Manufactured in 1912, the first year of production for the commercial Government Model. This early, three-digit serial number pistol represented the cutting edge of firearm technology and was one of the early pistols that established a reputation for striking power and a lineage of dependability that has carried the model through more than a century in military and civilian hands alike. The right side of the slide on this example is inscribed "G. FORBES/R.F.C.", which an included bill of sale from Thomas Forbes indicates is for Gerrit Forbes, his father. Gerrit Forbes graduated from Harvard in 1904, and in 1907 he embarked on a series of African hunting expeditions, during which he met the famed hunter W.D.M. Bell. Forbes was a cousin of Franklin Roosevelt, and it is claimed in an included copy of his obituary that Theodore Roosevelt said he was the only hunter better than himself. The obituary also states that Forbes' sense of adventure carried him to Mexico, where his marksmanship skills were put to use in the service of Pancho Villa as a sharpshooter during the Revolution of 1911. With the outbreak of World War I in 1914, both Bell and Forbes joined the Royal Flying Corps and were both sent back to Africa on a special mission by the War Office. Both eventually returned to serve in Europe, Bell notching multiple confirmed air kills and Forbes joining the aviation section of the American Expeditionary Forces when the United States entered the war in 1917. It is claimed that Forbes shot his last elephant at the age of 80, before his death in Zurich, Switzerland at the age of 84. The slide bears the two-line, two-block address and patent markings on the left side of the slide with the circled Rampant Colt behind the serrations. "VP" and "K" are on the trigger guard, and "GOVERNMENT MODEL" is on the right side of the frame in the early production, forward position. The early three-digit serial number is located on the left of the frame, which was only standard on the first 2,250 Government Models. There are British proofs on the left rear of the frame and slide. The much later production replacement military contract barrel has a brush blue finish and is marked "HS" and "P" on the lug. A rich, fiery niter blue finish is present on the checkered wide hammer, checkered thumb safety, slide catch, the magazine catch, and the long smooth trigger. Fitted with a lanyard ring on the butt, a set of diamond pattern checkered grips, and an unmarked, two tone, pinned base magazine with lanyard loop and an extra magazine of the same configuration. The included factory letter confirms the current configuration (grips not listed), as well as shipment to Colt's London office on 6 August 1912 in a shipment of 50 guns. Copies of Forbes' obituary, college diploma, and a World War I pass are all included.

Very fine, retains 75% of the bright original high polish blue finish and 80% of the original nitre blue on the hammer, thumb safety, and slide stop with the balance having thinned to a smooth grey patina, primarily in the form of holster wear, and some scattered light handling marks. the barrel and trigger are World War II era replacements. The grips are also very fine with a few scattered light handling marks in the otherwise crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent. A very fine, first year production Colt Government Model pistol with a very interesting World War I inscription to one of the most famed American big game hunters and adventurers, Gerrit Forbes!