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LOT 3148
Excellent Wilbur Glahn Factory Master Engraved and Nickel Plated Colt First Generation Single Action Army Revolver with Relief Carved Steer Head
Ivory Grip and Factory Letter - Serial no. 345418, 45 Long Colt cal., 4 3/4 inch round bbl., nickel finish, relief carved ivory grips. Offered here is a beautiful
factory engraved nickel plated Colt Single Action Army with an attractive relief carved steer head ivory grip. The accompanying factory letter lists this revolver as
shipped in a one gun shipment on May 24, 1923, to Samuel Hill Hardware Company in Prescott, Arizona, with factory engraving, a 7 1/2 inch barrel, .45 caliber,
nickel finish, and ivory grips, under Colt Factory Order #7450/1. Started in 1903, Samuel Hill Hardware Company became the largest supplier of hardware,
mining supplies, ranching, houseware, machinery and vehicles in Prescott, Arizona Territory, and operated until 1980. Their warehouse is listed as a historic
landmark. This 1923 production Single Action Army revolver features Wilbur Glahn’s factory engraving consisting of fine floral leaf pattern designs on punch-dot
backgrounds, and his distinctive “V” pattern at the top of the back strap. Wilbur Glahn executed the majority of Colt’s factory engraving between 1919 and 1950,
but only a select number of Single Action Army revolvers were engraved by Glahn since a significant percentage of the Single Action Army revolvers that were
factory engraved were engraved before Glahn even arrived in Hartford. R. L. Wilson on page 385 of “The Colt Engraving Book, Volume One” wrote, “The grand
total of engraved Single Action Army revolvers (excluding the Bisley Model and Flattop Target Model) from 1873 through 1940 is approximately 3,000. A number
of these also included hand engraved inscriptions or monograms. For the period of Cuno Helfricht (through c. 1921) the total of factory engraved Single Action
Army revolvers was approximately 2,550...” That leaves less than 500 for subsequent years leading up to World War II. Others estimate as many as 4,500 engraved
First Generation Single Action Army revolvers, but that still
accounts for only approximately 1.26% of production based
on a total of 357,859. The barrel has the one-line Hartford
address on top and “45 COLT” on the left. The frame has the
two-line patent dates on the left followed by the Rampant
Colt trademark. The left side of the trigger guard has a “1”.
Matching full serial numbers on the frame and grip straps,
with matching number “5418” on the rear face of the
cylinder. Matching assembly number “145” on the loading
gate and rear of the frame. A Glahn factory engraved
example, serial number 346731, with a very similar pattern
of engraving, is pictured on page 568 of “The Colt Engraving
Book, Volume Two” by Wilson. Includes consignor supplied research.
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