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LOT 1040
Documented Utah Shipped Colt Sheriff’s Model
1877 “Thunderer” Double Action Ejectorless
Revolver with Desirable 2 1/2 Inch Barrel and Factory
Letter - Serial no. 165492, 41 Long Colt cal., 2 1/2 inch round bbl.,
blue/casehardened finish, hard rubber grips. Manufactured in 1908,
this is a solid representative example of Colt’s Model 1877 “Thunderer”
revolver in the desirable, short-barreled, ejectorless Sheriff’s Model
configuration. The included factory letter lists the revolver in .41 caliber
with a 2 1/2 inch barrel, blue finish, and grips not listed when shipped to
Strevell Paterson Hardware Company in Salt Lake City, Utah on 8 April 1908
as a single gun shipment. These Sheriff’s Model variations of the “Thunderer”
double action would have been quite popular in the American West for their
rapid firepower and concealability, with large parts of the frontier remaining
decidedly untamed well into the early 20th century. The top of the barrel has
the standard two-line address, while the caliber marking is on the left. The left of the frame has the three-line
patent dates and the circled Rampant Colt. The visible serial numbers are matching, and the matching last three
digits are faintly hand marked in pencil inside both grip panels. It is fitted with the standard blade front and
frame-top groove rear sights, as well as a pair of checkered hard rubber grips with Rampant Colts at the tops.
CONDITION: Fine, retains 40% plus of the original blue finish and 30% of the vibrant original case colors in
sheltered areas with mild handling and holster wear showing a grey patina and a couple scattered small
patches of light pitting, typical of a frontier sidearm. The grips are very good with some moderate handling
wear and well-defined checkering. Mechanically functions, though slightly out of time and does not lock
up properly.
Estimate: 2,000 - 3,000
LOT 1039
Desirable Documented Browning
Brothers Utah Shipped Colt Model 1878 Double Action
Revolver with Factory Letter - Serial no. 31028, 45 Long Colt cal.,
7 1/2 inch round bbl., nickel finish, hard rubber grips. This is a very
fine example of an 1892 production Colt Model 1878 revolver that is made
desirable as factory shipped to the American West, more specifically, to the
shop of John Moses Browning and his brothers in Utah. The accompanying
factory letter lists this revolver as shipped in a 1 gun shipment on October
15, 1892, to the Browning Brothers shop in Ogden & Salt Lake City, Utah, in
.45 caliber, with a 7 1/2 inch barrel, nickel finish, and type of grips not listed.
Designed by William Mason and Charles Brinckerhoff, the Model 1878 revolver
was intended to be a double action alternative to Colt’s legendary Single Action Army revolver.
With 51,210 being produced, the 1878 was never nearly as popular on the frontier as its single action cousin;
however, there were still many that favored it in the West for its firepower, including Captain Jack Crawford,
who replaced Buffalo Bill Cody as “Chief of Scouts” shortly after the Battle of Little Bighorn. The barrel is marked
with the one-line Hartford address on top, with “45 COLT” on the left of the barrel. Full serial number marked
on the butt, with matching “28” on the rear cylinder face, and assembly number “228” on the loading gate. It is
fitted with the blade front and frame-top groove sights, a lanyard loop on the butt, and a pair of checkered hard
rubber grips with Rampant Colts at the tops.
CONDITION: Very fine with hints of western character, retains 85% untouched original nickel finish, flaking to
smooth brown patina on the balance, some minor pitting, and crisp markings in the metal overall. Grips are also
very fine with a brown appearance, a few minor handling marks, and crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent.
Provenance: The Charles Marx Collection.
