Manufactured in 1917, this pistol represented the pinnacle of firearms technology at the time and would have been the envy of military officers and civilians alike. The left side of the slide has the standard two-line, two-block patent dates and address followed by the Rampant Colt behind the serrations, caliber marking on the right, and Government Model marking over the serial number on the right of the frame. The trigger guard is marked "VP" and "I" on the left. The barrel has a polished chamber hood, the balance blued with "P/5" stamped on the bottom. Fitted with fixed blade and notch sights, checkered diamond pattern grips, and a two-tone magazine. Provenance: The Mel Raucher Collection

Very fine, retains 80% plus of the original blue finish with the balance having thinned to mostly a smooth grey patina, primarily on the grip straps and high spots in the form of holster type wear. The grips are also very fine with a few scattered minor handling marks and crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent.