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/Auctions...
/Premier Firearms Auction #82

Premier Firearms Auction #82

May 14, 2021 to May 16, 2021

This auction has ended.

/Auctions...
/Premier Firearms Auction #82

Premier Firearms Auction #82

May 14, 2021 to May 16, 2021

This auction has ended.

Auction Time Summary

Preview DayThursday, May 13th10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

SESSION IFriday, May 14th9 AMLots 1 through 726

SESSION IISaturday, May 15th9 AMLots 1000 through 1718

SESSION IIISunday, May 16th9 AMLots 3000 through 3758

To Be Sold At Auction

Preview Day Thursday May 13th
Open at 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

SESSION I - Friday, May 14th
TIME: Commencing at 9 a.m. selling between Lots 1 and 726
SESSION II - Saturday, May 15th
TIME: Commencing at 9 a.m. selling between Lots 1000 and 1718
SESSION III - Sunday, May 16th
TIME: Commencing at 9 a.m. selling between Lots 3000 and 3758

Phone: 1-309-797-1500

Email: [email protected]

Rock Island Auction Company
7819 42 Street West
Rock Island, Illinois, 61201, USA

Phone: 1-309-797-1500

Toll-Free: 1-800-238-8022

Email: [email protected]

Rock Island Auction Company - Rock Island

7819 42nd Street West

Rock Island, IL, 61201, USA

Page 1 of 1

Showing 1-34 of 34 results

Desirable 1912 Production U.S. Navy Colt Model 1911 Semi-Automatic Pistol

Lot 448

1912 Production U.S. Navy Colt Model 1911 Pistol

Manufactured in 1912, bearing "MODEL OF 1911. U.S. NAVY" (serifed) nomenclature on the right side of the correct period slide. When Colt began production of the 1911, they originally provided different nomenclature for the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, and would ship the pistols directly to the appropriate facilities, though WWI would bring about the abandonment of all but the Army nomenclature to speed up production, which would continue through the remainder of military 1911/1911A1 contract deliveries. As the Navy marked 1911s were among some of the earliest 1911s received by the military, many were used and mishandled to the point of virtual destruction, leaving surviving examples rare in any condition. Blade front and round-top notch rear sights, with the two-line, two-block Colt patents and address on the left side of the slide ahead of the circled Rampant Colt, "UNITED STATES PROPERTY" and "WGP" (Penfield) on the left side of the frame. Fitted with a later production replacement smooth trigger, wide checkered hammer, short grip safety, checkered slide stop and thumb safety, flat mainspring housing with lanyard staple, checkered hardwood grips with diamond patterns around the screws and a two-tone pinned-base magazine with a "keyhole" cut in the spine. The barrel is marked "5" ahead of the lug, and "H" on the back of the chamber hood.

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Rare Documented Single Digit Serial Number 9 Colt Model 1911 Semi-Automatic Pistol with Factory Letter

Lot 449

1911 Production Serial Number 9 Colt Model 1911 Pistol

Manufactured in 1911, the first year of production, this is a very fine example of an exceptionally early production, single digit serial number, U.S. Colt Model 1911 Pistol. This pistol was assembled in the first block of 40 Model 1911 pistols at the Colt plant on the first day of production, which was 28 December 1911. Before the end of the year, Colt had only completed 51 pistols, making a first year production Model 1911 incredibly scarce. The first 50 of these pistols were shipped to Springfield Armory on 4 January 1912. These pistols were the pinnacle of military technology at the time, with military men and civilians alike, eager to get their hands on the powerful handgun. In many ways, this pistol, being so early in production, can be seen as a trailblazer, a pioneer of a reputation of reliability, and a founding father of a legacy that is still alive and well to this day. This pistol, being within the first 83 Model 1911's produced, is marked in accordance with the Ordnance Department drawings which were dated 26 April 1911, which are shown on p. 72 of "Colt .45 Service Pistols: Models of 1911 and 1911A1" by Clawson. The left side of the slide is marked with the two-line patent dates, ending in 1911, and the two-line Colt address with letters that are 5/64 inch tall, arranged in two-blocks with the circled Rampant Colt behind the serrations. At serial number 84 the letters in the address were reduced to 1/16 inch to match those of the patent dates. The left side of the frame has the early 3/32 inch tall "UNITED STATES PROPERTY" marking which is found only on the first 104 pistols, before also being reduced in size to 1/16 inch, which was approved by the Ordnance Office on 26 December 1911. The circled "WGP" monogram of inspector Major Walter G. Penfield is just behind the trigger guard on the right, parallel to the axis of the grip. The trigger guard correctly lacks assembler's marks. The right side of the slide bears the "MODEL OF 1911. U.S.ARMY" marking. The serial number is in front of the slide stop hole on the right of the frame as was standard on the first 7,500 pistols. The prefix of the serial number was the only departure from the Ordnance drawings, being "No." instead of "NO.", which was subsequently changed to "No" with the "o" underlined at approximately serial number 4501. This pistol features the early high polish Colt finish which is found on only the first 2,400 Model 1911 pistols, before the Ordnance department pushed Colt to switch to a less reflective, more durable, "dull finish". This example also features the bright nitre blue small parts which were phased out at the time of the switch to "dull blue". The magazine catch is of the early "dimpled" pattern, which was replaced with a slotted type at serial number 3190. The slide stop and thumb safety show the early hand checkering which was only present on approximately the first 150 pistols. The slide is fitted with blade and round-top notch rear sights. The barrel is a much later production replacement with "5" stamped underneath, ahead of the lug. It has a wide checkered hammer, short grip safety, long smooth trigger, flat smooth mainspring housing with lanyard loop, diamond pattern checkered grips, and a correct early pattern two-tone magazine with exposed base with lanyard loop. The included factory letter confirms the current configuration (grips not listed) as well as the previously mentioned shipment date to Springfield Armory on 4 January 1912. Provenance: The Dr. Robert Azar Collection

Documentation

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Rare Documented U.S. Springfield Armory Assembled Colt Model 1911 Semi-Automatic Pistol Display Board

Lot 450

U.S. Springfield Armory Assembled Colt Model 1911 Display Board

This display board was assembled by Springfield Armory during their lead up to manufacturing the Model 1911 pistol at the armory. The agreement was made in a letter dated 21 April 1911, in which Colt's president, Charles Robinson outlined the requirements for the armory to produce the pistol. The first of these being that Colt be paid $2.00 per pistol produced, with which they would imburse John Browning for the use of his patents. The second being that Springfield Armory not begin production until after Colt had produced and delivered 50,000 Model 1911s. The last requirement was that the armory would only produce 33 1/3% of the total requirements of the Ordnance Department, while Colt produced the other 66 2/3% under contract. Several letters between Robinson and the Chief of Ordnance follower, clarifying the terms, and on 8 May 1911 the terms were agreed upon. On 22nd of April before the terms had been agreed the Chief of Ordnance sent a letter to the commanding officer of the armory informing him of the pending agreement and to come up with an estimate of cost based on the production of 1,000 pistol. This request was answered with an estimate of $7.50 per pistol after the initial setup, which did not include the $2.00 per pistol for Colt which had been agreed upon. On 20 June 1911 the Chief of Ordnance requested a display board be prepared showing all of the component parts of the Model 1911, which was not completed and shipped until 8 May 1912. A second board was requested on 29 August 1912 and was completed on 8 November 1912. It is believed that these two boards were made up using Colt manufactured parts, as Springfield Armory had not yet begun production. These two display boards are documented in the Armory's annual operations reports of the fiscal years 1912 and 1913, and are discussed on p. 187 of "U.S. Military Automatic Pistols 1894-1920" by Meadows where this example is pictured. It is not entirely clear which of the two requested boards this is, though the "DEC 16 1911" date marked on the ejector may suggest it is the first. Other various parts are marked "MODEL 1911" including the slide, frame, trigger, hammer, grip safety, thumb safety, slide stop, and hammer strut (marked "1911 MODEL"). The front end of the slide is marked "N", and each side of the sear is marked "M". All of the parts are finished in the white. Provenance: The Dr. Robert Azar Collection

Documentation

Has Box

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Lot 453

World War II U.S. Colt Model 1911A1 Semi-Automatic Pistol

Manufactured in 1943, this is a benchmark example of a World War II production Colt Model 1911A1 pistol. The left side of the slide is marked with the two-line/two-block address separated by the Rampant Colt, "G.H.D." inspected frame with "M/VP" proof, matching "P" proofs on the frame and slide, and standard U.S. property and army nomenclature on the right of the frame. Fitted with blade and notch sights, checkered slide catch, thumb safety, and wide spur hammer, long grip safety, and arched checkered mainspring housing with lanyard loop. Fitted with a full blue "L" marked magazine, full blue barrel, and reinforced checkered grips. The included factory letter confirms the current configuration (grips not listed) as well as sale to the United States Government and shipment to the transportation officer at Springfield Armory for the commanding officer on 14 October 1943 in order number 2173 which contained 2,500 pistols. Also included is a copy of a store invoice for the purchase of this specific pistol, which is listed by serial number, and another pistol (serial number 1126347), as well as a variety of other military gear by a U.S. Navy lieutenant, as well as the original plain Kraft style box. Provenance: The Dr. Robert Azar Collection

Documentation

Has Box

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Lot 455

U.S. Colt Model 1911A1 National Match Semi-Automatic Pistol

Originally produced by Colt in 1943, this pistol was subsequently selected for upgrade to a National Match competition-grade pistol. Serrated Patridge blade front sight and Triangle adjustable rear sights, with a Colt "NM7791435" slide, "7267718/NM" bushing, and "NM 7791414" barrel (numbered to the frame), and a "FJA" (faint) frame with "S", "A", "SA", "T", and "NM" stamps. Equipped with a long serrated adjustable trigger, serrated narrow hammer, checkered front strap and serrated mainspring housing, and checkered grips. The magazine is absent. Includes a shipping box with added Springfield Armory marked label dated "6/53".

Has Box

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Lot 463

U.S. Contract Colt Model 1911 Semi-Automatic Pistol

This is a highly desirable early production U.S. military contract Colt Model 1911 semi-automatic pistol with the early slide markings, early nitre blue finished small parts, and the rare and very desirable early small serial number markings. This early pistol was manufactured in the first full month of production, being assembled on 25 January 1912. It was shipped to the Commanding Officer of Springfield Armory on Feb. 3, 1912, in a shipment of 200 pistols. The pistol has the lustrous high polish Colt commercial blue finish with the nitre blue finish on the thumb safety, slide stop, hammer, trigger, mainspring cap and barrel bushing. The high polish finish was replaced by the military "dull finish" blue at approximately serial number 2,400 on April 24, 1912. The slide is marked with the early two-line, two-block Colt factory address and patent dates and circled Rampant Colt along with "MODEL OF 1911. U.S.ARMY" on the left and right of the slide respectively. The right side of the frame ahead of the trigger guard is stamped with the very early and highly desirable small serial number markings of "No. 151" which were changed at to "N" with an underlined "o" at serial number 4501 and then moved between the grip and slide stop hole at serial number 7501. The left side stamped with the smaller "UNITED STATES PROPERTY" which had only just been adopted at serial number 104, and the circled "WPG" monogram of Ordnance Inspector Walter G. Penfield above the magazine release. It is fitted with a blade front sight and round top notch rear sight, checkered wide hammer, checkered slide stop, thumb safety, and magazine catch, short grip safety, smooth mainspring housing, lanyard loop, diamond pattern checkered grips, and a replacement two-tone magazine with lanyard loop on the bottom. The early unmarked pattern barrel is high polish on the tube and brush blued on the rear portion.

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Lot 464

Prototype U.S. Colt Military Model 1905 Semi-Automatic Pistol

This rare and historic prototype pistol is a very fine example of the evolutionary process which culminated in the adoption of the Colt Model 1911 pistol by the U.S. military. The Model 1905 represents Colt's first foray into the realm of the .45 ACP cartridge as well as being a pistol that was trialled by the U.S. military for possible adoption. After rigorous testing, that began on 16 October 1903, and involved the testing of different ammunition on living and dead livestock as well as cadavers, Major Louis LaGarde and Captain John Thompson were prepared to submit their results. On 18 March 1904 the two-man board reported that, "After mature deliberation, the Board finds that a bullet which will have the shock effect and stopping power at short ranges necessary for a military pistol or revolver should have a caliber not less than 0.45." Some sources suggest, that LaGarde, partially inpartto his previous close connections with Colt, had notified them of this recommendation prior to its official release to the government. This theory is backed up by the speed with which Colt began development of a .45 cartridge with the help of either U.M.C., Winchester, or both. On p. 142 of "Colt Automatic Pistols" Bady states that he believes, based on his sources, that Colt had the first .45 prototypes in the first months of 1904, around the same time as LaGarde and Thompson released their findings. This was followed by a John Browning patent filed on 25 May 1905 for a .45 automatic pistol. On 17 August 1905 General Crozier instructed Frankford Arsenal to take up development of a new .45 caliber bullet and cartridge for use in revolvers or automatic pistols. On p. 56 of "U.S. Military Automatic Pistols 1894-1920" by Meadows, it is stated that as early as June of 1905 Colt had a sample prototype available, as one was shipped to the arsenal on 8 June for use in testing their developed cartridges. After using that pistol for tests, adjustments were ordered to be made to cartridge and a new pistol for the adjusted cartridge was ordered in September of 1905. Upon receiving the second pistol, the arsenal made drawings of the barrel which are shown on p. 57 of the previously mentioned book. The writer strongly believes that this pistol is one of the early Colt prototype pistols which was sent to Frankford arsenal for use in their development of the .45 ACP cartridge. The development of these prototypes and their cartridge directly led to the U.S. military pistol trials of 1907, to which Colt submitted two versions of the Model 1905 pistol that shares many similarities with this example. At the conclusion of these trials on 28 March 1907 the board concluded that, "The advantages of the automatic pistol... and the disadvantages of the double-action revolver... are deemed by the board of such importance that it desires to state its conviction that the principle if the automatic hand firearm should be adopted for military service and that the adoption of a specific arm should be contingent only upon the question of whether it is mechanically satisfactory in service." The 1907 trials then directly led to the development of the legendary Model 1911 pistol. The pistol itself bears very few markings as is typical of a developmental prototype, with the left side of the slide only marked with "COLT'S PATENT FIRE ARMS MFG. CO." and a circled Rampant Colt behind the serrations. The left side of the trigger guard is marked with a circled five-point star (possibly an arsenal marking) and a "6". The pistol does not appear to have ever received a finish as would be expected for experimental purposes. The pistol general shares the standard features of the later standard production Model 1905 apart from a lanyard loop mounted on the left of the grip frame at a 45 degree angle, with the left grip panel modified to curve around it.

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Documented Rare Prototype Colt SSP Double Action Semi-Automatic .45 ACP Pistol Presented to Colt Vice President John Fiedler

Lot 466

Colt Prototype SSP Double Action Semi-Automatic .45 ACP Pistol

First developed by Colt as the Model 1971, with approximately 30-50 being manufactured, this model would become the Stainless Steel Pistol (SSP) and was conceived as a way to get the jump on a future U.S. military handgun request. Before any formal requirements had been fielded, the company had managed to develop a solid read on the then-current trends in firearms, particularly the rise of what would later be dubbed the "Wonder Nine", the 9mm double-stack double-action semi-automatic pistol. While the knockdown force of the 45 ACP had (and still has) its adherents, the appeal of being able to standardize to the 9x19mm NATO cartridge and get a 13+ round magazine capacity in the process was rather broad. Colt's read on the Wonder Nine was a radical departure from the 1911A1, completely changing much of the internal configuration and external appearance. The slide is secured with a set of full length external frame rails, and the barrel via a link-free ramp assembly, while the hammer and mainspring are configured as a one-piece "en block" assembly that can be slid out of the frame for maintenance and repair. The SSP had an additional feature, specifically that it was designed to be convertible between 9x19 NATO and 45 ACP with just a few parts. While this option was not part of the later XM9/XM10 trial requirements, the post-XM9 trials for a SOCOM-particular 45 handgun and the recent American adoption of the caliber convertible Sig-Sauer M17/M18 to replace the Beretta M9 (which beat out the SSP and others at the XM9/XM10 trials) makes this seem like a nearly prescient move. Following the trials no commercial production was pursued, and the SSPs made for the trials were either tested to death, given to VIPs as gifts, or disappeared into the American logistics system, and few can be found today. This SSP is unmarked on the slide, with "45 ACP" on the chamber Sights are blade front and square notch rear, with the rear dovetailed into place and the front mounted on a small detachable panel at the front of the slide. Mechanical features include an right handed pin-blocking safety, right handed slide catch and magazine release, smooth trigger, serrated grip straps, and grip panels are marked "J.B.G.F.", for Colt Senior Vice President John B.G. Fiedler, inside of a stainless steel circle. Comes with a letter of provenance stating this pistol was once owned by former Colt Senior Vice President John Fiedler. In the letter Fiedler goes on to state, "This factory prototype was presented to me by my marketing team…The handgrips of this prototype contain my initials, engraved by Colt master engraver Bob Bert."

Documentation

Modern

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Lot 478

U.S. Colt Transitional Model 1911/1911A1 Semi-Automatic Pistol

Starting in September of 1920, the Ordnance Board began to make suggestions for modifications to the Model 1911 pistol based on experience from World War I, and by April of 1923 OCM Item 2890 was standardized and recommended by the department. A pilot series of 10,000 pistols was approved with some production issues arising throughout 1923, but by January 1924 the first "Improved Models" were being delivered and were also known as the Transitional Model 1911s. This example was shipped on 22 January 1924 to Springfield Armory. While they retained the nomenclature markings of the 1911, they were equipped with the signature features of the 1911A1 which included the dished frame sides, shortened trigger, elongated grip safety, and arched mainspring housing. Fitted with round blade front and flat top notch rear sights, with the two-line, two-block address and patent markings divided by the Rampant Colt logo on the left side of the slide, "MODEL OF 1911.U.S.ARMY" on the right, and "H" above the firing pin stop plate. The frame bears the circular Walter Gordon "WTG" inspection stamp, with the short milled checkered trigger, wide checkered hammer, long grip safety, checkered mainspring housing with lanyard loop, a conjoined "HP" marked barrel, and an unmarked two-tone magazine. Provenance: The Dr. Robert Azar Collection

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Lot 480

World War II U.S. Colt Model 1911A1 Semi-Automatic Pistol

Manufactured in 1943, during the height of World War II. The left side of the slide is marked with the two-line/two-block address separated by the Rampant Colt, "G.H.D." inspected frame with "61/VP" proof, matching "P" proofs on the frame and slide, and standard U.S. property and army nomenclature on the right of the frame. Fitted with blade and notch sights, checkered slide catch, thumb safety, and wide spur hammer, long grip safety, and arched checkered mainspring housing with lanyard loop. Fitted with a full blue "R" and "C-R" marked magazine, full blue barrel, and reinforced checkered grips. Provenance: The Dr. Robert Azar Collection

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Lot 481

World War I U.S. Colt Model 1911 Semi-Automatic Pistol

Manufactured in 1918. Blade front and flat top notch rear sights, the two-line/two-block address and patent dates on the left side of the slide divided by the Rampant Colt, the Army nomenclature on the reverse, and a United States Property marked frame with "JMG" inspection mark. Fitted with a long smooth trigger, wide checkered hammer, short grip safety, smooth mainspring housing, a two-tone pinned base magazine, and an unmarked full blue barrel. The number "2527" has been added by hand to the underside of the left grip panel, mainspring housing and magazine; the purpose of this number is unknown, possibly a period of use rack number, a partial service number, or similar identifier. Provenance: The Dr. Robert Azar Collection

