This is an outstanding, extremely rare original Colt factory cutaway or demonstrator Government Model semi-automatic pistol. This wonderful pistol is accompanied by a Colt factory letter dated October 2004 that verifies this exact pistol as an original "Cutaway Configuration" one gun shipment that was shipped to Lt. Col. Lewis M. Rumsey Jr., in July 1923. Any authentic cutaway rifle or pistol is always difficult to find and acquire for your collection as they are very easy to recreate or fake. However, in this instance, this is exceptional pistol is 100% verified as being an original Colt factory cutaway making this an extremely rare pistol. These pistol were usually intended to be used by armorers or assemblers to show the inter-working of the pistol and how all the matching parts fit together and or interfaced. On this example it has been cutaway in eleven different areas by the Colt factory; five areas on the frame (left and right side), four areas on the slide and one additional cut on the back side of the grip safety and main spring housing. This pistol is still fully functional and can be hand cycled without any of the parts falling off. The left side of the slide has two-line Colt Hartford address over patent dates (April 1897 to August 1913) with "COLT AUTOMATIC/CALIBRE 45" followed by the "Rampant Colt" on the right side. The right side of the frame is roll-marked: "GOVERNMENT MODEL" over serial number "C136819". It is fitted with the short grip safety, wide spur, checkered hammer, milled trigger with the smooth face, flat mainspring housing and early undercut checkered thumb safety and checkered slide release. It is fitted with the full checkered walnut grips. It is complete with a two-tone, (half blued) magazine. This pistol is also listed in, "The Government Models" by William H. Goddard, July 1988. Goddard recorded over 5000 Colt 1911 pistols. There were a total of 6 C prefix commercial cutaways manufactured. This gun is listed on page 276 showing special features - "Skeleton" and "Shipped to Lt. Col. Lewis M. Rumsey, Jr on July 9th". Lt. Col Rumsey enlisted in the U.S. Army on March 26 1896, serving during/after the Spanish American War up to WWI, in Company H, 1st Missouri Infantry. This lot includes copies of Lt Col. Rumsey's service record and also a short field history of the First Missouri Infantry, listing a Captain Lewis M. Rumsey as Commander of Company I, when it was mustered out in September 1916 after being mobilized for the Mexican revolution. Most notable, he was president of the NRA in 1928 and 1929.