Page 224 - 86-Book3

Pancho Villa
LOT 3331
1915 Production U.S. Colt
Model 1911 Semi-Automatic
Pistol with Holster Attributed
to the Mexican Expedition with
Notarized Family Letter - Serial
no. 112279, 45 ACP cal., 5 inch
round bbl., blue finish, walnut grips.
Manufactured in 1915, this pistol
shipped to Springfield Armory on
12 April 1915. An included notarized
letter from David Rich states that this
pistol was carried by his grandfather
on the Mexican Expedition to combat
Mexican revolutionaries led by Pancho
Villa. Interestingly, on p. 532 of “U.S.
Military Automatic Pistols: 1894-1920” in
the known issue records for Model 1911
pistols, this pistols serial number falls
between two that very well may have
been involved in the Mexican Expedition.
These two pistols are serial number
112269 which is listed as assigned to the 14th Cavalry
Regiment which took part in the expedition, and the
other is serial number 112313 which is listed as sent
from Springfield Armory to the San Antonio Arsenal
in 1915. The left of the slide is marked with the two-
line, two-block patent dates and address with the Rampant Colt behind the serrations, while the right has the standard “MODEL OF 1911 U.S. ARMY” marking. The left of the frame has the U.S. property marking and “GHS” inspection mark and the serial number is on the right. The full blued barrel is marked with a conjoined “HP” on the chamber hood and “G” and “C” on the bottom with “E” on the right of the lug. The barrel linkage and linkage pin are absent. Fitted with blade and notch sights, wide checkered hammer, replacement checkered slide release, long smooth trigger, short grip safety, diamond pattern checkered grips, and a later replacement two-tone “R” marked magazine. Includes a later production replacement “US” leather holster marked “CLINTON/1918” on the back, and a tan handkerchief that is also claimed to have been carried on the Mexican Expedition.
CONDITION: Very fine, retains 80% plus of the original blue finish with the balance having thinned to mostly a smooth grey-brown patina, primarily on the grip straps and a few scattered patches of light spotting. The barrel linkage/linkage pin are absent and the slide release is a parkerized replacement. The grips are very good with some scattered minor handling marks and otherwise crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent aside from the absent components. The holster is excellent with some mild wear.
Estimate: 4,500 - 6,500
LOT 3332
Desirable World War I Era British
R.A.F. Marked Colt Government
Model Semi-Automatic Pistol -
Serial no. W103152, 455 Webley cal.,
5 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. This pistol falls within a
large block of Colt Government Model pistols shipped to the British
Ministry of Shipping in late-1918 to early-1919, just prior to or right
after the conclusion of World War I. Many of these pistols, like this
example, were initially issued to Royal Air Force personnel before many were reissued
in 1942 to Royal Navy sea/air rescue units. The left side of the slide has the Rampant
Colt between the patent dates and Colt address, each in two lines. while the right is marked with the .455 caliber marking. The right of the frame has the Government Model marking over the “W” prefixed serial number. British military proofs are visible on multiple parts, as well as “R.A.F.” and a “broad arrow” on the left of the frame. The barrel has the lip on the underside and a polished chamber and is marked “W/P” on the bottom. The pistol is fitted with fixed blade and notch sights, diamond pattern checkered grips, and a two-tone magazine with “CAL.455/ELEY” and a lanyard ring on the base.
CONDITION: Very fine, retains 90% of the period, arsenal refurbished blue finish with the balance having thinned to mostly a smooth grey patina, most noticeably on the mainspring housing and leading edges of the slide. The grips are very good with some scattered minor dings and extensive wear. Mechanically excellent.
Provenance: The Mel Raucher Collection.
LOT 3333
First Year Production U.S. Colt Model 1911 Semi-Automatic Pistol with U.S. M1912 Holster Dated “1911” - Serial no. 6353, 45 ACP cal., 5 inch round
bbl., blue finish,
walnut grips.
Manufactured
in 1912, the first
official year of
production for the
U.S. contract Colt
Model 1911 pistol. It is listed on p. 514
of “U.S. Military Automatic Pistols: 1894-
1920” by Meadows as being included in a 500 gun shipment to Springfield Armory on 11 September 1912. The serial number is marked on the right of the frame in the early forward location, where it remained until serial number 7501,
and it has the “No” (“o” underlined) prefix which began
with serial number 4501. The left side of the frame has
the U.S. property marking and the “WGP” inspection
mark. The later production replacement slide has the
two-line, two-block patent dates and address on the
left with the uncircled Rampant Colt behind the slide serrations and the model and army nomenclature on the right. These early pistols saw heavy use and it is likely that this slide was replaced sometime during its service life. The blued barrel is marked “3” on the bottom and “H” on the rear edge of the chamber hood. It has blade front and the correct early round-top notch rear sight which was phased out in 1913. It is fitted with the earlier pattern “modified first type” magazine catch that is normally only seen on pistols into the 4000 serial number range, a long smooth trigger, checkered slide release and thumb safety, short grip safety, wide checkered hammer, and a smooth straight mainspring housing with a lanyard loop on the base. The grips are diamond pattern checkered and the magazine is the early two-tone “keyhole” type with a lanyard loop on the base. Includes a U.S. M1912 leather holster marked “R.I.A./1911/T.G.C.” on the back.
CONDITION: Fine, with the replacement slide and frame showing similar wear, suggesting they have been paired for quite some time, with both retaining 60% of their respective original finishes with the balance having thinned to mostly a smooth grey patina. The grips are very good with some scattered minor handling marks, some mild wear at the bottoms, and otherwise crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent. The holster is fine with some mild wear and separation of the seam in the muzzle area.
Provenance: The Mel Raucher Collection.
Estimate: 4,000 - 6,000
LOT 3334
World War I U.S. Contract
Remington-UMC Model 1911
Semi-Automatic Pistol - Serial no.
12069, 45 ACP cal., 5 inch round bbl.,
blue finish, walnut grips. In late 1917 or early 1918, Colt was ordered
by the U.S. government to provide Remington-UMC with production
drawings, sample pistols, and master gauges to produce the 150,000
Model 1911 pistols the government had ordered from them to support
the war effort. In March of 1918 the initial order was increased to 500,000. By June of
1919, and the cancellation of the contract, Remington had produced 21,676 Model 1911
pistols. Because they had been made using a different set of technical drawings than
Colt and Springfield, the Remington 1911 was purged from the inventory after the war to
ensure parts compatibility. Fixed sights, with the two-block, three-line patent and address
markings around the “REMINGTON/UMC” logo on the left side of the slide, “MODEL OF
1911/U.S. ARMY CALIBER .45” on the right, and the “E.E.C.” and “eagle head/E1” proofs on the
left side of the fame. Fitted with a “P” proofed full blue barrel, two-tone pinned base magazine marked “B”, and diamond pattern checkered grips.
CONDITION: Very fine, retains 90% of the professionally restored blue finish with the balance having thinned to mostly a smooth grey patina, a few scattered light handling marks, and crisp recut markings. The grips are also very fine with a few scattered minor blemishes and
otherwise crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent.
Provenance: The Mel Raucher Collection.
Estimate: 3,000 - 5,000
222 Estimate: 3,500 - 5,500