According to the included factory letter, this Colt 1903 Pocket Hammer was part of a 5-piece order shipped to the Momsen, Dunnegan, Ryan Company of El Paso, Texas, on January 27th, 1921, with the finish explicitly called out as being nickel. Per "A Collector's Guide to Colt's .38 Automatic Pistols" by Douglas Sheldon, nickel was never a catalog option for the 1903 Hammer, though was offered as a special order item; reportedly, the majority went to Mexico or points further south, and were never seen again. The serial number of this pistol is noted as one of the few known factory nickel 1903s on page 141 (note: the listing mentions the noted shipment, but attributes it to California, not Texas). Fixed sights, with the two-line caliber marking on the right side of the matching numbered slide, and the two-block address and patent dates on the left ahead of the Rampant Colt. "90" and "1/VP" are stamped on the trigger guard, with a full nickel finish, checkered "COLT" banner grips, and a nickel finished "CAL.38/COLT" magazine.

Excellent, with 97% plus original factory nickel finish, showing some light surface scratches, a few small areas of spotting/bubbling, and mild handling marks. The grips are very fine, with light dents. Mechanically excellent. A rare special order Colt in excellent condition. Writer has never seen another example. Extremely rare!