semi-
Automatic Pistol - Serial no. 812, 45 ACP cal., 5 inch
round bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. Manufactured in 1906, this is one of only 6,210
Colt “Military Model of 1905” pistols manufactured over a period of six years. These pistols
are a very important evolutionary step in the development of Colt automatic pistols and the
Model 1911 as they were the first production Colt automatic chambered for the legendary .45
ACP cartridge. This pistol, serial number 812, was manufactured even before
Colt began fabricating two model room examples of the Model 1905 which
would later be submitted to the 1907 U.S. military pistol trials. The left side of
the slide is marked with the two-line/two-block patent dates and address, with
the circled Rampant Colt behind the serrations. The right side of the slide is
marked “AUTOMATIC COLT/CALIBRE 45 RIMLESS SMOKELESS”. The left side of
the frame is marked with the serial number and the left of the trigger guard
has a “VP” proof and “1”. It has rounded blade front and rounded top notch rear
sights, and the rounded checkered hammer. It is fitted with a pair of diamond
pattern checkered grips and an unmarked replacement magazine that has a
black enamel finish applied.
CONDITION: Fine, retains 50% of the original high polish blue finish with the balance having thinned to mostly a smooth grey patina, most notably on the grip straps and high spots. The grips are also fine with a few scattered minor blemishes in the otherwise crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 2,750 - 4,250
LOT 1401
Fine Colt Model 1902 Military Semi-
Automatic Pistol - Serial no. 36341, 38
Colt auto cal., 6 inch round bbl., blue
finish, hard rubber grips. Manufactured in
1914, this Military Model of 1902 pistol exhibits the mid-production high polish blue finish and spurred hammer which was standard by approximately serial number 37000. The left side of the slide is marked with the two-line patent date and two-line address arranged
in two blocks with the Rampant Colt behind the serrations. The right side of the slide has the
two-line caliber marking, “AUTOMATIC COLT/CALIBRE 38 RIMLESS SMOKELESS”. The left side of the frame has
the serial number and “VP” and “1” on the left of the trigger guard. There are “crown/V” British proofs on the
left rear of the slide and frame and two British proofs on the chamber of the barrel, indicating this may have been a private purchase by a British officer for use in World War I. It is fitted with blade and rounded top notch sights, a lanyard swivel on the lower left of the grip frame, checkered hard rubber grips with Rampant Colts
and “COLT” banners, and an unmarked full blue magazine.
CONDITION: Fine, retains 60% plus of the bright original high polish blue finish with the balance having thinned to mostly a smooth grey-brown patina, primarily on high spots and the grip straps. The grips are also fine with
a couple minor chips in the top of the left panel, some scattered light handling marks, and otherwise well- defined checkering. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 1,600 - 2,500
SERIAL NUMBER 150
step in the development of Colt automatic pistols and the
Model 1911 as they were the first production Colt automatic chambered
for the legendary .45 ACP cartridge. This pistol, serial number 150, was manufactured even before Colt began fabricating two model room examples of the Model 1905 which would later be submitted to the 1907 U.S. military pistol trials. The left side of the slide is marked with the two-line/two-block patent dates and address, with the circled Rampant Colt behind the serrations. The left side of the slide is marked “AUTOMATIC COLT/CALIBRE 45 RIMLESS SMOKELESS”. The left side of the frame is marked with the serial number
and the left of the trigger guard has a “VP” proof and “1”. It has rounded blade front and rounded top notch rear sights, and the rounded checkered hammer. It is fitted with a pair of diamond pattern checkered grips and an unmarked full blue magazine. CONDITION: Fine, retains 40% plus of the original high polish blue finish, 50% of the original case colors, and 40% of the original nitre blue with the balance having thinned to mostly a smooth grey-brown patina, primarily on edges and the grip straps. The grips are very good with some scattered light blemishes in the moderately worn checkering. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 3,500 - 5,500
LOT 1398
Outstanding Colt Model 1903 Pocket
Hammer Semi-Automatic Pistol - Serial
no. 39880, 38 Colt auto cal., 4 1/2 inch round
bbl., blue finish, hard rubber grips. Manufactured in 1918
with fixed sights, the two-line/two-block patent dates and
address on the left side of the slide ahead of the Rampant
Colt, and the caliber markings on the right ahead of the
ejector port. This pistol exhibits the late, “grey/blue” factory
finish that was implemented around serial number 36000. The
trigger guard is marked “VP” and “1” on the left side, with a
checkered casehardened spur hammer, smooth trigger, “CAL.
38/COLT” marked full blue magazine, and a pair of checkered hard
rubber grips with Rampant Colts and “COLT” banners at the top. Includes
an extra spring.
CONDITION: Excellent, retains 97% plus of the original blue finish and 98% of the vibrant original case colors on the hammer with some light edge wear, primarily towards the front of the slide, and some scattered light handling marks, including a series of light dings near a pin on the right. The grips are also excellent with only the slightest handling marks and crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent.
Provenance: The Mel Raucher Collection.
302 Estimate: 3,500 - 5,000
SERIAL NUMBER 812