11/4/19 - This is an exceptional, high condition, Colt Government Model 1911 that was manufactured in late 1912 or very early 1913. The pistol has the highly desirable high polish, almost mirror blue commercial finish with standard checkered walnut grips and the highly desirable and very fragile, heat blued, trigger, hammer, slide lock, safety lock and rear sight that was applied to Colt Government Model pistols until mid-1913. This beautiful early Colt is accompanied by a Colt factory letter dated April 2011, indicating it as being sent to Von Lengerke & Antonine, Chicago Illinois in January 1913, in a 10 gun shipment. Some charts date the serial to 1912, others to 1913, but obviously it shipped in January. Could have been built in December of previous year though. It retains all the original early features such as the early oval tapered front sight with the round top 1913 style rear, the type III magazine catch lock installed about serial number C380, the correct short hammer with sharp rear edge and fine checkering, first style checkered slide stop with the checkered thin thumb piece safety lock, and the early inward punched lip on the recoil spring plug. It has the all blued finish on the barrel with the rough milled finish on the chamber area, with the high polished blue on the remaining front end of the barrel. There is a capital letter "C" stamped on the back side of the barrel lug and the rear of the hood of the barrel with a "5" on the underside in front of the lug. The top of the frame is stamped with "Q" and "S" inspection marks in front and behind the disconnector hole. The right side of the slide is roll stamped "COLT AUTOMATIC/CALIBER 45" in two lines below the ejection port. The left side of the slide is roll stamped with the correct two-line, Colt patent dates followed by the Colt Hartford two-line address block. The circled Rampant Colt is roll stamped on the left side of the slide behind the slide serrations. This beautiful pistol is complete with a standard two-tone magazine with the lanyard loop on the base. It is also accompanied by a short article on these early Colt's and the painstaking, high polish mirror and heat blued finishes applied to these early pistols. The bluing is beautiful, especially in the profile view, but there is some thinning on the straps. Minty bore and fantastic grips. No trades or discounts on this item as I'd prefer to put it in the safe. Check required or additional CC fees would need to be added as they'd cost us $600 on this listing.
