The Colt Single Action Army revolver is undoubtedly the most iconic firearm in American history. It is an instantly recognizable handgun strongly associated with the late 19th century and early 20th century West. This extremely early first year production revolver serial no. 14 was manufactured in 1873. The revolver has the extremely desirable "pinched frame" rear sight found only on approximately half of the Colt Single Action Army revolvers below serial number 200 and government test model revolvers. In “The Official Record of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver 1873-1895,” the authors put pinch frame production at “probably 100 or less” (page 40). Noted Colt historian and author Ron Graham has examined this revolver and has recorded his observations in his accompanying handwritten letter from 1991. In the letter, Graham proclaimed “the discovery of factory original Colt Single Action Army number 14 is a bonanza.” He referred to serial number 14 as “the Single Action Army discovery of the decade.” Graham took particular interest in the .44 S&W American caliber barrel: “The barrel on number 14 is an interesting study in itself--.44 caliber, gain twist (a carry-over from percussion revolver manufacture) rifling, a flawless roll-die stamped barrel address (absent any broken letters in the address) and a German silver front sight. Few collectors have been fortunate enough to examine a Single Action barrel featuring all of these extraordinary features. A barrel manufacturing variation which could only have been used on the first few SA revolvers was encountered for the first time in thirty years by this researcher.” The unnumbered cylinder remains in its original .44 S&W American chambering. At the time Graham wrote the letter in 1991, there were only three SAAs factory chambered in .44 S&W American known to still survive. Per Graham “number 14 is the only one known to have survived in factory original, production model Single Action revolver—one of the other surviving .44 Americans is a sample, or model, gun which displays some intriguing parts variations and the third has undergone significant alteration and restoration.” In 1872, the U.S. government requested Colt to supply test revolvers chambered in .44 S&W Russian. The famed .45 LC cartridge had yet to be introduced as it was not developed until 1873. Serial number 14 confirms Colt chambered SAAs for the .44 S&W American cartridge and that this caliber made it to the commercial production line. As Graham put it, “Number 14 is a ‘final design’ production revolver assembled before development of the .45 Colt cartridge in June of 1873.” The revolver is pictured and identified in Kopec and Fenn’s “Cavalry & Artillery Revolvers…a Continuing Study” on pages 148 and 150 where it is cited as a “pre-contract revolver.” The ejector rod housing uses the early style screw; however, there is no provision for a stud. Graham continued, “The stud that was fitted into first style (which could now possibly be classified as second style) ejector rod housings required the drilling of a shallow hole just to the rear of the barrel’s drilled and tapped ejector tube screw hole. That ‘first style’ ejector housing stud was designed in order to strengthen the tube attachment and for exact replacement location after removal. It bears repeating, serial number 14 was factory designed and assembled without an ejector housing barrel stud!” The loading gate is of the early production first style (the rear side is only slight beveled). The gate later received a redesigned bevel that allowed for easier opening. The frame carries the two-line, two patent dates marking used on fewer than 25 SAAs. The revolver lacks caliber designation markings. Like the cylinder, the barrel is also unnumbered. Matching serial numbers appear on the frame, trigger guard, and back strap. Unfortunately, factory records for serial no. 14 are not available. What is known is that in 1873, when this revolver was manufactured, Colt was very busy fulfilling U.S. contract orders and thus, very few commercial units were shipped. Included with the revolver is a blued iron bullet mold stamped “44/No.3” over “COLTS/PATENT” on the sprue cutter and a box of U.S. Cartridge Co. .44 S&W cartridges. The extremely rare bullet mold is an original Colt factory .36 caliber bullet model factory re-chambered for the SAA in .44 S&W American. A similar type of factory re-chambered mold in .45 caliber is found in Robin Rapley’s “Colt Percussion Accouterments 1834-1873” on pages 268-269. In fact, the mold offered here was purchased by former owner Joe Kiser from Robin Rapley. Rapley explained, “This mold is the only known .44 caliber American SAA mold known. It came to me from Mr. Tom Wibberley of Hagerstown, Maryland, and was one of 116 Colt molds among 912 molds that I purchased from him in August of 1998. He was of the opinion, also that this was the only known specimen.” Provenance for this revolver traces back to John Francis Ahern who died in April 1924 at the age of 65. The gun passed to Ahern’s son, Leonard, and was later received by Leonard’s son-in-law Woodrow Young who passed it down to his son Roger. In January 1991, Tommy Hass, Jr. purchased the revolver. An accompanying genealogy report on the Ahern family indicates that John and his wife relocated from Colorado to Ogden, Utah, where they raised a family. Members of the family were employed by railroad or mine companies. Hass provided additional information: “Subject revolver surfaced at a Utah Gun Collectors Association show held in Ogden, Utah in 1991. (Writer was present and viewed the revolver.) It had been in the same family, handed down through the generations, originating with John F. Ahern…Family members alive today don’t know how John Ahern originally acquired Colt Single Action #14. However, their best guess is it came in to his possession by way of a ‘bar debt.’” Two photographs of John Ahern are also included. Serial no. 14 was exhibited in a Colt display at the Cody Arms Museum in the summer of 2003. In 1992, the revolver received the NRA’s Ten Best Arms Award. It was referenced in Mel Guy’s article “Needle in a Haystack” in the October 1993 issue of The Gun Report. Provenance: John Francis Ahern and his descendants; The Tommy Hass, Jr. Collection; The Joe Kiser Collection; The Frank Grover Collection; 1992 NRA’s Ten Best Arms Award; Cody Arms Museum Display Summer of 2003; The Charles Marx Collection

Fine as an extremely rare, historically significant piece of American and Colt heritage, retaining 30% bright original high polish blue finish and 20% original case colors strongest in and around the protected areas with a gray patina on the balance. The grips are also fine with initials carved at the top on both sides, high edge wear, handling marks, and much of the original varnish remaining. Mechanically excellent. The bullet mold is fine, retaining 40% original blue finish. This "pre-contract" serial number 14 pinched frame Colt Single Action Army .44 S&W American Revolver is without doubt well deserving of the finest collection and is a significant example of the evolution of Colt's famed Peacemaker revolver.