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LOT 3155
Excellent Pre-War/Post-War Colt Single Action
Army Revolver with Factory Letters - Serial no. 357484, 45 Long Colt cal., 7 1/2 inch
round bbl., blue/casehardened finish, hard rubber grips. Having its
frame serial number factory applied in 1940, this is a scarce example of a
pre-World War II Colt Single Action Army revolver that was subsequently factory assembled and
finished after the war and kept at the factory. The two accompanying factory letters both state the
revolver was originally sold to Bernard Reuben & Company at 18 E. 41st Street in New York City,
and was shipped in a 1 gun shipment on August 22, 1961, to Marble Hardware at 185 Main Street
in Wareham, Massachusetts, in .45 caliber with a 7 1/2 inch barrel, and finish and type of grips
not listed. The Pre-War/Post-War Single Action Army revolvers are found in the 356000-357000
serial number range, and many were known to have been used by Colt for advertising and public relations purposes.
According to “Colt’s Single Action Army Revolver Pre-War Post-War Model” by Don Wilkerson on page 19, there were
only 338 pre-World War II manufactured Colt Single Action revolvers assembled after World War II, which comprise
the group of revolvers referred to as Pre-War/Post-War by collectors. This is one of 15 of these Pre-War/Post-War
revolvers reportedly manufactured in this specific configuration, being in .45 caliber, with a 7 1/2 inch barrel, and blue/
casehardened finish, of which only 4 were listed as shipped in this configuration 1961, per information on pages 28 and
100 of Wilkerson’s aforementioned book. The barrel is marked with the one-line Hartford address on top and “COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY .45”
on the left side. The left side of the frame has the two-line patent date markings followed by a Rampant Colt. The left side of the trigger guard
has the Colt factory triangle “VP” proof and an “X” inspector’s stamp, with an “A” on the right side. Matching visible serial numbers on the frame
and grip straps, with grips non-matching numbered “354713” on the interiors, and assembly number “151” marked on the loading gate.
CONDITION: Excellent overall, retains 99% plus original high polish blue finish and 98% plus vivid original case
colors, and a brown appearance on the slightly oversized grips with crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent.
Provenance: The Brig & Louise Pemberton Collection.
Estimate: 6,500 - 9,500
LOT 3154
Excellent Colt First Generation Single Action Army Revolver in Scarce .44 S&W Special with
Factory Letter - Serial no. 352476, 44 S&W special cal., 4 3/4 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened
finish, checkered walnut grips. The accompanying factory letter lists this revolver as shipped in a 1 gun
shipment on October 30, 1930, to Sutcliffe Co. in Louisville, Kentucky, in .44 S&W caliber, with a 4 3/4 inch barrel, blue finish,
and type of grips not listed. It is fitted with factory checkered walnut grips with Rampant Colt medallions at the tops. Only
approximately 506 Single Action Army revolvers manufactured for .44 S&W Special, per page 100 of “The 36 Calibers of the Colt
Single Action Army” by David M. Brown. While Colt Single Action Army revolvers were often chambered for the
same cartridges as Winchester’s popular repeaters, they were not commonly chambered
for cartridges by Smith & Wesson, their main competitors in the handgun market. This
revolver is one of the exceptions, and by 1930, the year this revolver was shipped, Colt
switched to marking these revolvers “.44 SPECIAL” which removed any mention of Smith
& Wesson from their revolvers. The top of the barrel is marked with the two-line Hartford
address, with “COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY .44 SPECIAL” on the left. The two-line patent
date markings and Rampant Colt are on the left of the frame, and a small “3” above a
triangle “VP” proof is marked on the left of the trigger guard. Matching visible serial numbers on the frame, grip straps, in black ink on the interiors of the
grips, with matching “76” inscribed on the rear of the cylinder. Matching assembly number “1305” on the loading gate and rear of the frame.
CONDITION: Exceptionally fine, retains 95% plus bright original high polish blue finish and 90% plus original vibrant case colors, with minor leading
edge wear, light cylinder drag lines, minor handling marks, and very crisp grip checkering and edges on the professionally made checkered wood grips.
Mechanically excellent. This attractive Colt in .44 S&W Special would enhance any Colt
Single Action Army collection!
Provenance: The Charles Marx Collection.
Estimate: 9,500 - 16,000
Collector’s Fact
According to "The 36 Calibers
of the Colt Single Action Army"
by Brown, only 506 Colt Single
Action Army revolvers were
chambered in .44 S&W Special.
107
According to "Colt's Single Action Army Revolver
Pre War Post-War Model" by Wilkerson, only 15
Colt Single Actions in this combination of caliber,
barrel length, and finish were produced, of which
only 4 were shipped in 1961 (pg. 100).
Collector’s Fact