The included factory letter confirms the model, serial number, caliber, finish, and April 4, 1905 date of shipment to Missoula Mercantile Company of Missoula, Montana. The Eddy-Hammond Company, more commonly known as the Missoula Mercantile dominated wholesale and retail trade in the Missoula area from 1885 to 1920, and was known as the "go to" shopping center in the town. Across its three floors of space The Mercantile offered hardware, plumbing supplies, local groceries, furniture, farm equipment, and of course guns. Over the years stories about The Mercantile have ranged from urban legends of Ringling Brothers elephants being kept in the basement when the circus was in town, to the true story of the passage in the basement used by John Wayne to move between the store and the nearby Florence Hotel when he was in Missoula. The name was changed in 1978 to The Bon Marche, and in the early 2000s it became a Macy's. The building was closed in 2010, and demolished for new construction in 2017. Standard blade front and round top rear notch sights, two-line address on left side of slide, Rampant Colt behind the serrations, caliber marking on the right, smooth nitre blue trigger, and knurled round hammer spur. With checkered hard rubber grips with "COLT" banners at the top. Includes an Albert Furstnow leather holster. Furstnow was one of the premier leather workers in Montana and an influence on another famed Montana saddle and holster maker Edward Bohlin. Based out of Miles City, Furstnow would eventually branch out to California where his companies saddles and gun leather would go on to be used in Hollywood productions

Fine. The pistol retains 50% original high polish blue finish with a gray patina on the balance, scratches on the right side of the slide from the holster spring, and areas of a mixed brown patina on the grip frame. Shadows of original case colors remain on the hammer with the balance aged to a dove gray. The grips are very fine with mildly worn checkering, and some very small scratches. Mechanically needs work. The holster is fine with some scuffs and scratches, tight stitching, some mild verdigris on the rivets, and partially exposed metal spring on the inside of the retention loop.