**British Proofed Lend Lease Colt Model 1903 Pistol in Pasteboard Box

World War II

.32 ACP. 3.75" barrel. SN: 565491 (mfg. ca.1942). Parkerized finish, blued barrel with bright chamber, blued magazines, checkered hardwood grips with silvered finished Rampant Colt medallions. Single action semi-automatic magazine-fed blow back pistol with fixed notch rear sight and blade front sight. Right side of slide marked in two lines: COLT AUTOMATIC/CALIBRE 32 RIMLESS SMOKELESS with the right side of the frame marked U.S. PROPERTY. The left side of the slide is marked in two lines: COLT'S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. HARTFORD, CT. U.S.A./PATENTED APR. 20, 1897, DEC. 22, 1903 with the {Rampant Colt} logo on the rear of the slide, a weak {Ordnance Wheel} inspection on the left rear of the frame and the serial number above the triggerguard on the frame. The gun has British proof marks on the chamber, slide and frame, indicating this pistol was supplied to the British during World War II under the Lend Lease system. The pistol includes a total of two fully blued magazines marked CAL 32/COLT on their bottoms. The gun is contained in an old kraft shipping box with grease pencil numbering on the bottom matching the serial number of the gun and pencil markings showing it had passed through the British proof house. The interior of the box contains well-worn brown wax paper and Colt factory paperwork.

This lot is located in Cincinnati.