Page 228 - Auction84-Book3

LOT 3404
Rare and Highly Desirable Documented Russian Contract Colt Government Model Semi- Automatic Pistol with Factory Letter - Serial no. C61975, 45 ACP cal., 5 inch round bbl., blue finish,
walnut grips. Originally ordered in 1916 and 1917, the Russian Contract Colt Government Model pistols were ordered by the Imperial Russian government from Colt. When placing the order, the government of
Great Britain acted as an intermediary, using a line of credit established by the Russians and backed by hard gold reserves held in Britain to cover the bill. Britain’s
role as go-between is the source of the signature marking on the left side of the frame, “ANGL. ZAKAZIE”(transliterated) for “English Order”. The Russian Contract pistols as-issued otherwise
bore only standard Colt markings like this example. By 1916, the situation on the Eastern Front was already getting well out of hand for Russia, and in 1917 they went through the February
and October Revolutions, which brought about both the fall of the Imperial government and the successor Provisional Government, which led to the rise of the Soviet Union. Additionally, some
reports of the final assassination of Tsar Nicholas II and his family put a pair of Colt .45 ACP pistols
among the weapons used by the Bolshevik party, in particular one used by Yakov Yurovsky, leader of the squad who is noted as having
fired the opening shot directly into the Tsar’s chest. Russian Contract Government Model Colts are very rare on the American market in any condition, as they saw hard use through multiple conflicts and virtually none were ever exported by the Soviet Union. The left side of the slide has the two-line, two-block address and patent dates with the Rampant Colt behind the serrations and the caliber marking
on the right side. The barrel is a later production replacement marked “P” and “N” on the bottom with a polished chamber. The left side of the frame is marked with the aforementioned contract marking and “VP” and “T” on the trigger guard, with the model marking and serial number on the right. It is fitted with the standard blade and notch sights, long smooth trigger, wide checkered hammer, short grip safety, smooth mainspring housing, diamond pattern checkered grips, lanyard loop, and an unmarked two-tone magazine with lanyard loop base. The included factory letter confirms the current configuration (grips not listed) as well as shipment to the government of Russia on 16 November 1916 in a 6,000 gun shipment.
CONDITION: Fine, retains 50% of the original blue finish overall with the balance having thinned to mostly a smooth grey patina and some scattered small patches of light surface pitting. The grips are very good with some mild wear, scattered minor handling marks, and otherwise crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent. Provenance: The Milan J. Turk Collection.
Estimate: 9,500 - 16,000
LOT 3405
Exceptional World War I Era British Shipped Colt Government Model Semi-Automatic Pistol in .455 Webley Auto - Serial no. W84521, 455 Eley Auto cal., 5 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut grips.
Approximately 17,500 Colt Government Model pistols were reportedly shipped to Britain from May 1912
to April 1919, with a large portion of them being acquired by the British government for use during World
War I. This pistol was part of a 200 pistol shipment to London Armoury Co. on 6 January 1917. The left side of the slide is marked
with the two-line, two-block address and patent markings, with the Rampant Colt behind the serrations. It is a Colt Government
Model outfitted with a .455 barrel stamped “M” on the left of the lug and “5” underneath, a set of crossed pennant and broad arrow military stamps on the left of the frame and slide, “crown/66/E/VP” and “X” markings on the left side of the trigger guard, “COLT AUTOMATIC/CALIBRE 455” on the right of the slide, along with the standard commercial markings and the special “W” prefix serial number on the right of the frame. It is fitted with fixed blade and notch sights, with a long smooth trigger, wide checkered hammer, short grip safety, checkered grips, a two-tone magazine with “CAL. 455/ELEY” and a lanyard base, and the proper “shelf” for the .455
case rim in the chamber hood of the barrel.
CONDITION: Exceptionally fine, retains 85% plus of the original blue finish, the slide showing a slight plum tone, and the balance having thinned to a smooth grey patina, primarily on edges and high spots, and a takedown mark on the left of the frame. The grips are very fine with some mild wear on the lower right edge, minimal handling marks, and otherwise crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent. Provenance: The Milan J. Turk Collection.
Estimate: 4,500 - 7,000
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