Rare Colt Marshal 2″ Round Butt .38 Special Revolver, Box & Letter 1954 C&R
SOLD FOR: $3,575.00
LSB#: WY250210GR008
Make: Colt
Model: Marshal
Serial Number: 835526
Year of Manufacture: 1954
Caliber: .38 Special
Action Type: Single/Double Action Swing-Out Cylinder Revolver
Barrel Length: 2”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a serrated, ramped blade fixed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a square-notch integral to the topstrap. The edges of the topstrap groove are serrated for glare reduction.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered walnut with silver-colored Colt medallions. The inside of each panel has “526” hand-written and a “SILE” marking that has been stamped-over (correct for Marshal model). The grips have light handling wear with some scattered light scuffing and a few small nicks. The checkering is generally well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good-plus condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There is no erosion in the bore, there is infrequent stubborn fouling and a spot of dried grease at the muzzle on the left. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 9 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 90% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at most edges. There is minor handling wear in the grip areas. There are some scattered minor nicks, scuffs and scratches. There is minor wear behind most cylinder flutes, there is more notable wear and some minor oxidation behind one flute. The finish of the frame and yoke have a slight plum hue. The action shows light operational wear including a thin turn-line on the cylinder. The screw heads range from sharp to lightly tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver is in Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with its original box (serial hand-written on the bottom) and a Colt Archives letter. The letter indicates that this Marshal was produced with a 2″ barrel and shipped to J.L. Galef & Son, Inc. in New York, NY on November 23, 1954 in a shipment of 2 guns of the same type.
Our Assessment: The Marshal was essentially an Official Police with a round-butt frame. For whatever reason, the model did not meet with commercial success, and was only produced from 1954 to 1956 with about 2,500 made in total. As a result, they are quite desirable to Colt collectors and have a few variations. The great majority were produced with 4″ barrels with fewer 2″ barrels. There was also a change in the finish process early in production. Early Marshal revolvers are called “Dual-Tone” by collectors as there is a mixture of polished and matte surfaces on the gun. This was discontinued part-way through 1954 production, so these dual-tone guns are more scarce. It is also interesting that, possibly due to the different shape of the grip frame, Marshal revolvers have grips produced by Sile, though Colt stamped-out their marking.
This is quite the find as a 2″ dual-tone Marshal with original box and an Archives letter confirming its authenticity. Colt collectors will surely take interest, but it should also still prove to be a good shooter. Please see our photos and good luck!
Please forgive any typos, I was educated in California. -Bud
