Make: Colt

Model: Officer’s Model Target

Serial Number: 359569

Year of Manufacture: 1913 (C&R Eligible)

Caliber: .38 Colt

Action Type: Double / Single Action Revolver with Swing-Out Six-Round Cylinder

Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “* OFFICERS MODEL .38 *”. The top of the barrel is marked “COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. HARTFORD CT. U.S.A. / PAT’D AUG.5.1884 JUNE.5.1900 APR.9.01 JULY.4.05”. The crane cut and crane are both marked “359569”. The left front trigger guard bow is marked with a Colt Verified Proof triangle “VP”. The revolver features factory scroll engraving covering the barrel, topstrap, frame, crane, trigger guard, and grip frame.

Barrel Length: 7 1/2”

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a windage-adjustable blade dovetailed to a barrel-mounted base. The rear sight is an adjustable square-notch target sight integral to the topstrap.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The revolver is fitted with two-piece mother-of-pearl grips featuring Colt medallions. These were shipped as an extra set according to the Colt letter. The grips show age-related wear including cracks along the bottom edges, a chip at the right toe, and fractures around the grip screw boss. They remain visually striking and consistent with deluxe Colt factory offerings of the period.

Type of Finish: Blued

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is some stubborn fouling and very faint frosting in the grooves. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 9/10.

Overall Condition: This revolver retains approximately 80% of its factory blue finish. The finish shows thinning and silvering along the barrel, sharp edges, and leading surfaces, with scattered oxidation and fine surface wear. There is no ejector rod housing, as correct for this early Officer’s Model configuration. A visible crack is present at the rear of the trigger guard near the right grip panel; this should be inspected by a competent gunsmith before firing. The screw heads are lightly worn but remain serviceable. The engraving remains crisp and well-executed. Overall, this revolver is in Good to Very Good condition for its age.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly in both single and double action. Lockup is tight and timing is proper. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.

Our Assessment: This factory-engraved Colt Officer’s Model Target revolver was shipped in 1913 to George Tonkin and comes documented by a Colt Archive letter. Shipped with checkered walnut stocks and an extra set of pearl grips, this revolver reflects the highest tier of Colt craftsmanship from the pre-WWI era. As a First Issue Officer’s Model chambered in .38 Colt with a rare 7 ½” barrel and full factory engraving, it represents a flagship-grade revolver from the golden era of American revolver production.

The early windage-adjustable front sight and lack of ejector rod housing are both correct and desirable features for this period. The presence of the Colt factory letter, paired with provenance to both the Kurt House and Charles Marks collections, further supports the revolver’s historic and collector significance.

Whether you are a Colt collector, arms historian, or someone who appreciates early 20th-century engraving and craftsmanship, this revolver checks all the right boxes. It is rare, documented, and richly embellished—an elite piece worthy of display and study.