The Model 1900 is very significant as Colt's first production automatic pistol and John M. Browning's first successful automatic pistol design. Colt only produced 3,500 of these pistols from 1900 to 1903. The pistol was manufactured in 1900. It has the desirable early configuration with the unique rear sight/safety with sixteen gripping serrations on the rear of the slide. It is fitted with checkered hard rubber grips with the Rampant Colt in the center and the "COLT" banner at the top. The pistol had the high polish Colt commercial blue finish with niter blue barrel and trigger, casehardened rear sight and hammer and blue seven round unmarked magazine. The left side of the slide is marked: ""BROWNING'S PATENT" / PAT'D APRIL 20. 1897" in a two-line block followed by "COLT'S PATENT FIRE ARMS MFG. CO. / HARTFORD. CONN. U.S.A." in a second two-line block. A very faint circled Rampant Colt trademark is located behind the left slide serrations. The right side of the slide is marked: "AUTOMATIC COLT / CALIBRE 38 RIMLESS SMOKELESS" ahead of the ejection port. The serial number is located above the trigger guard bow on the left side of the frame. Of the 3,500 produced, about 250 were sold to the Army and Navy for field trials and the remaining 3,250 were sold commercially. The accompanying factory letter confirms the serial number, caliber, barrel length, finish with the grips as "Not Listed" and that it was shipped as 1 of 15 to Colt's Patent Fire-Arms Mfg. Company, San Francisco Agency, San Francisco, Ca. on November 26, 1900. The letter further states in the remarks that the pistol was returned to the factory on August 13, 1901 and subsequently shipped to Sears Roebuck and Company in Chicago, Illinois on August 23, 1901.

Good. The metal surfaces have a dark patina with some light spotting on the left rear of the slide, grip straps and the right rear side of the frame behind the grip panel. The grips are good showing light wear on the right panel and moderate on the left. The upper right side grip screw protrudes from the grip and doesn't turn either way. The markings are clear. Mechanically fine.