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LOT 3132
Stunning Wilbur Glahn Factory Engraved Colt First Generation Single Action Army
Revolver in .357 Magnum with Pearl Grips and Factory Archives Letter - Serial no.
356870, 357 Magnum cal., 4 3/4 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened finish, pearl medallion
grips. Offered here is a highly desirable, wonderful factory engraved Colt First Generation
Single Action Army revolver. The accompanying Colt Factory Archives letter dated March 26,
2021, states, “Our production book indicates that subject revolver was manufactured on May
18, 1939 and sent to the Shipping Room on June 21, 1939. In addition, the production book notes this
revolver was a .357 Magnum caliber and factory engraved. Unfortunately, the ledger containing the shipping records for Single Actions during the period of 1933
to 1944 was lost or destroyed some years ago. Therefore, we are unable to provide you with any further details pertaining to the configuration and shipment of this
revolver.” Besides being factory engraved, it is one of only an estimated 625 standard frame Single Action Army revolvers listed as made in .357 Magnum according to
factory ledgers, per page 182 of “The 36 Calibers of the Colt Single Action Army” by David M. Brown. The high quality factory engraving was most certainly performed
by Wilbur Glahn who engraved at Colt c. 1919-1950 as the successor to Cuno Helfricht, with detailed floral scroll patterns on punch-dot backgrounds, and factory hand
checkered back strap. America’s love affair with the Single Action Army has continued to endure decade after decade thanks to its use by tough men and women in the
American West as well as by the U.S. military and iconic heroes on the silver screen. It is certainly one of the most famous of all firearms, and the relatively small number
of Colt Single Action Army revolvers that were factory embellished remain among the most romantic and desirable of all collectible firearms. 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.
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