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Lot 1481

Colt Model 1909 "Straight Handle" Semi-Automatic Pistol

Manufactured in 1909, this is an outstanding example of a Colt Model 1909 "Straight Handle" semi-automatic pistol which was an extremely important step along the evolutionary path to the legendary Colt Model 1911 Pistol. Only 23 of these pistols were manufactured by Colt for testing with various ordnance boards in an attempt to secure a contract with the U.S. military. These pistols were never adopted by the United States but lead directly to the eventual adoption of the Model 1911 which would go on to serve the U.S. military with distinction, with some variations of it still in service to this day. The Model 1909 was a totally new design by John Browning, in an attempt to improve upon the shortcomings of the previously tested Model 1907. These pistols are one of the first Browning designs that truly start to show the distinctive look and features that would later be adopted by the Model 1911. These features included the single link locking system, simplified disassembly, magazine release on the left of the frame, redesigned grip safety, redesigned ejector and ejector port, new method for retaining the firing pin, loaded indicator eliminated, and the slide lock/release being made an integral part of the link pin. The Model 1909 was first tested at Springfield Armory on 23 August 1909 with favorable results, leading to Colt manufacturing a further 23 pistols shortly after which were serial numbered 0 through 22. In February of 1910, pistol number 13 was put through further tests at Springfield Armory with John Browning present, where the only issue was a small piece of the half cock notch of the hammer breaking off and becoming lodged in the sear. This temporary issue was explained by Browning as being due to the use of less than ideal steel for the hammers on these early production pistols, and was quickly remedied by him to resume testing. Having fired a total of 2,874 rounds in this test with very minimal issues it was recommended that the remaining pistols be distributed between the Infantry, Cavalry, and Field Artillery Boards, School of Musketry, and both Springfield Armory and Rock Island Arsenal for further testing. This specific pistol, along with numbers 5, 7, and 19, were assigned to Colonel John T. Thompson of the Ordnance Department to be studied at Springfield Armory. It is believed that these four pistols were not submitted to the same rigorous tests as the others, which the condition of this example indicates. This pistol, serial number 21, is pictured on p. 106-107 of "The Government Models: The Development of the Colt Model of 1911" by Goddard and on p. 84 of "U.S. Military Automatic Pistols 1894-1920" by Meadows. This pistol, along with its 22 counterparts, are discussed on those pages and the following pages as well as on p. 45-52 of "Colt .45 Service Pistols: Models of 1911 and 1911A1" by Clawson. According to the book by Meadows, the locations of only eight of these pistols are known, two of which being in the collections of museums, making these Model 1909's incredibly scarce. The left side of the slide on this pistol has the two-line two-block patent dates ending with 1905 and Colt address, while the right side of the slide has the caliber designation. The right side of the frame is marked with the serial number "21" while the trigger guard has the "VP" proof on the left. The slide is fitted with a period modified blade front sight that was slightly ground down, a rounded top notch rear sight, and the ejection port directly on top. The checkered slide stop, smooth trigger, and pins/screws are all finished in bright nitre blue. The checkered hammer and smooth flat mainspring housing are casehardened. The pistol is fitted with diamond pattern checkered walnut grips and an unmarked full blue magazine. Provenance: The Dr. Robert Azar Collection

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Lot 1482

Serial Number 61 Colt Military Model 1905 Semi-Automatic Pistol

Manufactured in 1906, this is one of only 6,210 Colt "Military Model of 1905" pistols manufactured over a period of six years. These pistols are a very important evolutionary step in the development of Colt automatic pistols and the Model 1911 as they were the first production Colt automatic chambered for the legendary .45 ACP cartridge. This pistol, serial number 61, was manufactured even before Colt began fabricating two model room examples of the Model 1905 which would later be submitted to the 1907 U.S. military pistol trials. The left side of the slide is marked with the two-line two-block patent dates and address, with the circled Rampant Colt behind the serrations. The left side of the slide is marked "AUTOMATIC COLT/CALIBRE 45 RIMLESS SMOKELESS". The left side of the frame is marked with the serial number and the left of the trigger guard has a "VP" proof and "1". It has rounded blade front and rounded top notch rear sights, and the rounded checkered hammer. It is fitted with a pair of diamond pattern checkered grips and an unmarked full blue magazine. This pistol is listed on p. 217 of "The Government Models: The Development of the Colt Model of 1911" by Goddard as having shipped on 2 February 1906 to a W.S. Brown. Includes an unnumbered, correctly labelled, Colt maroon box. Provenance: The Dr. Robert Azar Collection

Has Box

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Exceptionally Scarce and Desirable Documented Mexican Government Contract Colt Model 1902 Military Semi-Automatic Pistol with Pearl Grips and Factory Letter

Lot 1487

Mexican Government Contract Colt Model 1902 Military Pistol

Manufactured in 1908, this exceptionally scarce Military Model of 1902 pistol is one of only 801 manufactured by Colt under contract for the government of Mexico. Like this example, these contract pistols were all fitted with pearl grips and had the Mexican crest of an eagle clutching a snake roll stamped on the top of the slide. Apart from that, this pistol exhibits the mid-production high polish blue finish and rounded hammer which was completely phased out around serial number 33000. The included factory letter confirms the current configuration including the pearl grips and the Mexican crest stamp on the slide as well as being sold to Ministerio de Guerra Y Marina and shipment to A. Combaluzier in Mexico City for El Commandante Militar de Vera Cruz on 27 February 1908, in a shipment that contained 600 guns of the same configuration. This initial shipment would be followed by two subsequent shipments of 100 guns each, one on 13 May 1910 and one on 13 January 1911. Along with these 800 pistols there is another listed on p. 185 of "The Government Models: The Development of the Colt Model of 1911" by Goddard (this pistol listed in the shipment on p.184 of the same book). The additional pistol, serial number 31565, shipped with the initial shipment of 600 on 27 February 1908, but is listed in the ledger separately on the advertising account as engraved with "P.D." inlaid in gold on the slide along with the Mexican crest and pearl grips. The left side of the slide is marked with the two-line patent date and two-line address arranged in two blocks with the circled Rampant Colt behind the serrations. The right side of the slide has the two-line caliber marking, "AUTOMATIC COLT/CALIBRE 38 RIMLESS SMOKELESS". The left side of the frame has the serial number and "VP" and "6" on the left of the trigger guard. It is fitted with a blade front sight and a slightly ground down rounded top notch rear sight (likely for ease of drawing from a holster), a lanyard swivel on the lower left of the grip frame, a set of smooth pearl grips, and an unmarked full blue magazine. With a total production number of only 801 and even fewer surviving examples having returned to the United States in their original configuration, these pistols are truly scarce!

Documentation

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 38 Colt auto

Price Realized:

Lot 1489

Colt Model 1905 Military Semi-Automatic Pistol with Pearl Grips

Manufactured in 1906, this is one of only 6,210 Colt "Military Model of 1905" pistols manufactured over a period of six years. These pistols were a very important evolutionary step in the development of Colt automatic pistols and the Model 1911 as they were the first production Colt automatic chambered for the legendary .45 ACP cartridge. This pistol, serial number 861, was manufactured just before Colt began fabricating two model room examples of the Model 1905 which would later be submitted to the 1907 U.S. military pistol trials. The left side of the slide is marked with the two-line two-block patent dates and address, with the circled Rampant Colt behind the serrations. The right side of the slide is marked "AUTOMATIC COLT/CALIBRE 45 RIMLESS SMOKELESS". The left side of the frame is marked with the serial number, and the left of the trigger guard has a "VP" proof and "W". It has rounded blade front and rounded top notch rear sights and the rounded checkered hammer. It is fitted with an attractive pair of period, possibly retailer installed, pearl grips and an unmarked full blue magazine.

