This early Model 1900 pistol is inlaid with "G.D. MEIKLEJOHN" in gold block letters on the upper left side of the slide. Page 172 of “The Government Models” by William Goddard lists it as shipped to Maj. V. McNally on December 24, 1900, with a consecutively numbered pistol that was inlaid for W. P. Frye (Republican Senator from Maine and President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate, 1896-1911). The Frye pistol is pictured in “U.S. Military Automatic Pistols Vol. 1, 1891-1920” by Meadows on page 119. This information is also confirmed in the factory letter which confirms the blue finish, caliber, factory inscription for G. D. Meiklejohn, and shipment to Major V. M. McNay on Christmas Eve in 1900 with one gun of the same type. The grips are not listed; this generally indicates standard grips. Major Valentine McNally was a Scot by birth and served as the storekeeper in the U.S. Ordnance Department in Washington, D.C. George DeRue Meiklejohn (also spelled Mecklejohn in some sources) (1857-1929) was a lawyer and Republican politician from Nebraska. He served in the state senate from 1884 to 1888, became the Lieutenant Governor in 1889, served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1893 to 1897, and was appointed the Assistant Secretary of War by President McKinley from 1897 until he resigned in 1901 after making an unsuccessful run for the U.S. Senate. He then returned to his business interests which included mines in California and Mexico. Meiklejohn's duties as Assistant Secretary of War included involvement in the procurement of weapons and other military goods during the Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War. At this time Colt's early semi-automatic pistols were regularly under review by the U.S. military. Miekeljohn regularly acted as Secretary of War due to illnesses suffered by Secretary Russell Alger and is known to have issued orders from himself as acting Secretary of War to himself as Assistant Secretary that granted him authority to handles customs duties levied in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. He was a close friend of General John Pershing, and Meikeljohn ensured his friend received positions of authority in the Philippines that helped Pershing continue his rise in the ranks. He is of course most famous for leading the American Expeditionary Force in WWI. This pistol has the distinctive "sight safety" utilized on Colt Model 1900 pistols between March 1900 and April 1901 (approximately serial number 2460). The slide has sixteen plunge milled serrations on the front which makes this pistol one of the earliest Model 1900 pistols with front slide serrations. The pistol has a spur hammer, convex takedown plug and early seven-shot magazine with straight back. The factory two-piece walnut grips have fine checkering with stylized borders around the brass screw finials. The grips are an interim design utilized by Colt to replace the smooth varnished walnut grips fitted on early pistols prior to the adoption of checkered hard rubber grips circa April 1901. The left side of the slide is roll-stamped "BROWNINGS PATENT"/PAT'D APRIL 20.1897" in a two-line block followed by "COLT'S PATENT FIRE ARMS MFG. INC./HARTFORD CT. CT. U.S.A." in two lines with the circled Rampant Colt trademark at the rear of the slide. The right side of the slide is roll-stamped "AUTOMATIC COLT/CALIBRE 38 RIMLESS SMOKELESS" in two lines between the ejection port and the slide serrations. The serial number "1499" is stamped on the left side of the frame above the trigger guard bow and on the inside of the slide on the left rail. The magazine floor plate is roll-stamped "PAT'D SEPT.9.1884" in one line. The slide and frame have the high polish Colt commercial blue finish, and the barrel, trigger, screws and small components have a fire blue finish. The hammer and sight safety are color casehardened. The magazine is nickel plated.

Fine. The pistol is all original and retains 50% plus of the original high polish blue finish. Wear is concentrated primarily along the top edges and front of the slide and on the back strap and right side of the frame surrounding the grip. The slide and frame have a few scattered spots of very light pitting. Most of the fire blue finish is present on the barrel, trigger and grip screws. The sight safety and hammer have 40% case colors. The checkering on the walnut grips shows moderate wear. The magazine retains 70% of the nickel plated finish. The gold inlay on the slide remains in very good condition with a few very minor scratches. This is a fine example of an extremely rare Colt Model 1900 semi-automatic pistol with factory gold inlay documented as designated for the Assistant Secretary of War during the Spanish-American War and Philippine-American War.