What a fantastic example of just an unbelievable pair of Super Deluxe, FULL Coverage Engraved and Custom Inlayed embellished, original Colt Lightening Revolvers with all the work personally done by the Master Engraver Howard Dove. Mr. Dove needs NO introduction to the firearms and engraving community as he is considered one of the premier Master Engravers, having worked for many years at the Colt factory. This pair of Colt Lightening pistols is just a superb example of his skill and talent in all facets of gun engraving and embellishment. This set consists of two original Colt 1877 revolvers, the first one was made in 1909 (the last year of production) and has a nickel plated finish with heat blued screws, hammer, trigger, and cylinder pin. The second revolver was manufactured in 1901 and has a beautiful deep rich blued finish on the metal parts with heat blued hammer, trigger, screws, and cylinder pin with a beautiful color-case hardened finish on the frame and loading gate with numerous Gold inlays on various parts of the pistol. Both revolvers are fitted with ivory grips with scrimshawed scenes on both sides of the grips. Revolver number one has been engraved with "D+" coverage engraving, of an American style engraving with a small punch dot-back ground, covering all metal surfaces except under the very front edge of the barrel and inside the trigger guard area. The pattern looks almost like a mix of several of styles with exceptional scroll engraving, with numerous Geometric designs similar to that of Cuno Helfricht. A) The left recoil shield has intricate clamshell design of spreading leave pattern and scroll flanked by a bullet design boarder the at top edge of the top strap. The loading gate has a similar pattern clam shell motif reduced to fit the gate area with surrounding scroll. The loading gate cutaway has a fine spreading leaf pattern with diamond checkered center. The side plates feature full scroll with a double wedge border below recoil shields and wedge with dot boarders around hammer screw hole. The remaining screws have cut fine line boarders. The top strap has spreading bonnet design with balanced scroll flowing from the center front to rear. Front edge at barrel has "dart" pattern to create a fancy border. The barrel lug has a leaf sunburst designs with wedge and dot border under panel and scroll extending from the cross pin holes. Bottom cutaway has a double spreading leaf pattern with straight and scallop horizontal border lines. The nose of the frame is a running leaf pattern in downward position from the cylinder pin. The bottom area above frame s/n has double scallop border with sunburst leaf design. The barrel exhibits a double wedge cut rear border, wedge and dot border beside top roll ending forward of front sight with ribbon scroll and floral splash. The muzzle boarder is straight line and scallop cut line creating a double line boarder. The left side roll has ribbon border and double clamshell panels with checkerboard block and dot center with scroll extending to the muzzle below front sight. Matching pattern is on the right side of the barrel. The rear boarder of the cylinder is a bullet design. The flutes have a continuous line border around cylinder enhousing on all the flutes. The front of cylinder panels have a wedge and dot border. Front of panels have a leafy bonnet design and scroll from the rear to the front. The flutes have a double spread running leaf pattern covering the entire flute. The top ears and area on the rear of the frame beside the base of the hammer have a block and dot pattern. The panel behind the hammer have a full scroll with wedge area in the center and flanked by a double scallop boarder. The backstrap edges have a scallop cut border lines with a secondary straight line inside against scroll panels top and bottom of grip with the script inscription "DUCHESS" at the center. The side of ears have scroll and spreading leaf design. No space was spared on this revolver and the trigger guard has also been intricately engraved with straight cut line borders and double wedge cut borders at the rear. The front cutaway has scroll and running leaf design. The edge of the bow has a line cut border with a spreading torch leaf design. The base of the forward grip has crossed ribbon with double spreading leaf design covering the complete bow. The hammer sides feature a running leaf design from bottom to top with scroll on tang sides and double wedge border between the tang and sides. This revolver is complete with one piece ivory scrimshawed grips featuring a detailed Rampant Colt with a lighting bolt striking from a rain cloud on the left and the initials "L K P" in fancy script on the right side. Accompanied by a letter signed by the Master Engraver Howard M. Dove detailing every engraved component done by his own hand.

Near mint as custom embellished and finished.

This handsome Colt Lighting is a fitting and superb compliment to the other revolver of the pair. This revolver is a testament to the outstanding craftsmanship, skill and technique of Master Engraved Howard Dove in not only his engraving skill but also superior gold inlays. This revolver like the other one in the set features "D+" FULL coverage of American type scroll work and small bead punch dot background. The left recoil shield features an elaborate rising sun motif casting rays with a double wedge and scroll bordering. The loading gate exhibits an intricate clamshell design with a scroll border at the rear and bullet boarder at the front. The side plates show full coverage tight scroll work with punch dot background on each side. Also bordering each of the side plates is a simple scroll splashed gold inlay extending from the top rear of the frame down to the front of frame just below the cylinder. The notched rear sight on the top strap is bordered by a gold inlayed wire band beaded on both sides in front of the sight and flanked on either side by a broad braided elegant rope with punch dot background. Both sides of the of the top strap feature a gold inlayed border with a flared scroll extending over the barrel lug. Each side of the barrel lug shows an identical wedge and block design with a spreading leaf pattern and punch dot background. Each end of the barrel, one at the breech and the other around the muzzle, have a complete gold inlayed band. The barrel engraving on this pistol is very similar to that of the other one of the pair and features a double wedge cut rear border and wedge and dot border beside the top roll engraving forward the front sight with ribbon scroll. The gold band on the muzzle end of the barrel is bordered with a scallop cut line creating a double border. The left side has a ribbon border and double clamshell panels with checkerboard block and dot center with scroll extending to the muzzle below the front sight. A matching pattern on the is on the right side. The caliber designation "COLT. D.A. 38" has been gold inlayed. The rear of the cylinder has a gold inlayed band and bullet border design. The flutes have a continuous line border around the engraving on all flutes. Each panel has a tight scroll and punch dot background. The top ears of and area on the of the frame beside the base of the hammer has a block and dot pattern. The upper panel behind the hammer have a full scroll with a U shape at the scroll center of checkerboard design. The heal of the upper panel is bordered with a fine gold inlay. The backstrap features full coverage tight scroll and punch dot pattern with "DUCHESS" in fancy gold scroll inlay. The fire blue hammer is bordered on each side with a gold wire inlay and features a bullet running design from top to bottom. The outside of the trigger guard exhibit a flared scrolled inlay. The bow has scrolls and punch dot background with a X like design at the center. Finished with one piece ivory scrimshawed grip depicting a detailed Rampant Colt standing on a globe with a lighting bolt striking out of a stormy cloud on the left and the initials "L K P" in fancy script on the right.

Near mint as custom embellished and finished.