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Lot 1495

Pre-World War II Colt Government Model Semi-Automatic Pistol

Manufactured in 1925, these Government Model pistols represented the pinnacle of firearms technology available to civilians, military, or the police at the time. This pistol was manufactured during the height of the prohibition crime era, where these Colt automatics were very popular with among people on both sides of the law. The left side of the slide is marked with the two-line address and patent dates while the right side has the caliber marking followed by the Rampant Colt. The right side of the frame has the Government Model marking over the serial number, and the trigger guard is marked "1/VP" on the left and "51" on the right. It has the standard features of the "Improved Model" 1911s including the wide checkered hammer, short trigger, finger clearance cuts, and arched checkered mainspring housing. The two tone magazine is unmarked with a pinned base. Provenance: The Dr. Robert Azar Collection

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Lot 1500

Colt Government Model Semi-Automatic Pistol

Manufactured in in 1918, this pistol is what is sometimes called a "commercial issue" as it was ordered for a military officer, likely before they were issued a Model 1911 by the military. These pistols represented the cutting edge of firearms technology and were highly sought after by military personnel and civilians alike. This pistol was individually shipped to Colonel William C. Skinner (1855-1922), who became a colonel while serving on the staff of the 54th Governor of Connecticut who was in office from 1889 to 1893. In 1906, Skinner was elected to serve as vice president of Colt's Manufacturing Company, and three years later was elected president of the company, where he served until 1911. In 1916, Skinner returned to the company as president, serving until 1921 when he resigned to serve as the head of the board of directors. Skinner is credited with anticipating the end of World War I and implementing a diversification program at Colt which kept the company in business even with the lack of large military contracts. The pistol was ordered for and is inscribed to William's son, Roberts Keney Skinner (1886-1963). The following lot is a pistol that was ordered by Skinner, prior to this one, that was possibly retained for himself. Roberts got his name from his mother's maiden name and is listed as a corporal in 2nd Platoon, B Company, 101st Machine Gun Battalion, 26th Infantry Division in "History of the 101st Machine Gun Battalion" by 1st Lieutenant Philip S. Wainwright and others. The 101st, along with the rest of the 26th Division, arrived in France on 21 September 1917 and was present for many of the major actions late in World War I, including The Marne Campaign, Battle of Saint-Mihiel, and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. By the time of the armistice on 11 November 1918, the 26th Division had spent 210 of their 417 days in Europe in combat. The included factory letter confirms the configuration of this pistol, with the inscription and grips not listed, as well as shipment to Col. W.C. Skinner, Sergeant (possibly a factory error) Robt. K. Skinner, Colt Patent Firearms on 10 September 1918. The inscription on the right side of the slide "ROBERTS KENEY SKINNER/101st Machine Gun Battalion/26th Division, U.S.A." appears to have been added after the pistol left the factory. It is unclear whether this inscription was added and then the pistol shipped to France or if it was intended as a welcome home gift from father to son. The roll mark on the left of the slide appears to have some letters that were worn when applied at the factory and were not fully impressed. The pistol otherwise has the standard markings and features of a mid-production Colt Government Model pistol, and is fitted with a pair of checkered diamond pattern grips and an unmarked two-tone magazine.

Documentation

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Historic Documented Early Production Colt Government Model Semi-Automatic Pistol Shipped to Colt President Colonel William C. Skinner

Lot 1501

Early Production Colt Government Model Pistol

Manufactured in in 1914, the third year of production for the commercial Government Model. This pistol represented the cutting edge of firearm technology and was highly sought after by military personnel and civilians alike. This particular example could be considered what is sometimes called a "Commercial Issue", which were ordered by military officers who couldn't wait to be issued a Model 1911 by the military, as it was shipped to a colonel, though he wasn't active in the military at the time. This pistol was individually shipped to Colonel William C. Skinner (1855-1922), who became a colonel while serving on the staff of the 54th governor of Connecticut who was in office from 1889 to 1893. In 1906, Skinner was elected to serve as vice president of Colt's Manufacturing Company, and three years later was elected president of the company, where he served until 1911. In 1916 Skinner returned to the company as president, serving until 1921 when he resigned to serve as the head of the board of directors. Skinner is credited with anticipating the end of World War I and implementing a diversification program at Colt which kept the company in business even with the lack of large military contracts. It is possible that Skinner requested these pistols for presentation to friends or high ranking officials as there are at least three others listed shipped to him between serial number 1 and this pistol. It is also possible that he retained this pistol for himself, and in the previous lot is a pistol that he specifically ordered and had inscribed for his son. This specific pistol is listed by serial number on p. 256 of "The Government Models: The Development of the Colt Model 1911" by Goddard as being shipped on 12 September 1914 to "Col. W.C. Skinner". The slide on this pistol bears the two-line, two-block address and patent markings on the left side of the slide with the Rampant Colt behind the serrations. The right of the slide has the caliber markings. "VP" and "R" are on the trigger guard, and "GOVERNMENT MODEL" is on the right side of the frame. The early four-digit serial number is located on the right of the frame. The later production replacement barrel has a polished chamber and "P" proof on top, visible in the ejector port of the slide. Fitted with a set of diamond pattern checkered grips and an unmarked two-tone magazine with lanyard loop on the bottom.

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

World War II 1941 Production U.S. Colt Model 1911A1 Semi-Automatic Pistol

Lot 1503

World War II 1941 Production U.S. Colt Model 1911A1 Pistol

Manufactured in 1941, the Robert Sears inspected Colts marked the transition point from Colt's high polish blue to the parkerization treatment that would become the standard for the rest of the war, with this example receiving the "brush" polish blue. Clawson's "Colt .45 Service Pistols: Models of 1911 and 1911A1" lists this pistol in a shipment of 3,150 pistols on 28 June 1941, on p. 396. The left side of the replacement slide (numbered "732945" under the firing pin stop, exactly one digit away from the frame number "732944") has the two-line, two-block, patent dates and address with the Rampant Colt between, and the right side of the slide is devoid of markings. The right side of the frame has the U.S. property marking, serial number, and model designation, with "69" on the trigger guard. The left side of the frame has the boxed "R.S." Robert Sears inspection mark, "P" proof, and "T" over "VP" proof on the trigger guard. The top of the slide also has a "P" proof. Fitted with blade and notch sights, wide checkered hammer, short checkered trigger, long grip safety, arched checkered mainspring housing with a lanyard loop, full blue barrel, and a full blue magazine marked "COLT/.45 AUTO." on the base.

