The factory applied markings are all clear and strong. Engravers such as cuno helfricht, william goff, and wilbur glahn each provided decades of experience and artistry for the colt factory and those who wanted finely embellished revolvers. Cuno helfricht deluxe engraved texas shipped colt single action army revolver with factory letter. The revolver is completely silver plated with nitre blue accents and is fitted with a pair of two piece ivory grips with colt silver medallions. This lavish work covers exquisite deluxe and rare colt arms from patersons and other percussion revolvers to the cartridge period and up through modern times. Manufactured from 1875 to 1912, this is an excellent example of a colt third model derringer which has been identified as being factory engraved by cuno a. This lovely bisley revolver is extremely rare in the fact that it is surmised by experts in the field to be the only blackpowder bisley revolver to be engraved.
C factory engraved colt single action army revolver with i. If an engraved pistol is pretty, an engraved revolver is drop dead gorgeous. He was the head of colts engraving shop from 1871 to 1921. Documented cuno helfricht factory engraved silverplated colt single action army revolver pictured in the book of colt engraving with factory carved pearl grips and factory letter manufactured in 1900. Wilsons the colt engraving book, volume i, page 416, notes. The traditional engraving patterns dating back to colts 19th century masters have survived more than 180 years, with many of the most desirable created by richard henshaw principal engraver for colt from 1835 to 1842, gustave young and his successor, cuno a. Helfricht was master firearm engraver for colts patent fire arms manufacturing company. Factory engravedsilver plated colt bisley revolver, jun 20, 2019. The shipping book gives no indication of engraving. This is the first time this extraordinary colt single action army revolver has ever been offered to the collecting fraternity. Nickel finish with 434 bbl, full front sight and 2line address with caliber marking on left side. Albuquerque nm first generation colt saa with carved ivory stocks. After 50 years of experience john has a lot of guidance and you will pick up some thing new each time.
Lot detail m aa white master engraved silver plated. Colt factory engraving ohio gun collectors association. This is a documented, early production colt new service revolver that is factory master engraved and factory fitted with ivory grips. I would kill to have a pistol as detailed as this one i would kill with this revolver if someone called it a pistol again. These engraving patterns correspond exactly with known helfricht work as pictured in the colt engraving book volume i, wilson. Left side of frame has 2line 3patent dates and rampant colt. Colt single action army wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. Master engravers throughout the years combining vine scroll engraving styles used on the colt national match pistols produced from 1933 to 1941, john adams, jr.
Wilson, the colt engraving book, volume i, chapter 10. Nimschke, and cuno helfricht are very highly sought. Perhaps the most unique aspect of engraving on this pistol is that when the work was performed, no predefined styles of engraving existed for the model m. Colt police positive revolver cuno helfricht engraved. Cuno helfricht spent his nearly 50 year career exclusively with the colt firm 18711921.
Deputy marshall, then assistant chief of police in ardmore until moving on to ragtown during the oil boom in 1915. After the tests, the colt was declared the superior revolver and the government specified that a. Helfricht was in charge of the colt engraving department during this era. L wilsons book colt engraving on page 269 and page 55 of the deringer in america, volume 2, the cartridge period by l.
Over 1,350 photographs, drawings and engravers proofs. Scroll engraved overall in the cuno helfricht style. His writing in the first 140 pages is clear, concise and insightful, many of the rifles john has produced. Frame has full coverage fantastic cuno helfricht engraving, probably by the. It has c coverage of factory engraving which means a heavier more complete deluxe coverage than what is normally found on single actions of this era. You will want to reference this book again and again. The next generation of great engravers included the sons of young, the sons and grandsons of ulrich, and cuno helfricht, along with many other master engravers. C coverage engraving from the shop of cuno helfricht. This pistol was a product of the cuno helfricht shop with the grip monogram attributable to cuno helfricht. His engraving work looks strikingly the same as your gun. Lot 1157 rare colt medium frame lightning ring rifle of. Exceptional, historic and previously unknown cuno helfricht. Illustrated with detailed photos, this is the first truly useful guide to identifying colt engraving. Ed mcgiverns book of fast and fancy revolver shooting.
A very similar engraving, done in the style of cuno helfricht, can be found on page 459. We took this as an opportunity to gather a basic overview of collecting colt single actions, with specific examples from the auction included here, to give the project an immediately tangible benefit. Extremely rare cuno helfricht engraved colt single action. In 1684 french engraver claude simonin published a book of his engraving patterns comprised of designs that could be adapted to deluxe flintlock firearms. This article came about as an opportunity from rock island auction.
Those publications include the colt engraving book volume i, wilson. A factory engraved colt single action army revolver. The hammer, trigger and most of the screws have bright fire blue on them. Airguns of the american west part 4 airgun experience.
This early revolver serial number 851 was engraved by colt master engraver, cuno helfricht, in his c pattern engraving with more than 75% coverage. A rare cuno helfricht engraved gold and silverplated colt single action army revolver. Documented cuno helfricht factory engraved silverplated. Colt pistols and revolvers for firearms collectors colt.
Wilson, in his definitive work the colt engraving book, volume one and two, provides insight into the significant expansion some would say the creation of the colt custom shop in the year 1976, and perhaps the reason we see so many factory engraved pieces from this production era, 1976. Fine and scarce cuno helfricht engraved and gold and nickelplated colt police. Description fine cuno helfricht shop engraved colt single action revolver, circa 1917. Colt engraved about one percent of its first generation production of the single action army revolver, which makes these engraved models extremely rare and valuable with collectors. Probably done by the hand of cuno helfricht colt factory master engraver himself and supervisor over colts engraving shop from the. This revolver is pictured and identified in the book of colt engraving by r. His work advanced the designs forged by young, and along with his own variations and patterns, he remained in charge of colts engraving department for a remarkable 50 years.
The bbl boss on upper front of frame has a flower blossom on each side, very similar to that found on a double action revolver engraved by mr. My page for vintage colt revolver, pistol, rifle or carbine. This pistol is featured in the most recent edition of the book of colt engraving. Barrel, cylinder, frame and backstrap retain 9798% postengraving nickel finish. Houze the real stories of the colt factory engravers, this book gives us a surprising look at who really engraved all of those beautiful historical colts. An historic factory engraved colt single action army revolver carried by bob dalton when he was killed at the coffeyville raid. Engraving factory engraved saa by cuno helfricht, shipped 1893 to e. Spectacular documented factory cuno helfricht shop deluxe engraved black powder colt etched panel frontier six shooter single action. During his tenure with colt, helfricht saw the transition from percussion to cartridge firearms and a rapidly growing market for engraved firearms. The engraving was almost certainly executed by colt chief engraver cuno a. The first colt single action army prototypes were manufactured in. Wilson, the colt engraving book, volume i, chapter 10, page 416, where this revolver is pictured in color, with detailed description, identifying the work as by cuno a. Colt police positive revolver cuno helfricht engraved item sold by gregg martin auctions on 2052007 for.
Accompanied by a colt factory letter identifying this revolver as found with blue finish, ivory stocks and factory engraved, shipped to iver johnson sporting goods co. Helfricht, at the colt factory in hartford, connecticut. An historic factory engraved colt single action army. There are several instances where it is stated by the various authors that sporting model 1902, sn 4304, is the only factory engraved specimen and that about five were inscribed. When referencing the book colt engraving by wilson, the cuno helfricht chapter has every aspect of this engraving including chicken feet, sunburst, moravian star, punch dot background, scrolls and borders. The colt single action army, also known as the single action army, saa, model p. The outside edges of the back strap ears are engraved in sunburst patterns similar to numerous other single actions engraved by mr. September 2122, 20 roberts centre, wilmington, oh october 12, 20 ix center, cleveland, oh 4 34 silver. Very scarce factory engraved colt model 1889 antique revolver. Firearms engraving as decorative art by frederic harris provides an interesting discussion of the origins of engraving motifs in oriental art. Mounted with fine 2pc pearl grips with a large relief carved mexican. This revolver is an exceptional example of colt factory engraving by master engraver cuno helfricht and is closely associated with one of the largest 19th century texas cattlemen. Helfricht, the son of colt stock maker and engraver charles j.
The cylinder has dings on the edges of some of the flutes. They are auctioning over colts, including over 150 first generation colt single actions, this coming weekend. Buy online, view images and see past prices for extremely fine cuno helfricht factory engraved colt single action army revolver with carved mexican eagle pearl grips of pioneer texas family invaluable is the worlds largest marketplace for art, antiques, and collectibles. At the height of the firearm engraving fad, helfricht oversaw a shop of six engravers. Colt pistols and revolvers for firearms collectors model. See more ideas about revolver, hand guns and firearms. Documented factory helfricht shop engraved colt saa revolver. The above cased presentation set containing an engraved no. Incredibly beautiful colt revolver in superdeep blue with gold inlay and engraving. Helfricht, the son of colt stockmaker and engraver charles j. A new book colt factory engraver of the nineteenth century by herbert houze is a good book for reference of engravers from the past. He must have fallen into a large sum of money because he purchased a nickelplated colt bisley engraved by none other than cuno helfricht.
Colt factory engravers of the nineteenth century, understanding their careers and identifying their work by herbert g. After purchasing the book, i attended johns engraving class at conner prairie. Cuno helfricht, wilbur glahn, nimschke, and finally william gough and a. There are more helfrichtengraved colts today than any other. This work was performed by colt master engraver cuno helfrict, who also did. Considered one of the finest prewar single action army revolvers known. Factory engravedsilver plated colt bisley revolver. The engraving is the work of cuno helfricht, who was the master engraver at the colt factory during this period. Colt engraved about one percent of its first generation production of the single action. The engraving, inlay and monogrammed grip safety were masterfully performed by colt engraver, cuno helfricht. Buy online, view images and see past prices for extremely fine cuno helfricht factory engraved colt single action.