Old Colt SIngle Action Help Pictures
A friend of mine has an old old single action. On the barrel which is faint, you can read "Colt Manufacturing Co. Hartford Conn." On the frame it has Pat. Sept 19 1871 July 2 - 72 Jan 19-75. The serial number on the frame is 1263xx. The grips appear to be made of some sort of ivory with a polar bear carved in them. On the bottom of the grip is scratched Greory Ayar King Island Alaska. Canot find a caliber designation anywhere. 44 special is too big and 357 falls through. There is a tiny capital A stamped behind the trigger guard in the brass and a capital R stamped on the cylinder. Please tell me what you think. That is everything written on the gun.
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Serial number is for 1888.
Brass - Alaska gold? - grip frame is of course not original. The hammer looks plated, too. Grips are interesting but not well fitted.
Caliber might be .41 Long Colt or .38-40.0 -
As mentioned, the grip frame (triggerguard and backstrap) have been replaced.
The hammer has been replaced with a post about 1908 hammer.
The gun has been buffed and refinished, including the frame that would have originally been case hardened.
The stocks aren't original to the gun.
The barrel and cylinder appear to be period correct, so they probably are original to the gun. It looks like the barrel has the two line address, so 4 3/4 would be the correct barrel length.
Single Actions in this serial number range would have had the chambering stamped on the left front triggerguard bow, except 44-40 which would have "COLT FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER" acid etched on the left side of the barrel. However, since the triggerguard has been replaced that piece of information is now gone.
Take the cylinder pin out and look at that area of the bottom of the barrel near the frame. Colt would stamp the caliber in that area if it wasn't buffed off when it was refinished. For example, if it is stamped 41, then it could be either chambered in 41 Colt or 38-40 (38 WCF). However, if it is stamped with a 41 then it would be my guess that it is chambered for 41 Colt judging by the back of the cylinder and the spacing between chambers.0 -
The grips look like walrus ivory. Ayar was probably one of the Island's artists. Some of the signed pieces of native carvings and scrimshaw work can be rather expensive.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Island_(Alaska)
ADDED: The name Ayar seems to have some ancient religious significance. In addition to Greory Ayar, more likely than not an Inupiat Eskimo, there is a well known Inuit Eskimo of Rankin Inlet in Canada with the name Ayaruaq, John. The name Ayar has ancient Inca and Mayan significance too. The name gets even more exciting in that Ayar was a town in Armenia, known today as Agarakadzor, which is just east of Mount Ararat, Turkey, supposed site of where Noah's Ark came to rest.
http://www.peru-travel-confidential.com/inca-mythology.html
The second version of the Inca mythology talks about the legend of the Ayar brothers. After the end of the great flood, deep in the Andes was a cave call Pacaritambo; the Ayar brothers came out from this cave. They were Ayar Uchu, Ayar Cachi, Ayar Manco and Ayar Auca. They were in company of their wifes and sisters Mama Ocllo, Mama Huaco, Mama Ipacura and Mama Raua. They have born without parents; they are a spontaneous generation.
The Inca mythology say: The Ayar brothers walk the mountains and valleys looking for a place where to found the Inca culture. Shortly a fight for power begun, the first victim was Ayar cachi; he was trap inside a cave forever. The second victim was Ayar Uchu; he was transform into an Inca pyramid call Huanacauri. The final victim was Ayar Auca; he was fool by Ayar Manco to visit the place chosen to found the Inca Empire and when he arrive; he become stone.
http://dictionary.babylon.com/ayar/
Wikipedia English - The Free Encyclopedia
Agarakadzor (; formerly, Ayar) is a town in the Vayots Dzor Province of Armenia.0 -
As above,,,,love those grips!!!![:)] 0 -
Although your Colt has been altered, thus seriously affecting its collector value, you might try to see what you can find out about Mr. Ayar. You said it's inscribed "Greory" but maybe it's "Gregory".
In any event, King Island was known for its artists who created ivory carvings for tourists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Check this website and maybe you can contact them and see if they have any records for Mr. Ayar. If so, it could add to the value of your Colt, particularly the grips.
Of course, Ayar may have been the owner of the gun and not the artist but it's worth checking out. Good luck!
http://www.kawerak.org/tribalHomePages/kingIsland/index.html0 -
The trigger guard and backstrap are either gold plated or brass. Check with a magnet.If brass, they came off a 1851 Navy or repro.
I believe it's 41 Long Colt since a 44 spl wont enter.
Hammer has newer checkering.0
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