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Exceptional and Scarce U.S. 1907 Contract Test Trials Colt Model 1905 Military Semi-Automatic Pistol

Lot 1519

U.S. 1907 Contract Colt Model 1905 Military Pistol

Manufactured in late 1907 or early 1908, this is one of 207 Colt Model 1905 Military (Model 1907) pistols manufactured to fulfill the 1907 contract for the U.S. government for test trials. These pistols were manufactured after the Ordnance Board tests on 15 January 1907, and incorporated many of the recommendations submitted by the board after those tests. These recommendations included top ejection, automatic loaded chamber indicator, an automatic safety, wooden grip plates securely fastened on, strengthened trigger stirrup, longer trigger stirrup pin, and a hammer of the modified type exhibited to the board (spur rather than rounded). In September of 1907, Colt had a sample pistol prepared, which incorporated the spur hammer, grip safety, a modified ejector port, an ejector to help facilitate nearly vertical ejection, and a lanyard loop affixed to the frame. This sample pistol also included a slotted frame for a buttstock, which was the only feature not approved by the Ordnance Department. Production of the pistols began almost immediately and on 17 March 1908, the 200 requested pistols were shipped to Springfield Armory. A further five pistols were shipped 2 April 1908 to Brigadier General William Crozier, another on 16 September to the Colt London Agency, and a final pistol on 21 September to the commanding officer at Springfield Armory. The initial 200 pistols were subsequently divided between three different troops of cavalry and The School of Musketry for further testing. The pistols' performance through many phases of trials was less than exceptional and, with the development of the Model 1911 in full swing, 185 of these "Model 1907" pistols were turned in at Springfield Armory. The 15 pistols that were absent are believed to have been used for parts or rendered inoperable during trials. Five pistols were retained by the government, two each for the Springfield Armory Museum and Rock Island Arsenal Museum, and one for the National Museum (Smithsonian). Pistol number 46 is currently in the Smithsonian, 128 and 130 are in the Springfield Armory Museum, and 147 is in the Rock Island Arsenal Museum. The remaining 180 pistols were reportedly purchased by Francis Bannerman of New York in February of 1912.The left side of the slide on this example is marked with the two-line patents dates and Colt address, arranged in two blocks, while the left side has the standard two-line caliber marking. The right side of the frame is marked with the serial number "70" and "K.M." on the trigger guard, the military inspection mark of Major Kenneth Morton. There are two small British "crown/CP" proofs on the right side, one on the frame and one on the slide. It is fitted with blade and round top notch sights, loaded chamber indicator, checkered grip safety and spur hammer, lanyard loop on the left grip frame, an unmarked full blue magazine, and diamond pattern checkered grips. Provenance: The Dr. Robert Azar Collection

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Exceptional U.S. Colt Model 1911A1 National Match Semi-Automatic Pistol with .22 Conversion Kit and Box

Lot 1535

U.S. Colt Model 1911A1 National Match Pistol with Conversion Kit

Originally produced by Colt in 1943, this pistol was subsequently selected for upgrade to a National Match competition-grade pistol. Serrated Patridge blade front and Kensight adjustable rear sights, with a Colt "NM7791435" slide, "7267718/NM" bushing, and "NM 7791414" barrel (numbered to the frame), and a "GHD" frame with "WC", "SA", "P", "RIA", "T" and "NM" stamps. Equipped with a long serrated adjustable trigger, checkered wide hammer, checkered front strap and mainspring housing, checkered grips and a full blue "G" magazine. Includes a Colt .22 conversion kit with barrel hand numbered to gun, two .22 LR magazines, an extra .45 ACP magazine, and shipping boxes for both. Provenance: The Dr. Robert Azar Collection

Has Box

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Lot 1536

U.S. Colt Model 1911A1 National Match Semi-Automatic Pistol

Originally produced by Colt in 1945, this pistol was subsequently selected for upgrade to a National Match competition-grade pistol. Serrated Patridge blade front sight and first pattern non-adjustable tall notch rear sight, with a Colt "NM7791435" slide, "7267718/NM" bushing, and "NM 7791414" barrel (numbered to the frame), and a "FJA" frame with "2", "315", "1", "RIA", and "NM" stamps. Equipped with a long serrated adjustable trigger, serrated narrow hammer, checkered front strap and mainspring housing, checkered grips, and an unmarked parkerized magazine. Includes a plain shipping box hand numbered to the gun.

Has Box

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Colt Model 1905 Military Semi-Automatic Pistol Inscribed to Corporal Louis Neilson of Squadron A, "The New York Hussars"

Lot 1540

Inscribed Colt Model 1905 Military Semi-Automatic Pistol

Manufactured in 1906, this is one of only 6,210 Colt "Military Model of 1905" pistols manufactured over a period of six years. These pistols are a very important evolutionary step in the development of Colt automatic pistols and the Model 1911 as they were the first production Colt automatic chambered for the legendary .45 ACP cartridge. This specific pistol is inscribed to Corporal Louis Neilson, Troop 2, Squadron A Cavalry. Squadron A was also known as "The New York Hussars" and were a combination of a militia unit, social club, and ceremonial guard and is still around as a social club. Neilson was a part of Squadron A from 1904 to 1911 and is listed in "The World Almanac" from 1909 as playing on the Squadron A polo team. It is likely that this pistol was presented to him by his comrades upon leaving the squadron. Included with the pistol is a copy of the book "Squadron A: A History of Its First Fifty Years 1889-1939. The left side of the slide is marked with the two-line two-block patent dates and address, with the circled Rampant Colt behind the serrations. The right side of the slide is marked "AUTOMATIC COLT/CALIBRE 45 RIMLESS SMOKELESS". The left side of the frame is marked with the serial number and the left of the trigger guard has a "VP" proof and "1". The back strap is period inscribed "CORPORAL LOUIS NEILSON/FROM HIS SQUAD/TROOP 2/SQUADRON A CAVALRY/1911". It has rounded blade front and rounded top notch rear sights and a checkered spur hammer. It is fitted with a pair of diamond pattern checkered grips and an unmarked full blue magazine.

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Extremely Rare Documented Experimental "Baby Colt" Model 1910 .38 ACP/9.8 mm Prototype Semi-Automatic Pistol Published in "The Government Models" Book by Goddard

