Manufactured circa 1886 and factory engraved by Cuno Helfricht. The accompanying factory letter confirms the caliber, barrel length, finish, and factory engraving with the type of stocks not listed. It shipped to JP Lower & Sons in Denver, Colorado, on April 9, 1886 in a single gun shipment. This revolver has a blued barrel, ejector housing cylinder, trigger guard and back strap and color casehardened frame, loading gate and hammer. The two-piece grips are pearl and the right grip features a relief carved steer head and is engraved with the gold washed initials "JSD". Experts believe that fewer than 10% of the approximately 3,000 factory engraved Colt Single Action revolvers produced between 1873 and 1940 had blued and casehardened finishes. Most of those revolvers were manufactured after 1920; 19th Century production Single Action revolvers with factory engraving and blue and casehardened finishes are especially rare. The revolver features Helfricht's trademark broad Germanic scrollwork on punch-dot background, star-burst highlights and zig-zag and punch-dot borders. Blued Single Action revolvers with similar engraving by Helfricht are illustrated on pages 412 and 413 of "THE COLT ENGRAVING BOOK, VOLUME ONE" by R.L. Wilson. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped "COLT'S PT. FA. MFG. Co. HARTFORD CT. U.S.A." in an engraved double-line and punch-dot panel. The left side of the frame is roll-stamped with the Colt three-date/three-line patent markings. "45 CAL" is stamped on the left front trigger guard bow. The assembly number "148" is stamped on the inside of the loading gate. The full serial number "117074" is located on the bottom of the frame, trigger guard and back strap. All of the serial numbers match. The ejector housing has the correct late oval head, and the hammer has bordered knurling on the spur.

Very fine. The revolver retains 50% of the original high polish blue and color casehardened finish. The front sight was period modified to accept a nickel-silver blade and the blue on front sight base and surrounding portions of the barrel has been retouched. The blue on the sides of the barrel ahead of the ejector housing and on the sides of the ejector housing is thin with a blue-gray patina. The balance of the finish on the barrel is bright. The blue on the cylinder is thin on the high points but nearly all intact in the flutes and protected areas. One cylinder flute has some light pitting. The blue finish is strong on protected areas of the trigger guard and back strap and thin with a blue-gray patina on contact points. The frame and grip screws retain most of the fire blue finish. The frame, loading gate and hammer have more than 80% of the muted case colors intact. The flawlessly executed scrollwork, star-bursts and zig-zag borders remain crisp. The factory markings are sharp. The pearl grips are in very fine condition with some slight age discoloration; the relief carved steer head and gold washed initials are sharp. Wear is limited to several shallow chips along the edges of the back strap and a small chip at the back of the left grip. The action is crisp and tight. This is a very good example of a rare 19th century factory engraved Colt Single Action Army with blue and casehardened finish. The condition of this revolver is equal or superior to the blued, factory engraved, 19th century Single Action revolvers illustrated in "THE COLT ENGRAVING BOOK, VOLUME ONE". This rare revolver would be a stand-out piece in the finest collection of Colt firearms.