Colt WWI 1911 Commemorative Set of 4 Semi Auto Pistols & Display Cases – C&R OK
SOLD FOR: $5500
Make: Colt
Model: WWI Commemorative Series 1911 Pistols – 01: Belleau Wood, 02: Chateau Thierry, 03: 2nd Battle of the Marne, 04: Meuse Argonne
Serial Number: 01: 5133-BW, 02: 5133-CT, 03: 5133-M2, 04: 5133-MA
Year of Manufacture: 1967 (Listed on the ATF C&R Roster)
Caliber: .45 ACP
Action Type: Single Action Semi-Automatic with Removable Magazine
Markings: All the markings on the pistols is gold filled. The right side of the slide on all four pistols is marked with a banner reading “1917 World War I Commemorative 1967” and “Colt’s PT.F.A. Mfg. Co. Hartford, Conn. U.S.A.” The barrels are marked “Colt .45 Auto”, and the right side of the frame with their serial number.
01: The left side of the slide is engraved with a battle scene in the woods and at the rear with the Rampant Colt logo.
02: The left side of the slide is engraved with scene of a machine gun crew with a town in the background and at the rear with the Rampant Colt logo.
03: The left side of the slide is engraved with a scene involving American soldiers firing at German soldiers across a creek and at the rear with the Rampant Colt logo.
04: The left side of the slide is engraved with a scene of American soldiers attacking Germans barricaded behind pill boxes and at the rear with the Rampant Colt logo.
Barrel Length: 5”
Sights / Optics: The front sights are short blades fixed to the slide and the rear sights are square notched and dovetailed into the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The left grip on each pistol has a medallion of an American eagle marked “1917*1918 / World War”. The right grip is marked with a medallion of an American soldier, and marked “U.S.A. / The Great War For Civilization” and with the names of our allies. All of the grips rate in about Excellent condition.
01: This pistol has a rectangular plaque on the left grip marked “Belleau Wood”. The grips are smooth walnut and show light compression marks near the bottom of the left grip.
02: This pistol has a rectangular plaque on the left grip marked “Chateau Thierry”. The grips are checkered walnut and show no marks.
03: This pistol has a rectangular plaque on the left grip marked “2nd Battle Of The Marne”. The grips appear to be a smooth light colored wood and show no marks.
04: This pistol has a rectangular plaque on the left grip marked “Meuse Argonne”. The grips are smooth burl walnut and show a light scratch on the right grip with marks around the upper grip screw.
Type of Finish: This pistols have a highly polished blue finish.
Finish Originality: All Original
Bore Condition: The bores are bright and the rifling sharp. There is no erosion. These pistols do not appear to have been shot outside the factory.
Overall Condition: All pistols retain about 99% of their metal finish, and all have sharp grip screws with clear markings. All rate in about Excellent condition.
01: There is a light mark on the left side of the frame above the safety.
02: There is a tiny mark on the right upper side of the frame behind the grip.
03: This pistol shows light marks on the front strap.
04: The right side of the frame behind the trigger shows small spots of discoloration.
Mechanics: The actions function correctly. All have grip and frame mounted safeties. We did not fire these pistols.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: Each pistol comes with one blued 7-round magazine with no wear and in Excellent condition. Each pistol also comes wrapped in brown anti-corrosive paper packaged in a brown cardboard box inside a large box which also holds a boxed display case for the pistol. The outside of the boxes holding the pistol are marked with the serial number of the pistol. Two show no damage except for surface loss where tape was removed and are in Fine condition, while the other two have torn corners and are in Very Good condition. Each box also contains a sheet marked “Colt’s Automatic Pistol / Government Model” which contains a parts list, schematic and a description of operation. Also included is a “Congratulations” letter from Colt on the purchase and mounting of the pistol, and a Warranty Card, all of which are in Excellent condition. The display cases also boxed in brown cardboard boxes. The cases are brown painted wood with clear Plexiglas windows which allows viewing of the pistol when displayed, and a cardboard window that can be used to hide the pistol from view. The cardboard windows have a white finish showing a map of the area where the battle was fought and marked with the name of the battle and the dates it was fought. The bottom of the cases have spots of green felt at the corners to protect whatever furniture they are placed on and the cases can also be hung on a wall. The cases are all in Excellent condition with no marks except for one case which has a spot at one corner where the paint was rubbed thin by its cardboard box. The display case boxes show spots of surface loss where tape was removed but are otherwise in Fine condition. The outer large cardboard boxes are brown cardboard and show frayed edges and corners, loose tape and handling marks. The outer boxes are in Good condition.
Our Assessment: These pistols are beautiful Colt Government Model 1911 pistols with high luster blued finishes and with gold filled engraving. They also have custom grips with WWI medallions and the name of the battle that particular pistol commemorates. The pistols are in Excellent condition and appear unfired, but do have a few minor handling marks. They commemorate the four major battles our soldiers fought in World War I, the “War To End All Wars”. The pistols come with wooden display cases and the appropriate paperwork, and both the pistols and the display cases are separately boxed within a larger box for protection. This set is a nice find for the Colt collector and for collectors of WWI weaponry.
