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The first factory engraved and gold inlaid Colt Model
1908 Vest Pocket .25 ACP - blued finish with Type II
slide markings and 17 gold inlays. This is also the first
Model N with factory monogrammed relief-carved
mother-of-pearl grips. The engraving, inlay and carved grips
were performed by Colt master engraver, Cuno Helfricht.
Perhaps the most unique aspect of engraving on this pistol
is that when the work was performed, no pre-defined styles
of engraving existed for the Model N. Just eight of the
Model Ns are noted as having any type of gold inlay work.
Colt 1908 Vest Pocket .25 ACP Serial Number 165082
Factory Master Engraved by William H. Gough Nickel Plated,
Mother of Pearl Stocks - The records indicate this
pistol was shipped out as a .25/c, 2", in the Green state
for engraving, with the final finish to be nickel and Pearl
stocks. A factory order number 555 was assigned to this
pistol for the work and it was shipped to Murta Appleton &
Company in Philadelphia, PA c/o William Gough on May 29,
1917, a shipment of 1 gun.
William Gough's distinctive five pointed star.
Factory Master Engraved and Silver Plated Colt Model 1908
Vest Pocket Model Serial Number 204423 - One of five
guns shipped to William H. Gough on May 21, 1919, returned
to Colt and reshipped to Murta Appleton on July 2, 1919.
The engraving pattern on this pistol matches the pattern of
204695 (pictured above, which was also in the same
shipment). The other four pistols were also silver plated
and fitted with mother of pearl grips. This pistol has full
factory "C" coverage, is silver plated and is fitted with
gold inlaid monogrammed mother of pearl grips with recessed
medallions.
Remarks: The notations concerning finish
of subject pistol are confusing as it lists being both
silver and in the "Green State". The "green or soft" state
would normally indicate shipment without finish for
engraving outside the factory. As W.H. Gough was a known
engraver for Colt at this time, it would appear that the
pistol was sent for engraving although the record does not
specifically list this feature.
There is a further notation indicating
that the pistol was reshipped to Murta Appleton & Company on
July 2, 1919. It would appear that at this time the final
finish on subject pistol was silver.
Factory Master Engraved and Silver Plated Colt Model 1908
Vest Pocket Model Serial Number 204695 - One of five
guns shipped to William H. Gough on May 21, 1919, returned
to Colt and reshipped to Murta Appleton on July 2, 1919.
The engraving pattern on this pistol matches the pattern of
204423 (pictured above, which was also in the same
shipment). The other four pistols were also silver plated
and fitted with mother of pearl grips. This pistol has full
factory "C" coverage, is silver plated and is fitted with
mother of pearl grips with recessed medallions.
This gun retains 99+% of the original finish, has full
engraving coverage and is fitted with Type II
mother-of-pearl grips (featuring rounded top and recessed
medallions) This gun was engraved by Colt master engraver
William H. Gough and features Gough's distinctive style
which includes his use of vines, flowers and lined
background. It was shipped from Colt's to the engraver on
March 15, 1915 and returned on May 20, 1915. The Colt
factory letter indicates that the gun was produced with a
blue finish and fitted with mother-of-pearl grips and
confirms the factory engraving. It was a one gun shipment
to H.S. Barton, address "unavailable" on October 8, 1917.
The original price on a gun with these features was $27.00
(Standard variation: $12.00, Master engraved: $12.50,
Mother-of-pearl grips: $2.50). See the
December 1998 Gun of the Month
feature for more history on H.S. Barton.
Colt Model 1908 Vest Pocket .25 ACP Serial Number 125565 -
Factory Silver Plated and Factory Engraved (Grade 3) Model
N. This special order gun was shipped to Shelton-Payne Arms
Co., El Paso, TX in March 1916 in a two gun shipment. This
gun is sitting on top of its' original factory presentation case.
(ex. Robert Howard Collection)
Colt Special Gun Orders Entry:
"March 22, 1916
962/1 Shelton Payne 2/7/16
N Auto 25 - Silver- Pearl-
#1 1/4 Engrave Rush-"
Silver plating was the rarest of the special finishes for
the Model N. Of approximately 410,000 guns produced, there
were only 64 factory silver plated .25s, only a handful of
which were also factory engraved.
Model N Gold Plated and Factory Engraved - Serial
number 68443 sold and shipped to Wm. G. Rolston, May 20,
1912. Colt Special Order Ledger lists this pistol as
gold plated, factory engraved #3,
although the grade of engraving is not mentioned in the
factory letter. This pistol has mother-of-pearl Colt grips
that have been embellished with "W R" and the date 1912. In
addition, the grips have rather crude cuts along the edge of
each grip, presumably to improve the shooters grip on the
pistol. The grips are factory and while the monogram
appears to be period work, it is not confirmed in the
factory letter. Additionally, the crude cuts along the edge
of the grips are not characteristic of Colt factory work.
An early factory engraved Colt Model N sn 82838 blued
finish with Type II mother-of-pearl grips. This was one of a
two gun shipment to Browning Bros. Co., Ogden, UT on
December 17, 1913. From the figures listed below, this gun
cost $18.00 (Base price: $12.00, Plain Mother-of-pearl
stocks: $2.50, Style 3 Engraving: $3.50)
Factory engraved and inscribed Model N. Engraving coverage
is Style 3 and is typical of many of the Style 3 engraved
guns.
Factory inscription "H.F. SCHOTTLER" is hand engraved
in the case hardened grip safety. This gun was shipped in
1915.
Early nickel plated/factory engraved Model N. The
"medallion" mother-of-pearl grips were a relatively new
feature for a gun in this serial number range. |