Estimate: 3,250 - 4,750
LOT 1037
Desirable Sharps Model 1874 Business Rifle in .40-70 Caliber Shipped to Company President Arthur S. Winchester
with Factory Letter - Serial no. 161505, 40-70 cal., 30 inch octagon bbl., blue/casehardened finish, walnut stock. Manufactured in 1878,
these Sharps Model 1874 Business Rifles were incredibly popular in the American west, especially among professional hunters in the bison industry,
who valued them for their power and accuracy. Those same traits however, along with their inherent reliability, endeared them to settlers, lawmen,
Native Americans, outlaws, and gold prospectors as well. Per “Sharps Firearms” by Sellers, only a total of 700 “Business 40” rifles were reportedly manufactured
between August 1876 and September 1880, with the .40-70 2 1/4 inch Sharps cartridge offered for this model until March 1878. The included factory letter with this rifle lists it as a Model
1874 Business rifle when invoiced at the Bridgeport factory on 1 April 1878, to Arthur S. Winchester, who was president of the Sharps Rifle Company at the time. The letter further notes that
100 Business rifles were invoiced to Winchester on this date, and were packed in eight 10-gun cases and five 5-gun cases, likely indicating that these rifles were intended to fill various orders that
the company’s president had secured. The top of the barrel on this example has the Old Reliable marking followed by the Bridgeport address, both in front of the rear sight. The breech is marked
“CALIBRE 40” on top and “40-70” faintly on the left. Matching numbers are on the bottom of the barrel and top rear of the receiver. It is fitted with a blade front sight, folding ladder rear sight, and
double set triggers. It is mounted with a period hand checkered forearm and straight grip stock. An included letter of provenance from
John C. Fremlin states that this rifle was found in the West and was in the Wyoming collection of Dick Loper.
CONDITION: Good showing the character of a western frontier hunting rifle, with a mix of grey and brown patina overall and some
scattered patches of light pitting. The lightly sanded/reoiled wood is also good and has some scattered minor dings and well-defined
checkering added during the period of use. Mechanically excellent. A Sharps Business rifle with plenty of frontier character!
Provenance: The Dick Loper Collection; A Private Collection.
Estimate: 5,000 - 7,000
LOT 1038
Documented Salt Lake City, Utah Shipped Nickel Plated Antique Colt Single Action Army Revolver in .41 Long Colt with Factory Letter
- Serial no. 171023, 41 Long Colt cal., 5 1/2 inch round bbl., nickel finish, hard rubber grips. The accompanying factory letter lists this revolver as
shipped in a 1 gun shipment on September 20, 1897, to The Salt Lake Hardware Company in Salt Lake City, Utah, and confirms the .41 caliber, with a
5 1/2 inch barrel, desirable nickel finish, and hard rubber grips. The Salt Lake Hardware Company, organized in 1889, became one of the largest retailers of its kind in the West. This
Single Action Army has the desirable, unmistakable look of a well cared for sidearm that spent some time out west. Colt introduced the .41 Long Colt caliber to its famed Single Action
Army revolver line in 1885. Among First Generation Single Action Army revolvers, only 16,402 left the factory chambered for .41 Long Colt compared to 150,683 in .45 Long Colt, making it
comparably scarce, per information on page 146 of “The 36 Calibers of the Colt Single Action Army” by David Brown, in which the author passionately summarized the .41 Colt caliber’s alluring
image as: “The .41s were favorites in the West among men who wanted something a bit less husky than the .45 or the .44-40, yet something still dependable for man-stopping power at short
ranges. The lawmen for the most part, clung to the bigger bores; but several famous outlaws are known to have liked the .41 Colts.” The barrel has the one-line Colt Hartford address on top. The left
side of the frame has the two-line patent date markings and a circled Rampant Colt. Matching visible full serial numbers on the frame, trigger guard, and back strap, and remnants of old adhesive
(unknown origin) on the butt of the right grip panel with what appears to be an outline of the matching serial number. Assembly number “432” on the loading gate. The revolver wears a set of
checkered hard rubber grips with the Rampant Colts at the tops.
CONDITION: Fine with western character, retains 60% untouched original nickel finish with charming brown freckling and smooth gray patina on the balance, with some light pitting, and distinct
markings in the metal. Grips are also very good, with some characteristic wear, and nice fitment. Mechanically functions, hangs up slightly on the second click. A desirable documented Salt Lake
City, Utah, shipped nickel plated Single Action Army!
Provenance: Douglas R. Carlson; The Charles Marx Collection.
Estimate: 3,500 - 5,500
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