Colt Police Positive Model, Factory Engraved & Inscribed, Blue 4” Double Action Revolver & Case, MFD Ca. 1907 C&R
SOLD FOR: $14,305
LSB#: 151223CS14
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Colt has been contacted about the inscription and engraving. The gun will letter as engraved and inscribed. No letter is provided. Any additional information is reserved for the purchase of the letter.
Make: Colt
Model: Police Positive
Serial Number: 47007
Year of Manufacture: ca. 1907 (From Proofhouse.com using the serial numbers for the New Police revolvers. According to “Colt Firearms” by Serven, the New Police stopped production in 1905 when the Police Positive production started. )
Caliber: .32 New Police (Same as .32 S&W Long. .32 Colt and .32 S&W Short will also chamber and fire).
Action Type: Single Action or Double Action with Swing Out Cylinder
Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “COLT NEW POLICE 32”. The right side of the barrel is marked “POLICE / POSITIVE.” with both words sharing the same “P”. The left side of the frame is marked with the “Rampant Colt” logo with “COLT’S” above the logo and “NEW POLICE” below the logo. . The top of the barrel is marked “COLT’S PATENT FIRE ARMS MFG. Co. / HARTFORD, CONN. U.S.A. — PAT’D. / AUG. 5, 1884. JUNE 5, 1900. JULY 4, 1905”. The crane flat is marked “47007” and “3”. The crane is marked “47007”. The left front of the trigger guard is marked with a “VP” in a triangle and at the rear with “3”. The rear face of the cylinder is marked “07”. The grip frame is engraved with “DR. LAURANCE SAUNDERS”.
Barrel Length: 4”
Sights / Optics: The revolver is mounted with a “U” groove in the top strap for a rear sight. The front sight is a rounded blade fixed to the barrel.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips smooth bone. They show no marks, fit the grip frame well and are in Excellent condition.
Type of Finish: The pistol is blued with extensive scroll engraving in all areas except the backstrap, front strap and the underside of the barrel. The hammer and trigger are fire blued.
Finish Originality: We think the finish is original.
Bore Condition: The bore is bright with sharp rifling. There is no erosion in the bore.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 90% of its metal finish. There are tiny spots of surface frosting sprinkled over most surfaces except for the barrel. There is also erosion covering the bottom rear of the trigger guard. There is very light thinning on the front edge of the barrel and on the front strap and backstrap, with spots of thinning on the cylinder. The cylinder does not have a drag line. The knurling on the ejector rod is sharp and the knurling on the hammer shows very light wear. The screw heads are sharp and the markings are clear. Overall, this revolver rates in about Fine condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The cylinder lockup is SOLID on all six chambers We did not fire this revolver.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This revolver comes in an oak case with two small brass hinges on the back of the lid and a small brass clasp at the front. The inside of the case is lined with purple felt that is fitted for this pistol and cutout for a square wooden block of ammunition. The case has interlocking finger joints at the corners and four green felt cushions on the bottom of the case. The lid shows a few light marks and two compression marks on the left front edge. The bottom surface of the case is plywood and was never finished. The felt in the lid shows compression marks from the cylinder and the felt in the bottom of the case is abraded in places from the sharp edges on the revolver. There is a wooden block inside the case with holes drilled for twenty-five .32 caliber cartridges. There are 25 fired cases residing in the block, all of which have W-W .32 S&W head stamps. The case is in about Fine condition.
Our Assessment: The Colt Police Positive was an evolution of the New Police revolvers, and this early 1907 pistol has the markings of both. It is interesting that the New Police, Police Positive and Police Positive Special all offered slightly more firepower than the preceding pocket revolvers, and yet this “evolution” only spanned 12 years: from the introduction of the New Police in 1896 to the Police Positive Special in 1908. This revolver has been heavily scroll engraved over much of its surface, with “DR. LAURANCE SAUNDERS” engraved into the backstrap. The only reference to this name we could find was a Dr. Truman Laurance Saunders, a Dr. of Otology (the ear) at Columbia University in the early 1900’s. This pistol is really nice looking, but has been left in the case too long without care. There are tiny spots of surface frosting in most areas except for the barrel and with a large spot of erosion in the trigger guard. There are also a few spots of thinning in the cylinder with very light thinning on the front edge of the barrel, the backstrap and the front strap. The grips are bone and show no marks. They fit the grip frame very well. The bore is bright with sharp rifling and no erosion. The pistol comes in an oak case with a wooden block in the case that holds twenty-five cartridges. This revolver is still in exceptional condition for being over 100 years old, and the nice engraving and bone grips are just icing on the cake for the Colt collector.
