I'm afraid I can't manage to enlarge much your pictures on my monitor, I've got the feeling that the gun was reblued and the grips replaced, but in all honesty I'd like to see better and much closer photos.
What's the barrel like? And the holster? I would say that 4 K is a lot of money, then I realize that a gunshop not far where I live still has a 1943 COLT 1911A1 with wrong hammer, wrong grips, wrong bushing, and probably an Augusta Arsenal stamp on the receiver at the price of about USD 2,960.00

 

I could not get pics to enlarge, but Colt looks likely to have been refinished. Price is too high, I just bought an SA Colt for 1300. Prices are going up but 4K?

 

Run do not walk, refinished pistol, you can get a real original one for that price.

 

I am limited on the pictures that were provided to me, but from what I am seeing, I don't think this is a refinish?

 

I looked at all your last detailed pictures and actually I agree, unless it was a real work of art, I don't think it was refinished either.

 

The extra mags and holster rig

 

Look closely at the finish pattern on the grip area. You can see the transition between the vertical and horizontal polishing, which is how an original finish should appear. I'm not passing judgment either way, but if it's refinished, it's a top notch job, not some hack gunsmith hot dip.

 

With the additional photos, I think you found a good one.

Talk about coincidence... the last M1911 I bought (about 5 weeks ago) was a 1917 Colt in similar condition, with holster, belt, mag pouch and 2 spare mags, and an unopened first aid kit & pouch, a box of ammo and a lanyard. Every piece dated 1917. I also gave $4k for the whole kit and felt that due to condition, the pistol alone was worth the asking price. All the rest was the icing on the cake.

 

Thanks to all for the comments and Joe, great rig! Another question on value. Do the earlier dull blue guns bring a higher premium than the later brushed blued finish ones?

 

Earlier equates to older and less likely to have survived intact. Also, in the pre WWI era, earlier years had lower production numbers, fewer produced.

For example, 1916 production was only around 4,200 pistols. They certainly command higher value than a pristine 1918 with over 377,000 units produced.

All other variables being equal, condition is the trump card.

 

If that pistol is refinished then my hat's off to whoever did it. Unfortunately the pictures aren't as detailed as I'd like but it appears to me to be a well-preserved original.

 

It looks original to me .
But what do I know ?
Other then I would love to have it .

 

I'd say that it is a nice original pistol. It still has the sharp edges that one would expect on an untouched original pistol. I think that the price is more than fair.

 

Thanks again to all for your input. I am going to move forward with the purchase and the owner is working to get me the vet's name and hopefully his unit info (this is a family heirloom). Will post more pix and info as they become available.

 

I received the rig and wanted to share the pictures. To me, this is a beautifully preserved example of a 1917 M1911 Colt. The seller was gracious enough to provide me with some details of the veteran (his step father) and I was able to research and find some additional information to go along with this gun. Seems that the vet was a Captain in the Army Corps of Engineers and was assigned to the 18th Engineers, which was a railroad unit. He lived in Los Angeles, which is an area where the 18th Engineers were recruited from.

“The Eighteenth Engineers, Railway, was organized in May, 1917, recruiting being done in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Ore., Seattle and Spokane. The regiment, under command of Col. J.B. Cavanaugh, left American Lake, Wash., August 1, 1917; sailed from New York, August 9, arrived at Liverpool August 23, Borden Camp, August. August 24. Crossing later to La Havre and arriving at Bordeaux September 1. The Eighteenth built the Bassens Docks, St Sulpice storage yards, Perigieux yards and yards at La Rochelle, La Pallice. Companies A and E entered the Advance Zone, the former doing railway work at Etais, department of Yonne and Is-sur-Tille. The regiment sailed from Bordeaux April 15, 1919, and arrived at New York April 27, entering Camp Mills, preparatory to entraining to the West Coast for discharge.”

According to the vet's obituary, it stated that he was a retired railyway worker, which further ties him to this unit. He likely just kept the rig after he was discharged as the US Army felt they no longer needed weapons since the "war to end all wars" had just ended.

While being a railway officer isn't as sexy as him being an infantryman, it does help explain the condition of the pistol, which is nearly unused. Most of the wear is along the back strap and if you look at the wear pattern where the bluing has thinned, it corresponds to the darker, wear pattern area in the holster, which is a 1916 dated Rock Island arsenal made piece. I love having the history to go along with this and hope you will enjoy it as well.

The barrel is in pristine condition (the line on the top is just a hair that I missed when taking the photo), and while the photos don't pick it up, the limited wear patterns on the barrel seat and frame are the same - just a slight rub along the front edge/section where the lug meets the barrel body.

 

some more pix

 

Wow. It's nearly 'pristine'.

 

I thought my 1914 was good, that beats it hands down.

 

Very nice find, and the info to go with it makes it more special.

 

Very nice. I have 216643 shipped December '17 in similar condition.

You did very well. Congrats.

 

That is a beauty alright! Good catch.

 

Sweet looking 1911. Good grab.

 

Congrats!

 

Beautiful M1911 with History, shipped 6/13/17 to Springfield Armory, Massachusetts.
Congrats

 

mdmorrissey

Outstanding story and marvellous rig, congratulations, that's something to treasure!
And thanks for sharing.


P.S.

Congratulations for your so detailed pictures, to me it was a real pleasure to look at them!

 

mdmorrissey,

Very Nice! Thank you for the pictures!

Best Regards,