1166 COLT 1905, BRITISH MILITARY MODEL, RETAILER

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This item SOLD at 2023 Nov 03 @ 12:51UTC-4 : AST/EDT
Category Firearms & Military
Auction Currency USD
Start Price 2,000.00 USD
Estimated at 4,000.00 - 6,000.00 USD
MARKED. Cal. 45 ACP. S# 3454. Bbl 4 7/8". Colt made approximately 6,200 Model 1905 pistols, of those, approximately 400 were shipped to Britain, the majority with a shortened left grip panel over a factory installed lanyard loop. This example, a mid-production gun with a round hammer, was manufactured with the usual Colt legend on the left side of the slide suffixed by the encircled Rampant Colt. The right side of the slide is marked with the caliber reference. The full serial number was applied to the left side of the frame along with Colt's inspection marking on the left upper trigger guard web. Upon receipt by Britain, the gun was proofed with a small Crown/V on the left side of the slide and frame in addition to the exposed chamber area. The British retailer "WILKINSON/ PALL MALL, LONDON, S.W." was inscribed on the top of the slide and an inventory number "2265" was hand inscribed to the underside of the trigger guard. At some point the gun must have made its way to the Canadian military as reflected by the partially encircled broad arrow that now appears to the left of the slide release. It is not known when the ownership "R.R. SPARLING" was marked on the left side of the slide. Fitted with original checkered panels, each secured by two screws. No magazine. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: factory letter indicating that this example was 1 of 10 shipped to Colt's Pall Mall London Agency on November 28th of 1908. Factory letter lists "Furnished with a lanyard swivel" under "Special Features:". CONDITION: approximately G-VG as period reworked, a portion of the left side of the slide address is thin, the reapplied blue having overlapped a portion of the hammer case hardening. The retailer markings, Canadian military stamp, and ownership markings are very sharp with proud metal. VG+ original grips with oil darkening and blunted checkering. No discernible cracks. Slightly dull bore with easily discernible rifling. Correct manual mechanics with consideration given to missing magazine. (23-4784/LA). CURIO. $4,000-6,000. w/ letter (featured in The Colt Model 1905 by Potocki pg 102)