The accompanying factory letter confirms the highly desirable 4 inch barrel in .45 caliber and blue finish with type of stocks not listed. The letter also states the revolver was shipped on August 19, 1905 to Charles J. Godfrey Co. of New York City. This was shipment for 39 units. According to research presented by Don Wilkerson in his book "Colt's Double-Action Revolver, Model of 1878," Colt manufactured only 290 of these revolvers with the desirable 4 inch ejectorless barrel in .45 caliber and finished blue (page 213). This example is pictured and identified in the aforementioned book on page 146. As explained by Wilkerson, "Sales [of the Model 1878] did not continue until the end of the year, but ceased in August. The last order was shipped on August 19 to Charles J. Godfrey, New York City." This revolver was part of that last order in 1905, and in this order there were a total of 38 blued Model 1878s with a 4 inch barrel in .45 caliber. According to Wilkerson, there are no known shipments of Model 1878s in 1906 and the final orders occurred in 1907. However, the final Model 1878 was not shipped until 1996 as it (no. 39303) was part of the Colt's Archive collection which was later sold at auction by RIAC (Premier Firearms Auction No. 39, 2006). The barrel has the two-line Hartford address on top and "45 COLT" on the left side. The left side of the frame has an encircled Rampant Colt. The right side of the frame is stamped with a small number "4" stamped upside-down just under the hammer screw. The left side of the trigger guard has the Colt factory triangle proof and the number "5." The revolver features a U.S. military "RAC" inspected (rear face) surplus cylinder. The matching assembly number "14" appears on the left side of the grip frame and loading gate. Whether on the hip of a lawman or under the counter of a storekeeper's shop, the Sheriff's model Colt SAA was at the forefront of taming the wilds in growing cities or the western frontier, as well as all manner of ruffians and outlaws. Today these Sheriff's Model 1878s hold a special place in the hearts of collectors, and offered here is a very fine example. Provenance: The Don and Carol Wilkerson Collection