Individual
Pieces of Special Merit
Model N Unnumbered
Factory Cutaway - An early factory cutaway Colt Model N no serial
number. An early Model N factory cutaway demonstration model.
Blued finish with the earliest slide markings.
Both sides have been cutaway to expose the internal workings of the
pistol. This pistol came from a Connecticut family who worked for Colt for
over three generations.
Model N Serial
Number 2 - Pistol is in near mint condition.
Serial number 2 was shipped on November 24, 1908 to Frank A.
Schirmer, who at the time of shipment was the Treasurer of Colt’s.
Schirmer served on Colt’s board of directors from 1901 until 1921
and was a principal in the original acquisition of Colt’s Patent Fire
Arms Manufacturing Company by the Boston and New York financial house of
Armstrong and Schirmer in June 1901.
Armstrong and Schirmer was a private investment firm affiliated
with the George R. Armstrong Company of Boston, Massachusetts.
Model N Serial
Number 9918 – Factory “master” engraved, featuring 17 gold
inlays and relief carved monogrammed mother-of-pearl grips bearing the
monogram “JAB”. This is the first of only seven gold inlaid Model N
pistols produced and these are the first monogrammed grips to
appear on a Model N pistol. Additionally, it is one of only two factory
engraved and gold inlaid Model Ns recorded in Colt’s shipping ledgers.
This pistol was a product of the Cuno Helfricht shop with the grip
monogram attributable to Cuno Helfricht.
It was a one gun shipment to Birmingham Arms Company, Birmingham,
Alabama on May 14, 1909 for J.A. Blount. (One of the three guns
featured on the cover of the Rampant
Colt magazine.)
Model N serial
number 82838 - Factory engraved, high polish blue finish with Type II
mother-of-pearl grips with original Colt box with the correct "PEARL
BLUE." and “ENGRAVED.” labels.
This was one of two pistols shipped to Browning Bros. Co., Ogden,
UT on December 17, 1913. The serial number on the box is 82825, just 13
numbers away from the pistol. Factory shipping records indicate that 82825
is a factory engraved pistol in the same configuration as 82838.
The Colt factory has confirmed that 82825 and 82838 were the two
guns in the same shipment. Apparently
the boxes were switched either at Colt's before shipment or at the
retailer subsequently thereafter.
About the
following three pistols (125221, 125330, 125565):
These three Colt
Vest Pocket pistols were acquired at different times in the course of
collecting. They are all factory engraved examples, in
excellent condition and all have different factory finishes with round top
recessed medallion mother-of-pearl grips. What's interesting about
the set, is that, according to the shipping records, there are no other
factory engraved .25s in between the three serial numbers. In other
words, they are three consecutive factory engraved Vest Pocket
Models.
Model
N serial Number 125221 – Factory “master” engraved by William H.
Gough, blued finish with Type II mother-of-pearl grips.
Factory letter confirms these features and indicates that this
pistol was a one pistol shipment to H.S. Barton, address unknown, on
October 8, 1917. Barton was
the vice-president of Glenmore Distilleries in Owensboro, KY.
This is one of 49 Model Ns engraved by Gough.
Model N serial
number 125330 - Factory engraved, nickel finish with Type II
mother-of-pearl grips. Factory letter confirms these features and indicates that
this pistol was a one pistol shipment to W. Bingham Co., Cleveland, OH c/o
J.R. Chadwich on June 2, 1915.
Model N serial
number 125565 - Factory “Grade 3” engraved, rare silver finish
with Type II mother-of-pearl grips. Factory
letter confirms these features and indicates that this pistol was one of
two shipped to Shelton-Payne Arms Co., El Paso, TX on March 23, 1916.
Original factory records indicate that this firearm was processed
under Factory Order Number 962 (ex Robert Howard collection).
Pistol is accompanied by a deluxe factory presentation case.
Silver plating is the rarest factory finish for the Model N.
One of 31 silver plated factory engraved pistols.
Model N serial
number 179276 - Factory inscribed, blued with Type III mother-of-pearl
grips. Inscribed “J.S.P.”
on left front of receiver. A one gun shipment to Morgan Steadman, Colt’s Patent
Fire-Arms Mfg. Company, Hartford, Connecticut on March 19, 1918.
The work was processed on Colt Factory Order number 887. 61 Model N
pistols were factory inscribed only, 35 of the 61 were blued.
This pistol is accompanied by its original box.
Model N serial
number 271294 - This is one of the original 11 pistols shipped with a
pair of “Deluxe” Hand Checkered Walnut Grips. This pistol was shipped
to Albert Foster, Jr., Colt’s New York Agent, in a shipment of two guns
on June 29, 1920. It was
processed on Colt Factory Order Number 2115/2.
Accompanying this gun is the original cardboard box that is
slightly deeper than the standard factory box. These boxes were routinely
used to accommodate the extra thickness of special order grips.
There are no labels or markings on the outside of the box to
indicate that the pistol is fitted with deluxe walnut grips.
Model N serial
number 276666 - Factory Inscribed Colt Model N with Police Department
markings. This gun came from
a Judge in Reading, PA, so the "R.P.D." is believed to be for
the Reading Police Department. This special order Model N pistol was one of 18 shipped
9/16/20, bearing the numbers 101 - 118 in the serial number range
276658-276675, and just one of 31 total factory inscribed police issue
Model N pistols.
Model N serial
number 336546 - Factory engraved & inscribed “Gip”
on left side of the receiver in front of serial number, nickel plated
finish with Type IV mother-of-pearl grips.
Factory letter confirms these features and indicates that this
pistol was a shipment of one to J.W. Ferris on October 13, 1923.
The special order inscription was processed on Colt Factory Order
Number 7852/1. Just six of the Model N pistols produced exist in
this factory configuration.
Model N serial number 385727 -
Factory Carved Steer head Ivory Grips. Carved ivory is the
rarest grip type for both the Model N and M. In 1930, the additional
cost for carved ivory grips for the Model N was $15.00 option, making it
the most expensive grip option. This was a very deluxe option
considering that the gun alone sold for $16.50, bringing the total price
of this pistol to $31.50 before tax. Of the few known carved
mother-of-pearl and ivory grip variations for the pocket hammerless models,
this is the only known pair with the carved image on the left grip.
These grips are in absolutely pristine condition with no cracks or chips
whatsoever. All others in either mother of pearl or ivory have
either a steer head or eagle on the right grip. The right grip on
this gun is a standard medallion ivory grip. This pistol letters
blue finish with ivory grips and was a one gun shipment on June 25, 1930
to Tex Baker, a New York radio personality from the 1930s. (One of the
three guns featured on the cover of the Rampant
Colt magazine.)
Model N
serial number 397049 - Factory Carved Steer Head Mother of Pearl Grips - This is one
of 15 guns shipped from Colt's fitted with factory
carved mother of pearl grips. Of the 15 pistols,
just eight were in the steer head
pattern and seven
were in the eagle pattern. The pistol is in
original condition, is accompanied by its original box. and the grips are
perfect with no cracks or chips. Factory carved mother of pearl
grips are an extremely scarce variation to locate for this particular
model of Colt pistol. Assuming a total production for the Model N of
410,000 pistols, just one in
27,257 pistols (or .0037%) has these grips. Factory letter
confirms these features and indicates that the gun was a single gun
shipment sold to Harkins Drug
Store, Refugio, TX and shipped to Corpus
Christi Hardware Company, Corpus Christi, Texas on
November 7, 1934.
(One of the three guns featured on the cover of the Rampant
Colt magazine.)
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