1820

Signed Weldon Bledsoe Cattle Brand Engraved Third Generation Colt Buntline Special Single Action Rev

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:1,000.00 USD Estimated At:3,500.00 - 5,500.00 USD
Signed Weldon Bledsoe Cattle Brand Engraved Third Generation Colt Buntline Special Single Action Rev
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Estimate: $3500 - 5500
Manufacturer: Colt Model: Single Action
This is a nice example of a custom engraved Colt Single Action Army revolver manufactured in 1980 and subsequently custom engraved and embellished by noted Cole Agee taught Master Engraver Weldon Bledsoe. The revolver is nearly completely covered with cattle brand and broad leaf floral scroll engraving with a punch dot background. The brands are well executed in the typical Texas style with the recognizable "7 UP", "XIT", "HIT", "2 Lazy 2 P", "101" and many other famous Texas brands. The lower right of the frame is signed with Bledsoe's intertwined "B" with "W" in the top and "H" in the bottom amid the scroll engraving. The only surfaces not covered are the front strap, the inside area of the trigger guard, hammer and the cylinder flutes. Bledsoe, exactly like Agee, never engraved the hammer of a cattle brand gun. Bledsoe was an engraver by trade. In 1950 he moved to New Orleans and was working for Halton Jewelers. Bledsoe liked guns, but the store didn't handle them. He heard of Cole Agee and visited him at his shop. Agee felt there was enough work for both of them and shared his skills and special shortcuts with him, eventually he was introduced to the cattle brand style of engraving. Agee personally tutored Bledsoe when he began cattle brand engraving on his own. Agee reportedly gave his Texas cattle brand booklet to Bledsoe. Bledsoe later taught David Wade Harris, the third of three well known cattle brand engravers, the art of engraving. The revolver has the standard barrel and frame markings and is fitted with black checkered Rampant Colt/Federal eagle relief grips numbered to the gun. Comes with a black leatherette case with wine colored satin and velvet lining and a pair of sterling silver grips from Mexico. The inside of each grip is marked with the maker's logo and name (in Spanish) and the outside of the panels are adorned with scroll engraving with a relief a diamond at the top, head of an Inca warrior and the Mayan calendar at the bottom.
BBL: 12 inch round
Stock:
Gauge: 45 LC
Finish: nickel
Grips: hard rubber
Serial Number: SA39849
Condition:
Near Mint professionally embellished with 99% plus nickel finish remaining. The grips are excellent with some white residue on the upper left panel and sharp checkering. The engraving and markings are crisp. The action is excellent. The sterling silver grips and case are excellent