This is an excellent example of early production Colt Government Model semi-automatic pistol with the early style British proofs. During this time frame Colt was producing some of the best automatic pistols, with all of them exhibiting excellent fit and finish, with that Colt pre-war high luster, blue finish, with fine tuned trigger pulls. Based on the serial numbers of this pistol it was produced in late 1916 and carries the early pre-war British proofs of the London Proof house. The British proofs consist of the early "Crown over CP" and "Crown over the V" proof on the chamber area of the barrel and then a single "Crown over V" proof on the left side of the slide above the Colt Rampant Horse and then again on the left side of the frame below the thumb safety. These pistols were the same configuration as the WWI US Army models and the British Military contract models during this time and this could have easily been a private purchase by a British officer heading off to WWI. The left side of the slide has the standard two line Colt address and Patent markings of; "PATENTED APR 20 1897. SEPT.9.1902 over DEC19.1905.FEB14.1911.AUG 19.1913 with a space COLT'S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. HARTFORD. CT. U.S.A." with the "Colt Rampant Horse" behind the slide serrations. The right side of the slide is marked in front of and below the ejection port "COLT AUTOMATIC CALIBRE. 45". The right side of the frame is marked, "GOVERNMENT MODEL" over the "C" prefix serial number, 13292. This model has the diamond checkered walnut grips, the early checkered type two thumb safety with the thick thumb piece, the checkered slide release, the short horn grip safety, the wide colt hammer with the checkered spur, the flat main spring housing with lanyard loop on the bottom with the half-tone magazine also with the lanyard loop on the base plate.

Excellent with 97% of the original Colt pre-war blued finish with some slight wear and thinning on the edges and high spots, the transition lines of the slide, the front grip strap, and the very front edge of the frame extension. The grips are very good showing nice checkering on both sides with the left side grip panel having a couple of minor pressure dents on the lower front edge, with the right side having a smaller pressure dent of indent on the lower front edge. A very nice example of an early production Colt Government Model with British proofmarks.