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Scarce Early U.S. Contract Semi-Automatic Pistols
LOT 1475
Desirable and Scarce U.S. Inspected Colt Model 1902 Military Semi-Automatic Pistol - Serial
no. 15019, 38 Colt auto cal., 6 inch round bbl., blue
finish, hard rubber grips. Manufactured in 1902, the first year of production, this pistol was in the first shipment of 100 Military Model of
1902 pistols sent by Colt to
Springfield Armory on 15 July
1902. This pistol was one of
the first 200 pistols ordered by
the Ordnance Department for
testing in their continued efforts to find an automatic pistol suitable for military adoption. They incorporated many of the recommendations from
officers in the field that were submitted during testing of the Model 1900, including very similar slide checkering to the sketch submitted by Lieutenant Odus C. Horney, which is pictured on p. 34 of “U.S. Military Automatic Pistols 1894-1920” by Meadows. The purchase of these pistols had been approved by the Board of Ordnance and Fortification on 11 January 1902, after a sample pistol had been tested in December of the previous year. After receiving and inspecting these 200 pistols at the armory, they were sent to troops at Forts Riley and Leavenworth in Kansas, as well as Jefferson Barracks in Missouri for field trials. Again, the feedback given from the field trials was mostly negative and they were deemed “...not as satisfactory a pistol as the revolver.” In 1909, 62 of these pistols that were deemed serviceable were sold off as surplus alongside some of the older Model 1900 pistols. A few Model 1902 pistols were retained for Ordnance Department historical collections. This example is marked with the two-line Browning’s patent and Colt address markings on the left of the slide arranged in two blocks, with a circled Rampant Colt at the rear. The right side is marked “MODEL 1902” and with the two-line caliber marking. The right side of the frame and trigger guard have the “R.A.C.” inspection mark of Rinaldo A. Carr and the “J.T.T.” acceptance mark of Captain John T. Thompson. The left side of the frame and trigger guard have the serial number and “U.S.” marking. The slide has the forward checkering on each side, and blade and notch sights. It is fitted with a rounded checkered hammer, checkered hard rubber grips with “COLT” banners and Rampant Colts, the lanyard loop hole on the left of the frame has been filled with a screw, and a correct nickeled magazine with “PAT’D SEPT.9.1884” on the base. CONDITION: Very good, retains 30% of the original high polish blue finish, 40% original nitre blue on the trigger, and faint traces of the original case colors on the hammer with the balance a smooth grey patina and some scattered patches of mild pitting on the grip straps. The grips are fair with a moderate chip absent in the right panel, a minor crack in both panels, and otherwise mild wear. Lanyard ring is absent. Mechanically excellent.
Collector’s Fact
This rare U.S. Contract Colt Model 1902 was in the first shipment of 100 pistols sent by Colt to Springfield Armory on July 15, 1902.
Provenance: The Gus Cargile Collection.
Estimate: 5,000 - 7,500
LOT 1476
Exceptional U.S. Springfield Armory Model 1911 Semi-Automatic Pistol - Serial no. 126026, 45 ACP cal., 5 inch
round bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. Manufactured in 1915, in the last assigned serial number block, this is an exceptional original
example of a U.S. Model 1911 semi-automatic pistol manufactured by Springfield
Armory for the United States military and features the distinctive armory dull blue
finish. The left side of the slide has the standard three-line Colt patent dates and two-
line “SPRINGFIELD ARMORY/U.S.A.” markings in two blocks, as well as an ordnance
bomb behind the serrations. The right side of the slide is marked with the Department
of Defense eagle and “MODEL OF 1911.U.S. ARMY.” The left side of the frame has the
U.S. property marking and an ordnance bomb near the trigger guard, and the serial
number is marked on the right. Features blade and notch sights, checkered wide hammer, short grip safety, and a smooth straight mainspring housing with a lanyard ring. The correct blued barrel is marked “P” on the left of the lug and “S” on the right. It is fitted with a pair of correct checkered, large diamond pattern, walnut grips and a correct two-tone “wrap around” magazine with a lanyard ring base.
CONDITION: Excellent, retains 95% plus of the original blue finish with some scattered light spotting on the grip straps and some patches of light edge wear. The grips are also excellent with a few very light handling marks and crisp grip checkering. Mechanically excellent. Estimate: 5,500 - 8,500
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