Our colleagues at the Hunting Heritage Trust have just announced that a very special pair of engraved Colt 1911s will be the featured firearms of the 2019 SHOT Show Auction. According to the press release issued by the Trust:
The names Colt Firearms and American Pistolmiths Guild are synonymous with state-of-the-art engraved Colts. For the 2019 SHOT Show Auction Handguns, Colt and the American Pistolsmith’s Guild have created a pair of consecutive serial-numbered 1911s to commemorate the Colt-American Pistolsmiths Guild relationship and the continued American Tradition of engraved Colt handguns.
These consecutively serial-numbered Colts were crafted by no fewer than nine members of the American Pistolsmiths Guild representing the highest levels of skill and craftsmanship in areas including design, engraving, function, and finish.
The 1911s feature consecutive serial numbers GV203452 and GV203453. The consecutive serial numbers and the engraving theme represent the continuity of the Colt-American Pistolsmiths Guild relationship over the years and proudly proclaim “The Heritage Grows” and “The Tradition Lives”.
The American Pistolsmiths Guild furthers the art of gunsmithing and the tradition of hunting and shooting by insuring that the craft of pistolsmiting gets passed along to the next generation of eager young smiths.
The 1911s feature consecutive serial numbers GV203452 and GV203453. Pistols with consecutive serial number were selected for this project to represent the continuity of the Colt-American Pistolsmiths Guild relationship over the years. Engraving on the pistols proudly proclaims, “The Heritage Grows” and “The Tradition Lives”.
Guild members who donated their guidance and artistry to the customization of these handguns include Daniel Batchelor, President of Powder River Precision, Inc. and President of the American Pistolsmiths Guild; Nighthawk Custom gunsmiths Allen Wyatt, Travis Gregory, Bryan Chaney and Steven Cox. Robert Reeves and David Atchley of Nighthawk Custom also worked on the 1911s.
Doug Turnbull of Turnbull Restoration is a Guild member who also contributed his artistry to the project.
Roy Huntington, Publisher of American Handgunner magazine, originated the concept and kept the complicated and detail-intensive project on track.
Beginning in March of 2018 at Nighthawk Custom in Berryville, Arkansas, members of the Pistolsmith’s Guild performed no fewer than 18 separate procedures to create the smoothest operating 1911s possible.
After Nighthawk Custom completed its gunsmithing artistry, the Colts went to engraver S.R. (Steve) Fiddler, a member of the Firearms Engraver’s Guild of America. Building on the “The Heritage Grows” and “The Tradition Lives” themes, Mr. Fiddler enhanced the slides of both pistols with scroll engraving and 24-carat gold inscriptions.
“My work has been influenced by engravers and pistolsmiths, historic and contemporary and I enjoyed merging these styles to illustrate the “The Tradition Lives” and “The Heritage Grows” themes selected for these pistols”, Fiddler commented. “I hope the effect is a combination of style and boldness that is consistent with the power of the Colt brand and the style of the 1911.”
The right side of each pistol features 100% precision scroll engraving on the slide, the Rampant Colt logo in 24-carat gold and the inscription “The Tradition Lives” engraved in 24-carat gold highlighted in a banner beneath the ejection port.
The left side of each pistol mirrors the precision scroll engraving on the right side of the slide and features the logo of the American Pistolsmith’s Guild in 24-carat gold. The inscription “The Heritage Grows” is engraved in 24-carat gold and is highlighted within an engraved banner.
Highlighting the craftsmanship and tradition of the Colts is a pair of hand-tooled belt-slide rigs (right and left) by iconic leathersmith Karla Van Horn of Purdy Gear. Roy Huntington, Publisher of American Handgunner magazine, has often referred to Ms. Van Horn as “An American Treasure”.
The high bidder for these historic guns will receive Letters of Authentication and Description from the artisans and professionals involved in the project including the American Pistolsmiths Guild, Colts Manufacturing, Nighthawk Custom, engraver S.R. Fiddler, Turnbull Restoration and American Handgunner magazine.
These two special Colt firearms will be on display at the GunBroker.com booth, #15147, during the 2019 SHOT Show. The SHOT Show auction is administered for the National Shooting Sports Foundation by the Hunting Heritage Trust. Bidding is open now.
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