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LOT 3333
Historic Documented Factory Engraved
Colt Police Positive Special Double Action
Revolver with Ivory Grips, Box, and Factory
Letter Shipped to Robert “Bob” Robinson,
Killed During the Fork Ridge Coal Mine
War in 1941 - Serial no. 439560, 38 Special
cal., 4 inch round bbl., nickel finish, ivory grips.
Manufactured in 1937, this is a highly attractive
example of a factory engraved Colt Police
Positive Special revolver that is documented as
shipped to one of the four men killed during
one of the 20th century’s brutal coal mine
clashes. The “Book of Colt Firearms” by R.L.
Wilson notes that only 325 Colt Police Positive
Special revolvers are listed as having been
factory engraved, a very small amount out of
the very large production run. This engraving
was almost certainly executed by Colt factory
Master Engraver Wilbur Glahn. The engraving
would be considered factory Class “A” engraving,
with flourishes of scrollwork covering about
a quarter of the surfaces. The revolver itself
otherwise has standard markings and features,
as well as being fitted with a pair of factory
smooth ivory grips with Colt medallions at the
tops. Included with the revolver is the original
factory black box with additional end labels
marked “ENGRAVED” and “NICKEL FINISH”. The
included factory letter lists the revolver in .38
caliber with a 4 inch barrel, nickel finish, ivory
grips, and factory engraved when shipped to
“State of Tenn., Robert Robinson” of Pazewell
[sic], Tennessee on 15 March 1937, as a single
gun shipment processed on internal factory
order number 17746/1. “Pazewell” is a factory
listing error intended to list “Tazewell”.
The “Robert Robinson” listed in the factory letter
is Jacob “Bob” Baylor Robinson of Tazewell,
Tennessee, who worked as a Tennessee Highway
Patrolman from 1935 until February of 1941,
when he left the highway patrol and became a
security/body guard in the employ of the Fork
Ridge Coal & Coke Company in southeastern
Kentucky along the border with Tennessee,
not far from Tazewell. Security guards for
these companies was a regular occurrence, as
violence around the coal mines of West Virginia,
Kentucky, and Tennessee between the unions
and the companies in previous years had not
been uncommon. In April of 1941, the United
Mine Workers of America union called a strike
which also involved almost all of the mines in Mingo Hollow, Kentucky,
with essentially only the non-union Fork Ridge Mine continuing to operate.
Many of the miners at Fork Ridge had already been convinced to join the
union, and on 15 April 1941 it was finally decided that they would picket
the mine. C.W. “Dusty” Rhodes was the president of the Fork Ridge Coal &
Coke Company, and had been threatening union members with violence
for months, should they decide to picket, so the union workers chose the
position of their picket line carefully. Not long after, Rhodes, E. W. Silvers,
the vice president of the company, and Bob Robinson, noted as Rhodes’
bodyguard, arrived with an unknown number of other hired guards. It is
said that Silvers exited his car first, followed shortly after by Rhodes and
Robinson, and a verbal confrontation began. Shortly after words were
exchanged, sources indicate that a gunfight erupted which was over very
quickly. When the mayhem subsided, miner Sam Evans, Rhodes, Silvers,
and Robinson all lay dead, with many more wounded. Sources note that
when the funerals were held, the services for Rhodes and Silvers were
attended by 300, while the funeral for Sam Evans was attended by 3,000.
Many people were indicted for these deaths, but none were ever found
guilty. The incident became known as either “The Mingo Massacre” or “The
Battle of Fork Ridge”, dependent on who you ask. It is certainly possible
that Robinson was carrying this very revolver on the day he was killed.
CONDITION: Extremely fine, retains 80% plus of the original nickel plating
with some scattered patches of light flaking and crisp engraving overall.
The grips are fine with a minor chip absent from the butt of the right
panel, a few hairline age cracks, and a few light scratches. Mechanically
excellent. The box is very good with mild edge/corner wear and some
fading/staining of the end labels. This is a scarce factory engraved Colt
Police Positive special revolver with historic ties to the Appalachian coal
mining wars!
Provenance: The Robert “Bob” Robinson Collection;
The Charles Marx Collection.
Estimate: 10,000 - 16,000