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Colt New Service
Project Type
Colt New Service SN 22767
Date
1898-1941
When the large tan envelope from the Colt Archives Department arrives, it’s usually like Christmas morning for a Colt collector. Typically when we open the letter to see what awesome history is awaiting us, it is usually nothing more than a hardware store or large distributor like Shapleigh or Simmons. Once in awhile the unexpected happens and your prized Colt yields some unexpected history! This was the case with Colt New Service SN 22767. A few years ago I had purchased a nice prewar Colt 22-45 Conversion unit from an East Coast Dealer off Gunbroker. When I called the shop to pay for the item, I of course asked what other nice vintage Colts they had to sell. The shop owner told me he had minty Colt M1911 US Property .45 Auto that was inscribed to a well known business man and military officer of the era. He sent me pictures of the gun and I made him a stout offer on the gun. He decided he did not want to sell the gun and that was the end of that. Fast forward a year or two and I received a out the blue call from the same dealer advising me he would sell the gun if my offer still stood. I purchased the M1911. This story repeats itself a bit here as I once again asked the dealer if he had any other nice Colts available. He replied with a yes and told me he had just ran a minty Colt New Service on Gunboker and it did not meet the reserve. He described it as a wood handled high polish commercial Colt New Service from approximately 1909. The price was modest so I asked for some pictures. The pictures showed a like new revolver with SN 22767. It appeared to be original finish. The pistol had some peculiar features though. The barrel marking was “DA 45”. This was not typical of the commercial New Service of the time period. The grips were walnut, not fancy walnut like you may expect on a commercial gun special ordered with wood grips. These grips were plain Jane USGI two piece walnut grips that would be typical to a US Property M1909 New Service. The butt on the pistol had no markings. It was not marked United States Property nor did it have any military inspector stamps. I showed the pictures to a few collectors I thought might be able help dissect this interesting pistol.
I was advised that it was likely a “parts” gun and not to buy it. Thankfully I followed my gut feeling that this Colt was straight and original as could be. I have studied the company and the products enough to know that sometimes things are not as clear cut as we may think.
The call from Colt Archive Properties came from Paul Symaszek, a good friend and keen researcher. Paul had already looked up the General and determined it was General George F. Elliott, Commandant of the Marine Corps. General Elliott was the 10th Commandant of the Marine Corps, serving from 1903 thur 1910. The New Service was sent to him on Loan Account. There is no record of the pistol being returned, so we can assume the General kept it. Interestingly the Marine Corps had just ordered a special version of the M1909 for its Marines. The serial range of the USMC M1909 pistols starts at 23001, very close to General Elliotts New Service. The USMC M1909’s began to ship in May of 1909, again very close to the ship date of 22767. Unfortunately the details of why General Elliott received this pistol are lost to history. Was it a gift? A token of appreciation for the Marine Corps adoption of the M1909? Regardless, 22767 is a beautiful example of a prewar Colt New Service documented to a historically important person.
The details of General George Elliott’s life and service are enough to fill the pages a of a history book.
Born November 30th, 1846 in Eutaw Alabama. General Elliott was appointed to the US Military Academy in 1868. He was discharged from West Point in 1870 and was subsequently commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the US Marine Corps. His career was long and storied. Of his 40 years of service, 16 of the years were at sea! He served in combat on many occasions to include the Spanish American War and the Philippine insurrection. In 1903 he was ordered to directly lead a brigade of Marines to Panama right after Panama declared independence from Columbia. General Elliott was the first Commandant to lead Marines in the field since Commandant Archibald Henderson(1820-1859).
He returned to the US in February of 1904 and served the remainder of his time as Commandant in Washington DC. He retired after 40 years of service on November 30, 1910.
General Elliott passed away in November 1931 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Works cited:
Marine Corps Generals, 1899-1936, A biographical Encyclopedia by Glenn M. Harned
ISBN 978-0-7864-9489-7