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Colt New Police Antique Low 3 Digit SN# Lettered to San Francisco
Guns International #: 101174320 Seller's Inventory #:
Category: Colt Revolvers - Double Action Pre-War - Colt Revolvers - Antique
Seller's Information
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Seller: Brent Wilburn
Company: Antique Arms, Inc.
Member Since: 11/19/15
First Name: Brent
Last Name: Wilburn
State: Georgia
Zip: 30052
Country: United States
Phone: (678) 471-1432
Phone2: (678) 471-1432
Premium Seller
Number of Active Listings: 36
Total Number of Listings: 580
Seller: Private Seller
Return Policy: 3 day inspection and return policy on used guns.
Payment Types Accepted: Money Order, Certified Check
Description:
This one isn't pretty but it is quite rare. Serial Number 190! This is the earliest Colt New Police Revolver I've ever owned and the only Antique Pre-1898 I've found thus far that wasn't issued to the New York City Police Department. The first 4600 New Police Revolvers are Pre-1898 Antiques and it is my understanding that the NYPD got 4500 of them just into 1899. That said, I doubt there were more than a couple hundred antique New Police revolvers that were sold on the commercial market. We just got a Colt Factory Letter on this one and it was shipped to the Colt Agency in San Francisco on June 25, 1896. There were just 15 of them in this shipment. To make things even more interesting, the letter states this revolver is not chambered for the .32 Colt New Police (which is basically 32 S&W) but .32 Colt as indicated on the left side of the barrel which is stamped "COLT D.A. 32" instead of "COLT NEW POLICE 32" like most. The .32 Colt was standard in the Colt New Pocket Revolver and offered in the New Police Model but rarely seen.
The Colt "New Police" has an interesting history in that it was designed specifically for the NYPD at the request of then Commissioner Theodore Roosevelt who was the first to standardize the department's service revolvers and implement civil service examinations for all new officers. Its my understanding that Teddy got the first one made. The serial number 190 is stamped bottomstrap of the frame which is a rare early feature of this model. Only the first few hundred had the serial number visible on the outside of the gun before it was removed. Nobody has seen enough of these to know exactly when the number is dropped from the bottomstrap but it couldn't have been long after this one was made. The reason for this change was probably due to the fact that all NYPD issue revolvers had the officer's badge number stamped in this location so Colt simply went by the duplicate Serial already stamped inside of the frame to any confusion between badge number and serial number.
Overall Condition is NRA Antique Good with no original finish remaining. The metal has been cleaned at some point and the edges show moderate use with generally good markings. The exception are that about 90% of the barrel address is visible with part of the 1888 date obscured presumably from when it was cleaned. The Colt New Police marking on the left side plate is also partially worn away with evidence that Colt double-stamped their trademark at the factory. The hammer checkering is strong as is the serial number on the outside and inside of the frame. Screws and pins are good. The mechanics are not bad and still functioning in single and double action modes. As I'm not a gunsmith and it is well over 100 years old, that is not an endorsement that this weapon is safe to fire. That determination could only be made by a trained professional, therefore, it is being sold as a collectible antique only. Cylinder swingout is not loose. Bore is fair. When we found this revolver, it had a pair of incorrect red checkered grips from a 20th century Pocket Positive Police. Since then, we've located a pair of original 19th century New Police Grips in Very Good condition with no cracks or breaks and they fit this revolver nearly perfectly. We know this revolver shipped to San Francisco in 1896. If it stayed in the city, which it likely did, chances are good it was there in the 1906 Earthquake and Fire that destroyed 80% of the city and cost 3,000 lives. This could possibly have some bearing on why its been cleaned up years ago and is currently on its 3rd pair of grips. Either way, it is one of the only antique New Police Models you'll ever see that sold on the commercial market not to mention a rare caliber and a great low serial number to boot. Comes with factory letter.
SOLD
Antique: Yes
Manufacturer: Colt
Model: New Police
Serial Number: 190
Caliber Info: 32
Condition: NRA Antique Good