Manufactured in 1900. Offered here is an exceptionally fine work of Colt factory art the famed Cuno Helfricht shop. No SAA collection can be considered complete without a Helfricht shop masterpiece. Helfricht spent his nearly 50 year career exclusively with the Colt firm (1871-1921). During his tenure with Colt, Helfricht saw the transition from percussion to cartridge firearms and a rapidly growing market for engraved firearms. At the height of the firearm engraving fad, Helfricht oversaw a shop of six engravers. By the turn of the century, experts believe that Helfricht did most of the work himself with the help from one to two assistants. Helfricht's successor's included famed Colt engravers Wilbur Glahn and William Gough. The engraving is a B+ almost C coverage. The embellishment consists mostly of floral scrollwork on a punch dot background along with zig-zag line motifs. The barrel has the one-line Hartford address on top and “45 COLT” marked on the left side inside a banner. The left side of the frame has the three date, three-line patent marking followed by a circled Rampant Colt. Matching serial numbers are on the frame, trigger guard and back strap. Using the most liberal statistics only 2,500 1st Generation Colt SAAs of the 357,800 manufactured were factory engraved. Provenance: The Dr. Robert Azar Collection

Exceptionally fine, retaining 85% unpolished original nickel finish with the balance a smooth gray patina. The slightly age shrunken grips are also exceptionally fine with a repaired chip at the screw, limited age lines and very attractive aged appearance and grain. Mechanically excellent. A prized Cuno Helfricht shop engraved SAA worthy of any Colt collection.