Lot 3423

Serial Number 3 "Baby Colt" Model 1910 Prototype 9.8 mm Pistol

Manufactured in 1909-1910, this prototype 9.8mm Colt is one of the rarest of all Colt manufactured automatics, being one of only five known, and one of only four which are serialized. The development of these scarce pistols came about, at least partially, due to the escalating competition in the manufacture of John Browning's pistol designs between Colt and Fabrique Nationale (F.N.) This began 13 years prior when Browning agreed to license his designs to Colt from production in the United States and its territories, as well as the British Isles on 24 July 1896. Approximately a year later, on 7 July 1897, Browning made a separate agreement with F.N., allowing them to produce and market his designs on mainland Europe including Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, Austro-Hungary, and any other nation not already granted to Colt, with the caveat that they obtain patent rights in Browning's name in any country in which they wished to sell. In 1899 the two firearms manufacturing giants came to an agreement themselves to respect these boundaries, and agreement which lasted for approximately 10 years. In 1910 however, Colt began paying more attention to the expansion of F.N., and started feeling the heat when F.N. manufactured Browning designs started turning up in the western hemisphere with more regularity, primarily in South and Central America, which Colt hadn't previously prioritised. In early 1910 discussions of a possible Rumanian contract took place amongst the Colt board but they also decided to pursue a further non-competition agreement with F.N., which was secured on 11 March 1910. This new agreement secured barely a year of peace for the two companies. William Skinner, Colt's outgoing president in December of 1910 told the board of directors that, over the past year, the company had drastically increased their sales in Cuba as well as Central and South America, and just a month later, the incoming president, C.L.F. Robinson declared to the board that F.N. had breached the 1910 agreement and that he was seeking legal guidance in the matter. It appears that Robinson was advised by the legal team to try to secure another agreement with F.N. rather than taking legal action, but by the fall of 1910 no agreement had been reached. At this point, in the fall or winter of 1910, with no new agreement on the table, it appears Robinson and Skinner, who was now the head of the board of directors, decided to employ some aggressive diplomacy with F.N., by deploying their prototype .38/9.8 mm pistol which appears to have been in the works since late 1909. The cartridge for this pistol had come about after the warm reception of the Model 1910 prototype in .45 ACP and Colt's management setting their sights on markets outside of the United States. They had worked jointly with Union Metallic Cartridge Co. and Winchester Repeating Arms Co. to develop a European style pistol cartridge, and by August 1910 had settled on the 9.8 mm rimless cartridge, a fairly large quantity of which was manufactured by Winchester. The Colt model room was then tasked with creating a pistol based on the finalized Model 1910 designed but chambered in the new .38/9.8 mm cartridge. The result was a downsized version of the Model 1910 which was presented to the board of directors on 6 October 1910, who made no requests regarding the design. Shortly after that meeting the project took a significant hit as the Model 1910 was plagued with barrel and frame failures in the November 1910 government ordnance tests. Fixing these issues with the .45 ACP Model 1910 became an immediate priority for Colt and the 9.8 mm project was put on the back burner until the fall/winter of 1910 when, as we've discussed, Robinson and Skinner sought to apply a bit of leverage to F.N. in regards to their expansion. To encourage F.N. to see things there way, Colt's plan was to send Robinson and pistol expert Eugene Reising with the Model of 1911 Special Army to the British Enfield pistol trials in September of 1911. They would then continue on from there to the Rumanian pistol trials the next month in Bucharest with the Model of 1910 in 9.8 mm Colt. Three weeks after their departure, Chairman Skinner was reading a message of Colt's success at the trials to the board, which also included the details of a new agreement proposed by Colt. Robinson returned with Rumanian patent records should they be needed to mount a legal defence of Colt's sales interests there, but no such defence was necessary. Colt's aggressive diplomacy with their little .38 had successfully brought F.N. to the table and on 1 July 1912, a new five-year agreement was signed. The little .38 was put on the back burner for some time while Colt focused on fulfilling their contract with the United States Government for Model of 1911 Pistols, but was again presented to the board along with John Browning's design for the Colt Woodsman Pistol in 1913. The board initially approved both of the designs for manufacture, however upon further review, decided to only continue on with the Woodsman design. From here the examples of the Model 1910 as well as some unassembled parts were left to collect dust along with countless other Colt prototypes, when in 1922 serial number 2 Model 1910 was booked out to an H.S. Campbell, who was a South American salesman for Colt. Serial numbers 1 and 4 eventually ended up in a private collections, and the unnumbered example is kept in the Springfield Armory Museum. This leaves the example we offer here, serial number 3. This specific pistol is photographed and described on p. 120-121 of "The Government Models: The Development of the Colt Model 1911" by Goddard. These pages as well as p. 473 of "U.S. Military Automatic Pistols 1894-1920" by Meadows describe these prototype pistols, both stating that this specific example was retained by the factory who reconditioned it in .38 ACP and re-rollmarked it with contemporary markings in 1929 and placed in their reference collection before eventually ending up in the collection of William Goddard himself. Information about these prototype pistols and their unique cartridge can also be found on p. 192-194 of "Colt Automatic Pistols" by Bady, who states that at the time of his writing only the unnumbered example retained by the Springfield Armory Museum was known. The slide on this pistol is marked with the two-line address and patent dates ending with 1913 which were applied in 1929, and the right side is marked with "AUTOMATIC/CALIBRE .38" with "COLT" and a Rampant Colt to either side. The only other visible marking is the serial number "3" on the left side of the frame. It appears likely that when the pistol was reconditioned in 1929 some contemporary parts were also installed such as a long grip safety, short stamped trigger, and an arched checkered mainspring housing. It is also fitted with blade and notch sights, checkered slide stop, thumb safety, and magazine release, a set of fully checkered walnut grips, and is furnished with a two-tone magazine which is marked "MIL./COLT/38 CAL." Provenance: The Dr. Robert Azar Collection

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 38 ACP

Price Realized:

Lot 3430

Colt Model 1905 Military Semi-Automatic Pistol

Manufactured in 1907, this is one of only 6,210 Colt "Military Model of 1905" pistols manufactured over a period of six years. These pistols are a very important evolutionary step in the development of Colt automatic pistols and the Model 1911, as they were the first production Colt automatic chambered for the legendary .45 ACP cartridge. This pistol, serial number 1779, was manufactured just after Colt began fabricating two model room examples of the Model 1905 which would later be submitted to the 1907 U.S. military pistol trials. The left side of the slide is marked with the two-line two-block patent dates and address, with the circled Rampant Colt behind the serrations. The left side of the slide is marked "AUTOMATIC COLT/CALIBRE 45 RIMLESS SMOKELESS". The left side of the frame is marked with the serial number and the left of the trigger guard has a "VP" proof and "1". The blued barrel has two small British proofs on the chamber. It has rounded blade front and rounded top notch rear sights, and the rounded checkered hammer. It is fitted with a pair of diamond pattern checkered grips and an unmarked full blue magazine. Provenance: The Dr. Robert Azar Collection

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Lot 3433

Colt Model 1905 Military Semi-Automatic Pistol

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Excellent World War II U.S. Colt Model 1911A1 Semi-Automatic Pistol with British Proofs

Lot 3439

World War II U.S. Colt Model 1911A1 Pistol with British Proofs

Shipped in February of 1945, with markings consistent with having been delivered to the British via Birmingham as part of the Lend-Lease program and returned to American military stocks after the war. The left side of the slide has the two-line two-block patent dates and address bisected by the Rampant Colt. The left of the frame near the trigger guard is marked "G.H.D.", with "P" proofs near the magazine release and on top of the slide. The right side of the frame has the standard U.S. property and model markings along with "RELEASED/BRITISH GOVT. 1952" and "NOT ENGLISH MAKE". The trigger guard is marked "6/VP" on the left and "17" on the right. There are "crown/V" proofs on the rear right of the slide and frame along with a crossed cannons ordnance mark on the frame. Fitted with a stamped short trigger, narrow checkered hammer, checkered slide catch and thumb safety, long grip safety, serrated arched mainspring housing with lanyard loop, reinforced grips, unmarked full blue magazine. Provenance: The Dr. Robert Azar Collection

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Lot 3442

U.S. Navy Contract Colt Model 1911 Semi-Automatic Pistol

A total of 15,037 of these pistols were manufactured by Colt with the desirable U.S. Navy slide marking, all of which were delivered prior to April of 1915. After that, all Model 1911 pistols delivered to the Navy would bear the standard U.S. Army nomenclature, of which there were approximately 578,473 manufactured, making this variation comparatively very scarce. This is an exceptional example of a 1912 production, U.S. Navy contract, Colt Model 1911 pistol that was shipped on 1 June 1912 to the Brooklyn Navy Yard ("Colt .45 Service Pistols: Models of 1911 and 1911A1" by Clawson). It is finished in the military brushed blue finish that was adopted in April of 1912. The left side of the slide is marked with the standard two-line, two-block Colt address and patent dates with the Rampant Colt behind the serrations, while the right bears the desirable "MODEL OF 1911 U.S. NAVY" marking. Brushed blue barrel with "H" inspection mark visible on the top rear of the chamber hood. The left side of the frame has the U.S. property marking and "WCP" circled monogram above the magazine release, while the serial number is on the right. It is fitted with blade front and rounded top notch rear sights, checkered slide catch, thumb safety, magazine catch, and wide hammer, long smooth military trigger, smooth flat mainspring housing with lanyard loop, a pair of diamond pattern checkered walnut grips, and a "key-slot" pattern two-tone magazine with lanyard loop base.

