Lot 401

Pre-War/Post-War Colt Single Action Army with Factory Letters

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Pre-War/Post-War Colt Single Action Army with Factory Letters

Estimate: $5,000 - $7,500

Starting Bid: $4,500

(0 Bids)

by Rock Island Auction Company
August 21, 2026 9:00 AM CDT
Live Auction
3600 Harwood Road
Bedford, TX, US 76021

Scarce Documented Pre-War/Post-War Colt Single Action Army Revolver with Factory Letters Having its frame serial number factory applied in 1940, this is a scarce example of a pre-World War II Colt Single Action Army revolver that was subsequently factory assembled and finished after the war and kept at the factory. Two factory letters are included with the newer of the two listing the revolver as manufactured on March 29, 1948, and shipped at a later date on March 8, 1956, to Joseph A. Lorch (a Colt representative/distributor) at 1010 Vermont Avenue N.W. in Washington, D.C., in .38 caliber with a 5 1/2 inch barrel, blue finish, and type of grips not listed, as part of two guns of the same type in the shipment. Both factory letters have a similar further remark with the newer of the two stating, "Subject revolver is a pre-war/post-war model. The frame and components were manufactured prior to World War II with assembly being accomplished in the post-war period." The Pre-War/Post-War Single Action Army revolvers are found in the 356000-357000 serial number range, and many are known to have been used by Colt for advertising and public relations purposes. There were only 338 pre-World War II manufactured Colt Single Action revolvers assembled after World War II, which comprise the group of revolvers referred to as Pre-War/Post-War by collectors per page 19 of "Colt's Single Action Army Revolver Pre-War Post-War Model" by Don Wilkerson. This is one of 163 of these Pre-War/Post-War revolvers reportedly manufactured in this specific configuration, being in .38 Special caliber, with a 5 1/2 inch barrel, and blue/casehardened finish, of which only 12 were listed as shipped in this configuration in the year 1956, per information on pages 28 and 100 of Wilkerson's aforementioned book. The left side of the trigger guard has the Colt factory triangle "VP" proof and an "F" inspector's stamp. The matching visible full serial number is marked on the frame, grip straps, and correctly hand etched on the interiors of both grips, with the matching partial number "75" on the rear of the cylinder. Assembly number "460" is marked on the loading gate and rear surface of the frame.

Manufacturer: Colt

Model: Single Action Army

BBL: 5 1/2 inch round

Gauge: 38 Special

Finish: blue/casehardened

Grips: hard rubber

Serial Number357675

Class: Curio & Relic Handgun

  • Provenance: The Todd P. Violette Collection; The Charles Marx Collection
  • Condition: Excellent overall, retains 95% plus original blue finish, 97% plus vivid original case colors, with a few cylinder drag lines, some light freckling, a brown appearance on the flush fitting grips with minimal handling evidence and crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent.

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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