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| Member |
Watch the C&RSenal video, At the end they give thanks to an Auction House that linked them up with an owner of the 1910 variant so they could get pics and they are quite knowledgeable of the 1911. I'm sure if you contact that auction house you will be able to get a good accurate estimate of your pistols value. Personally I would not be a bit surprised if that pistol is worth more than 50,000 US Dollars. However that is just a wild guess because I am not an expert on handgun values. What I do know is that you have an extremely rare version of the 1911. I've stopped counting. | |||
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Hot Fuzz |
I suppose you're right. Just me being overly paranoid due to the uniqueness of this pistol. The serial number is 131. I was actually thinking I needed to update the OP with some better sized pics and maybe not include the evidence that I own a couple German Shepard's this time . Hater of fun since 2001! | |||
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Res ipsa loquitur |
Simply an unbeatable 2A family heirloom. Thx for sharing. __________________________ | |||
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| Husband, Father, Aggie, all around good guy!  |
Thanks for sharing, what an amazing family heirloom. Love that it is in seemingly correct condition. I would investigate attending one of the next Colt collectors shows and learn more about it. Perhaps someone even has an adjacent serial number. Amazing | |||
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Frangas non Flectes |
131. Wow. That’s incredible. Talk about a museum piece! Really glad you talked your father in law out of refinishing that amazing piece of history. ______________________________________________ Carthago delenda est | |||
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Member |
That's a dandy! Years ago, my gun show buddy (Fred) called those early 1911s "valentines" because of the patent date. OP, did your grandpa go into Mexico chasing Pancho Villa? I ask because I believe the first group of 1911s were issued to the army calvary unit that were part of the "Punative Expedition". What great family heirloom. . | |||
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| Hot Fuzz |
I'm not 100% sure, but both my wife and I seem to remember her dad mentioning a Pancho Villa story when he spoke of his grandfather. I'll check with him and find out. I do know for sure that he was Army Calvary. Hater of fun since 2001! | |||
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| Member |
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Mensch |
The only thing that pistol needs is oil. Very nice! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Yidn, shreibt un fershreibt" "The Nazis entered this war under the rather childish delusion that they were going to bomb everyone else, and nobody was going to bomb them. At Rotterdam, London, Warsaw and half a hundred other places, they put their rather naive theory into operation. They sowed the wind, and now they are going to reap the whirlwind." -Bomber Harris | |||
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Member |
This is a great photo essay from an early 1911 showing some of the details on how they were made using old manufacturing methods and processes. Note the later production guns for the US Gov stopped being shiny for good reasons. https://imgur.com/gallery/ny95m  | |||
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| Member |
Amazing piece of history! My Clawson “big book” at least through 1916 doesn’t list any shipment from Colt directly to the Philippines The earliest outside the lower 48 shipment was listed as to Hawaii in 1913,October Serial 131 is listed as ship to Springfield, and it is of course completely plausible that it was later shipped to the Philippines, as it is known providing 1911’s in that area due to active conflict was a priority. Also , up to WWII it was common practice for commissioned officers to purchase from available stock a personal handgun for duty use. A number of WWI shipments are listed as shipped to ports of embarkation specifically to be available for officers to purchase | |||
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| Hot Fuzz |
I thought I had read an article that said some of the first 1911's shipped ended up in the Philippine's, but my Google-fu is doing nothing to support my (aging?) memory. I've got a call in to our family history guy to see what he's got for great grandpa's military history service time line. Hater of fun since 2001! | |||
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| Member |
Very kool! No government inspection or proof marks or am I looking in the wrong location(s)? I could be sentimental about a couple thousand dollars, but not tens of thousands.  -- Chuck "Never send a man where you can send a bullet." | |||
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| Member |
Inspectors mark on left side of frame just above mag catch. | |||
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| Hot Fuzz |
Ok, here's what I got on Capt. Frank Smith (Schmidt) Jr. He arrived in the Phillipines at a Pvt 1896 and left 1914 as a Capt. From what I can gather he served as a scout, was later an aid to Pershing and ended his time as a magistrate. My FIL said his grandfather did not go with Pershing on the Punitive Expedition, but for a time had figured he would end up on the Expedition due to his history with Pershing. Here are some photos I was able to get of Capt. Smith during his service years.   Hater of fun since 2001! | |||
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| Member |
Very cool. Thanks for the update. | |||
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| Partial dichotomy |
How fascinating! And what a rare beautiful piece! I hope you can learn even more about it's history. SIGforum: For all your needs! Imagine our influence if every gun owner in America was an NRA member! Click the box>>>  | |||
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| Member |
1896? Typo? While the Philippines were a Spanish possession? 1898 more likely. -- Chuck "Never send a man where you can send a bullet." | |||
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| Member |
Serial # 131 is a 1912 manufacture. Do you have the original Magazine? Left the blazing dumpster fire of of taxes, corruption and tyranny that is Illinois, for freedom in Florida. | |||
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| Hot Fuzz |
Yes. We have the original magazine. Hater of fun since 2001! | |||
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