Lot 1076

Factory Engraved and Silver Plated Colt Single Action Army

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Factory Engraved and Silver Plated Colt Single Action Army

Estimate: $140,000 - $250,000

Starting Bid: $120,000

(0 Bids)

by Rock Island Auction Company
August 22, 2026 9:00 AM CDT
Live Auction
3600 Harwood Road
Bedford, TX, US 76021

Extraordinary Documented Deluxe Cuno Helfricht Factory Master Engraved, Silver Plated Antique Colt Single Action Army Revolver with Scarce Double Relief Carved Bull Head and Liberty Goddess Pearl Grips and Factory Letter Manufactured in 1892, this is an extremely rare and highly desirable example of a deluxe factory engraved and silver plated Colt Single Action Army revolver with an extraordinary documented double relief carved pearl grip. Also known as the "Peacemaker", Colt's Single Action Army is arguably the most iconic American firearm of all time, with any rare factory engraved examples earning a hallowed place among the pantheon of legendary American arms. These revolvers played a pivotal roll in westward expansion and the story of this nation, finding themselves in the hands of our fighting men and civilians alike, not only on the American frontier, but frontiers throughout the world, earning a reputation for being as rugged and dependable as those who carried them. Many of these iconic "Peacemakers" have come to hold a similarly legendary status within the American mythos as immortal weapons such as Excalibur within other myths, cementing them firmly as highly sought after treasures by collectors and true pieces of Americana. This particular example is certainly no exception, representing a tangible piece of this nation's identity, and being deserving of the most elite collections, either public or private. Even though engraved firearms remained popular with many powerful and affluent men in the late 19th century and early 20th century, the popularity of engraving overall decreased in the late 19th century and into the 20th century. R. L. Wilson in "The Colt Engraving Book, Vol. I" wrote, "The grand total of engraved Single Action Army revolvers (excluding the Bisley Model and Flattop Target Model) from 1873 through 1940 is approximately 3,000." Others estimate as many as 4,500 engraved First Generation Single Action Army revolvers, but that still accounts for only approximately 1.26% of production, making surviving examples incredibly scarce and highly sought after among collectors. It is further noted that during the period of Cuno Helfricht being at the head of the Colt engraving shop, when this particular revolver was produced, only around 2,550 Single Action Army revolvers were engraved. If special finishes are also considered, such as the silver plating or special ordered carved grip on this example, the exceptional rarity of such a revolver truly begins to come into focus. In "The Official Record of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver 1873-1895" by the Wilkersons and Hoyt, the authors note that only two revolvers are listed in the factory ledgers for serial numbers 1 through 164100 as being manufactured in .41 Long Colt with a 5 1/2 inch barrel, silver finish, and pearl grips, making this particular revolver one of only two in that serial number range. They list only 41 total revolvers in this caliber as factory engraved. Though no specific details are available regarding the rarity of factory "double carved" grips on Colt "Peacemakers", it is very clear through a simple survey of known examples that they are extremely rare. Though Colt employed or contracted with many gifted engravers throughout their history, including the likes of Gustave Young and Louis D. Nimschke, there were perhaps none so thoroughly rooted at the company as Cuno A. Helfricht, who dedicated essentially his entire engraving career to the Colt factory. Born in Germany in 1851, Helfricht apprenticed under his father from 1860 to 1869, beginning his career at Colt in 1871, at the dawn of the cartridge era for the company. Within just a few years of being employed by the company Helfricht had become their lead engraver, remaining in that roll until his retirement 50 years later in 1921. Due to the timing of his arrival at Colt, Helfricht oversaw the engraving shop during one of the most transformative periods for the company, seeing the end of the percussion era and transition to cartridge revolvers, the arrival of double action revolvers, and eventually the addition of semi-automatics to the lineup. Examples of all of these different Colt firearms would eventually bear Helfricht's masterful engraving along with the company's shotguns and Lightning rifles. To this day, Helfricht's work remains some of the most highly desired and collectible of not only all Colt engravers, but of all 19th and 20th century American engravers. Having been manufactured in 1892, this extraordinary Colt Single Action Army revolver represents an outstanding example of Colt artistry from the last decade of the 19th century that was executed by Master Factory Engraver Cuno A. Helfricht. The included factory letter lists the revolver in .41 caliber with a 5 1/2 inch barrel, silver finish, factory engraved, and with the grip listed as "pearl with carved bull head and liberty goddess motif" when shipped to E.C. Meacham Arms Co. in St. Louis, Missouri, c/o: W.E. Norton, on 21 December 1892 as the only gun of its type in the shipment. Though not confirmed, it is distinctly possible that the "W.E. Norton" that this revolver was ordered for was William Edward Norton (1843-1916), a world famous painter from Boston who is noted as having displayed multiple pieces at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, which opened its gates in Chicago around four months after this revolver shipped. A Kansas newspaper in 1885 notes that a large piece by Norton titled "The Minute Men of the Revolution" was on display at a New Orleans exposition, likely the World Cotton Centennial, and that it was valued at $5,000. By the 1890s, Norton was already a world-renowned artist, having traveled widely in America and Europe painting primarily coastal scenes, and was certainly of sufficient status to afford a magnificent revolver such as this or be presented one, as well as possessing the eye for appreciating the artistry exhibited on it. Both sides of this revolver are pictured on p. 170-171 of "Fine & Historic Arms Annual 2024" by The Texas Gun Collectors Association and Rock Island Auction Company. The engraving exhibited on the revolver is a stunning and classic example of Cuno Helfricht's work on Colt's "Peacemaker, featuring primarily expertly executed floral scrollwork on beaded backgrounds covering approximately three-quarters of the surfaces, with distinctive fan motifs on the recoil shield, loading gate, sides of the trigger guard, top of the back strap, and at the front edge of each cylinder chamber. The top of the barrel is marked with the standard single line address while the caliber marking is on the left, both in stylized engraved banners. The left of the frame has the two-line patent dates in a banner and followed by the circled Rampant Colt. The matching serial number is marked on the bottom of the frame, trigger guard, and back strap, while the assembly number "688" is on the loading gate. It is fitted with the standard blade front and frame-top groove rear sights, as well as the extremely rare, factory documented relief "double carved" pearl grip, which features a raised relief bull's head on the left over an incise carved starburst, while a raised relief carved representation of the "Liberty goddess" is on the right holding a sword and shield.

Manufacturer: Colt

Model: Single Action Army

BBL: 5 1/2 inch round

Gauge: 41 Long Colt

Finish: silver

Grips: pearl

Serial Number149368

Class: Antique

  • Provenance: The Nick Shannon Collection
  • Condition: Exceptionally fine as a rare and highly desirable original example of 19th century Colt artistry, retaining 85% plus of the delicate, totally original silver plating; mostly showing an untouched, attractively aged, dark patina. The balance is mostly a smooth grey patina, primarily in the form of typical holster wear and a few scattered patches of mild flaking. The factory engraving remains crisp throughout. The grip is excellent with a few couple scattered light chips, a sliver absent from the upper right edge, and the relief carving remaining very distinct. Mechanically excellent. This is an extraordinary example of the stunning artistry that Colt's engraving shop was capable of under the personal hand of Master Engraver Cuno A. Helfricht during the late 19th and early 20th century and stands tall as an elite example of Colt's legendary "Peacemaker"!

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $199 $10
$200 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000