This is a very nice example of a Colt Government Model pistol manufactured in September 1912, which was the first year of Colt Government Model production. This early example is accompanied by a Colt factory letter dated August 1988 indicating it was shipped to Farwell, Ozmum, Kirk & Co., Minneapolis, MN in a 10 gun shipment. The pistol has the high polish commercial blue finish with fire blue trigger, hammer, slide lock, safety lock and rear sight that was applied to Colt Government Model pistols until mid-1913 and is fitted with standard checkered walnut grips. The slide has the oval tapered front sight and round top rear sight used on early production Government Model pistols. The pistol has the correct short hammer with sharp rear edge, first style checkered slide stop, with the checkered thin thumbpiece safety lock. It is fitted with the early style barrel that has a rough milled finish on the back end of the barrel (chamber area and underside) with the high polished finish on the front end. The chamber area has now been polished and the chamber area etched: "R W PERRIN", with a small (unreadable) letter proof on the underside of the barrel. The pistol is fitted with the standard two-tone lanyard loop magazine. The right side of the frame, ahead of the trigger guard is roll-stamped "GOVERNMENT MODEL". The serial number "C848" is stamped on the left side of the frame ahead of the trigger guard. The top of the frame is stamped with "R,4" and "S" inspection marks in front and behind the disconnector hole, as well as "R W PERRIN" stamped to the side. The right side of the slide is roll-stamped "COLT AUTOMATIC/CALIBER 45" in two lines below the ejection port. The left side of the slide is roll-stamped with the correct two-line, Colt patent dates followed by the Colt Hartford two-line address block. The circled Rampant Colt is roll stamped on the left side of the slide behind the slide serrations.

Fine with 50% of the original Colt high polished blue finish overall with the balance showing a gray patina finish mostly on the front grip strap. The original walnut grips are very good with distinct checkering on both sides with handling marks, and light pressure dents in various areas. Another example of an extremely rare and very early, First Year Production Colt Government Model Semi-Automatic pistol.