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Lot 3457

Prototype Colt SSP Double Action Semi-Automatic 9mm Pistol

First developed by Colt as the Model 1971, with approximately 30-50 being manufactured, this model would become the Stainless Steel Pistol (SSP) and was conceived as a way to get the jump on a future U.S. military handgun request. Before any formal requirements had been fielded, the company had managed to develop a solid read on the then-current trends in firearms, particularly the rise of what would later be dubbed the "Wonder Nine", the 9mm double-stack double-action semi-automatic pistol. While the knockdown force of the 45 ACP had (and still has) its adherents, the appeal of being able to standardize to the 9x19mm NATO cartridge and get a 13+ round magazine capacity in the process was rather broad. Colt's read on the Wonder Nine was a radical departure from the 1911A1, completely changing much of the internal configuration and external appearance. The slide is secured with a set of full length external frame rails, and the barrel via a link-free ramp assembly, while the hammer and mainspring are configured as a one-piece "en block" assembly that can be slid out of the frame for maintenance and repair. The SSP had an additional feature, specifically that it was designed to be convertible between 9x19 NATO and 45 ACP with just a few parts. While this option was not part of the later XM9/XM10 trial requirements, the post-XM9 trials for a SOCOM-particular 45 handgun and the recent American adoption of the caliber convertible Sig-Sauer M17/M18 to replace the Beretta M9 (which beat out the SSP and others at the XM9/XM10 trials) makes this seem like a nearly prescient move. Following the trials no commercial production was pursued, and the SSPs made for the trials were either tested to death, given to VIPs as gifts, or disappeared into the American logistics system, and few can be found today. This SSP is unmarked on the slide, with "9MM" on the chamber. Sights are blade front and square notch rear, with the rear dovetailed into place and the front mounted on a small detachable panel at the front of the slide. Mechanical features include a right handed pin-blocking safety, right handed slide catch and magazine release, smooth trigger, serrated grip straps, and blank circles on the grip panels. Comes with a letter of provenance stating this pistol was once owned by former Colt Senior Vice President John Fiedler. In the letter Fiedler goes on to state, "This is a factory prototype given to me by the VP Research and Development for Marketing evaluation. I loved it and was frantic to get this product to market."

Documentation

Modern

Caliber / Gauge: 9 mm NATO

Price Realized:

Exceptional and Scarce U.S. Contract Colt Transitional Model 1911/1911A1 Semi-Automatic Pistol

Lot 3469

U.S. Contract Colt Transitional Model 1911 Semi-Automatic Pistol

Starting in September of 1920, the Ordnance Board began to make suggestions for modifications to the Model 1911 pistol based on experience from World War I, and by April of 1923 OCM Item 2890 was standardized and recommended by the department. A pilot series of 10,000 pistols was approved with some production issues arising throughout 1923, but by January 1924 the first "Improved Models" were being delivered and were also known as the Transitional Model 1911s. While they retained the nomenclature markings of the 1911, they were equipped with the signature features of the 1911A1 which included the dished frame sides, shortened trigger, elongated grip safety, and arched mainspring housing. Fitted with round blade front and flat top notch rear sights, with the two-line, two-block address and patent markings divided by the Rampant Colt logo on the left side of the slide, "MODEL OF 1911.U.S.ARMY" on the right, and "H" above the firing pin stop plate. The frame bears the circular Walter Gordon "WTG" inspection stamp, with the short milled checkered trigger, wide checkered hammer, long grip safety, checkered mainspring housing with lanyard loop, a conjoined "HP" marked barrel, and an unmarked replacement two-tone magazine.

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

World War I U.S. Colt Model 1911 Semi-Automatic Pistol with USMC Holster

Lot 3471

WWI U.S. Colt Model 1911 Pistol with USMC Holster

Originally shipped on February 19, 1918 to Commanding Officer, Springfield Armory as part of a 1,950 gun batch. "UNITED STATES PROPERTY" marked frame with "JMG" (J.M. Gilbert) inspection mark on the left. "MODEL OF 1911 U.S. ARMY" marked slide. Fitted with a long smooth trigger, wide checkered hammer, short grip safety, smooth mainspring housing with lanyard loop, double diamond checkered grips, replacement Springfield barrel marked "S/P", and a period unmarked two-tone pinned base magazine with lanyard loop. Includes "U.S.M.C." Marine leather holster with swivel.

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

U.S. Colt Model 1911 Semi-Automatic Pistol with Holster and Accessories

Lot 3472

U.S. Colt Model 1911 Pistol with Holster and Accessories

Manufactured in 1918 and subsequently completely refurbished by Colt in prewar commercial style finish. Matching slide and barrel. Fitted with a later short checkered trigger, later checkered arched main spring housing, and thumb rest grips. Includes U.S. marked brown leather "1918" dated G & I holster, four extra magazines, desirable WWI era Mills web belt with double magazine pouch and two med pouches, sealed metal WWI first aid kit, and lanyard.

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Lot 3476

U.S. Colt Model 1911A1 National Match Semi-Automatic Pistol

Originally produced by Colt in 1944, this pistol was subsequently selected for upgrade to a National Match competition-grade pistol. Serrated Patridge blade front sight and Kensight adjustable rear sight, with a Colt "NM7791435" slide, "7267718/NM" bushing, and "NM 7791414" barrel (numbered to the frame), and a "FJA" frame with "2", "P", "RIA", and "NM" stamps. Equipped with a long serrated adjustable trigger, serrated narrow hammer, checkered front strap and mainspring housing, checkered grips and a full blue "S" magazine with three non-matching hand marked numbers. Provenance: The Allan Cors Collection

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

Lot 3477

U.S. Colt Model 1911A1 National Match Semi-Automatic Pistol

Originally produced by Colt in 1944, this pistol was subsequently selected for upgrade to a National Match competition-grade pistol. Serrated Patridge blade front sight and Kensight adjustable rear sights, with a Colt "NM7791435" slide, "7267718/NM" bushing, and "NM 7791414" barrel (numbered to the frame), and a "GHD" frame with "e", "AA", "P", "RIA", and "NM" stamps. Equipped with a long serrated adjustable trigger, serrated narrow hammer, checkered front strap and serrated mainspring housing, checkered grips and a full blue "R" magazine. Provenance: The Allan Cors Collection

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 45 ACP

Price Realized:

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