Colt introduced the .41 Colt caliber to its famed Single Action Army revolver line in 1885. Colt author David Brown passionately summarized the .41 Colt caliber's alluring image as: "The .41s were favorites in the West among men who wanted something a bit less husky than the .45 or the .44-40, yet something still dependable for man-stopping power at short ranges. The lawmen for the most part, clung to the bigger bores; but several famous outlaws are known to have liked the .41 Colts" (see "The 36 Calibers of the Colt Single Action Army," p. 146). Among First Generation Single Action Army revolvers, only 16,402 left the factory chambered for .41 Long Colt compared to 150,683 in .45 Colt, making it comparably scarce. Making this SAA even more desirable and rare is that it is factory documented as shipped in 1913 with a long fluted cylinder. The double action long flute cylinders are rare as Colt only assembled 626 single action revolvers in 1913 (1,478 total from 1913-1915) utilizing surplus cylinders from the Model 1878 revolvers per Graham, Kopec, and Moore on page 156 of "A Study of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver". SAAs with the long fluted cylinder are rare and even rarer in high condition such as this example. In fact, this is one of the finest long fluted cylinder SAAs in existence. This SAA is well deserving of the finest private or public collections and stands as a benchmark in Colt collecting. The accompanying factory letter states the revolver was shipped to Simmons Hardware Co. of St. Louis, Missouri, the Gateway to the West, with a 4 3/4 inch barrel in .41 caliber, blue finish, double action cylinder with long flute configuration, and type of stocks not listed. The long fluted cylinder is listed under "special features" in the factory letter. This was a five gun shipment. The second, older included Colt factory letter (copy) from 1970 is addressed to noted Colt collector George S. Lewis, Jr. As one fellow collector put it, Lewis amassed "one of the classic Colt collections of all time." RIAC has had the pleasure of cataloging the George S. Lewis, Jr. collection, including in this auction where you will find several of Lewis' finest Colts. This phenomenal Colt certainly reaches Lewis' discerning taste in firearm collecting. The barrel has the two-line Hartford address on top and "41 COLT" on left side. The frame has the three-line patent date marking followed by a Rampant Colt. Matching serial numbers appear on the frame, trigger guard, back strap, and both grip panels ("0365"). The matching assembly number appears on the rear of the frame and loading gate. Includes the original Colt factory box numbered to the gun, "Proper Ammunition" leaflet, specials instructions, and bore brush. The revolver along with its box was pictured and identified in "A Study of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver" on page 161 where it is cited as "one of the two finest Long Flutes known" and from the George S. Lewis, Jr. collection. Provenance: The George S. Lewis Collection; Property of a Gentleman